Beirut, Lebanon – November 25, 2025 – The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Lebanon and FEMALE officially launched a joint advocacy campaign today, commencing on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and the start of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence under the theme ‘UNiTE to End Digital Violence against All Women and Girls’. The main objective of this joint initiative is to push for the adoption of Lebanon’s first comprehensive cyber-violence law to protect women and girls in digital spaces. The campaign was inaugurated with the release of a high-impact video featuring a unified front of decision-makers and influential figures, all advocating for immediate legislative action. This collaborative effort emphasizes the crucial need for a legal framework capable of addressing the rising tide of technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV).
Hayat Mirshad, Executive Director of the FEMALE Association, underscored the urgency for legal deterrence: “Every notification on a phone might seem like just a message, but for many women and girls, it’s the beginning of a nightmare, a journey of fear and violence… In Lebanon, at least 300 cases of digital violence are recorded monthly, with 80% of victims being women and girls… Digital violence doesn’t stop behind a screen. It starts online, but it spills over into real life.”
As technology advances with lightning speed, protections have failed to keep pace for users – especially adolescent girls. Anandita Pilipose, UNFPA Representative in Lebanon, affirmed the critical nature of this joint advocacy: “At UNFPA, we know that sustainable change is possible when governments, civil society, and international partners work together. With women’s and girls’ rights increasingly under attack, deprioritized and defunded these days, it is even more urgent to come together, speak with one voice and say ‘no more’. No more to all forms of gender-based violence. No more attacks on women’s and girls’ rights. No more silence in the face of the pushback on gender equality.’ At UNFPA we know that we can make digital spaces safe, equitable and empowering for all people – and will – if we unite against digital violence”. The joint campaign will continue through the 16 Days of Activism, concluding on December 10, with a series of further advocacy videos and engagement activities to maintain discussion on the enactment of this landmark legislation. The comprehensive draft law was initiated by FEMALE in collaboration with a legal committee, with the endorsement of Member of Parliament Halima Kaakour. It aims to establish a national legal framework against cyber-violence and is currently in the advocacy and legislative process. The campaign was launched in November 2025 to push for its adoption in Parliament.