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Making All Spaces Safe: Global Programme to Address Technology-Facilitated Gender-based Violence (TF GBV)

Making All Spaces Safe is a UNFPA global programme, supported by Global Affairs Canada, to address the ever increasing incidence and threat of Technology-facilitated Gender-based Violence (TF GBV). 

TF GBV often occurs in a continuum of online-offline experiences and is manifested through various forms, including online harassment, image-based abuse, cyberstalking, doxxing and AI-generated abuse, among many others. 

The global programme, Making All Spaces Safe, bridges existing gaps in addressing TF GBV through the integration of specific activities across existing GBV response and prevention programming. It also aims to increase prevention and mitigation of harm through rights-based law and policy and safety-by-design standards. 

The programme comprises global interventions as well as pilot programmes in two countries, Benin and Kenya. Given each of the distinct contexts, an in-depth and participatory process of contextualization is undertaken to ensure the programme delivers tailored solutions which are suitable and sustainable for the communities it serves.

 

Programme Pillars

Making All Spaces Safe is structured around 3 key pillars - response, prevention, and law and policy - and 2 cross-cutting pillars - research and evaluation, and convening efforts:

  • Response: Creating and improving integrated and multi-sectoral response mechanisms to support survivors of TF GBV, offering them quality and sustainable resources and services to recover and seek justice. This includes the inception of a Global Response Hub through which frontline service providers are provided with referral support to digital rights and TF GBV specialists to enable effective and time-sensitive response support. 
  • Prevention: Working with tech companies to create safer online environments through incorporating safety-by-design principles, and adapting education for in and out of school young people to ensure inclusion of digital literacy and safety online. 
  • Law and Policy: Supporting development of rights-based law reform to address TF GBV as well as influencing industry standard setting bodies to ensure inclusion of safety-by-design. 
  • Research and Evaluation: Conducting research to understand the scope and impact of TF GBV at a national level and supporting global thought leadership, including feminist AI. Central to the programme is the evaluation of intervention impact to inform continuous learning and enable responsible scale up. 
  • Convening Efforts: Bringing together stakeholders from various sectors, including civil society organizations (CSOs), women's movements, tech companies, and government agencies, to foster collaboration and share best practices.

Building on UNFPA's Global Experience

Making All Spaces Safe is built upon UNFPA's extensive experience in addressing GBV in over 150 countries. By leveraging existing networks and partnerships with national governments, CSOs, women's movements, and the private sector, the programme champions and promotes a comprehensive and collaborative approach to ending GBV, both online and offline.

Additionally, the programme creates global processes for knowledge sharing, allowing successful approaches to address TF GBV be adapted and scaled to other contexts around the world. By doing so, the programme will set a new standard and inspire further action to prevent and respond to the pervasive and evolving threat of TF GBV.

Centering Women and Girls in All Their Diversity

TF GBV has a profound impact on the health, well-being, and social participation of women and girls in all spaces, and can often lead to silencing, loss of employment, and diminished educational and economic opportunities. The goal of the Making All Spaces Safe programme is to ensure that women and girls can enjoy the benefits of technology without fear of gender-based violence. This will increase women's safe and meaningful participation in online spaces, ultimately enhancing their participation in public and political life and advancing gender equality, both online and offline.