Sarajevo, 15 December 2022 - A conference titled ‘Digital violence is real - road to technologically-facilitated gender-based violence and bodyright protections’ was held today in Sarajevo as the follow up of the global launch in New York during the 16 Days of Activism against Violence Against Women. 

Violence against women and girls is a violation of human rights and bodily autonomy. UNFPA, the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency, is dedicated to ending all violence against women and girls – whether in the real or virtual world. 

According to the Economist Intelligence Unit, globally, 85% of women have reported witnessing online violence, and nearly 40% have experienced it personally*– and the problem is growing every day. 

The subject of technologically-facilitated gender-based violence represents a new frontier in our joint efforts to ensure the protection of women from violence in the most comprehensive manner.

“All spaces, whether virtual or real world, should be free from violence against women and girls” said John Kennedy Mosoti UNFPA Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Bodyright is a social movement that asks us all to take gender-based online violence seriously. We all need to understand our role in it and work together to drive real change and online protections for every girl, woman and young person, everywhere. Claim your bodyright ⓑ...and let’s work together to end online abuse against women and girls, he added. 

The Conference gathered policy and decision-makers, tech companies, youth, practitioners, community leaders and women and girls from the Western Balkans Region who will be striving to identify best practices and eventually scale up solutions that are most effective in preventing technologically-facilitated gender-based violence and protecting women and girls from abuse and violence.

Bodyright is about the right to own your body online.