Remarks at the Launch of the ‘16 Days of Activism against GBV’ Campaign

Excellencies, colleagues, friends, distinguished guests:

It is an honor to welcome you to the UN House in Vientiane for the launch of the 2025 “16 Days of Activism” campaign. Your presence today is crucial. And we are not here just to mark a date on the calendar; we are here to reaffirm our stance, speak out and take action.

Every year, from 25 November to 10 December, countries and communities around the world come together for the “16 Days of Activism”, a reminder that ending gender-based violence requires joint effort, leadership and responsibility.

Violence today takes many forms: physical, emotional and increasingly digital. So, this year’s theme is ending digital violence against all women and girls.

Technology shapes how young people learn, connect and express themselves. It also creates new and faster pathways for harm. The data is clear: 58% of young women and girls globally have experienced online harassment. 23% of girls aged 15 to 19 have already experienced intimate partner violence. Online and offline abuse feed off one another and increase fear, isolation and discrimination.

This is a fast-evolving threat and all societies need to better recognize and challenge tech-enabled violence against women and girls. We also need to ensure that our prevention and response systems keep pace with digital realities young people navigate every day.

I recently watched a gripping TV series from the U.K. called ‘Adolescence’ that warns of the real consequences of misogyny and hate that thrive in online spaces, and highlights how technology can facilitate and amplify violence. It illustrates the spectrum of cyberbullying behaviors that impact girls and teens, including name-calling, spreading rumors and threats, and non-consensual sharing of images. The show underscores the urgent need for awareness, societal and policy-level responses to tackle the epidemic of online violence against girls.

Closer to home, UNFPA and the National University of Laos conducted a study on Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence. It exposes connections between toxic online behaviors and real-world violence. It demonstrates that digital abuse intensifies the fear, pressure and control that women and girls already face in their daily lives.

One young woman in Vientiane said this to the researchers: “I get messages when I am alone; I feel afraid to report them because they know my name and where I live.”

A young transgender person said: “I stopped posting online because every time I did, someone twisted my photos or spread lies about me. I felt like the whole village was watching.”

These testimonies remind us that behind every statistic is a human being, someone carrying fear, shame or silence that we might never see on a graph. And no one should ever have to feel this way.

And to those brushing the abuse aside as an empty, abstract banter, its consequences are real. It is affecting more and more people, in real time, in our schools, our workplaces, and in our communities.

And it is our shared responsibility that no one is left alone, blamed or unprotected, whether online or offline. Indeed, protecting rights in the digital age requires proactive, informed and forward-looking action.

That is why today we must renew our commitment to raising awareness, changing attitudes and preventing harm before it occurs. Because prevention is better than cure. And in the case of gender-based violence, prevention protects dignity and can save lives.

Ladies and gentlemen:

2025 is also a special year for our UN family here in Lao PDR. It marks 70 years of the Laos’ membership in the United Nations. For seven decades, the UN and the Lao PDR have walked side by side to build peaceful societies, advance development and human rights.

As we celebrate this milestone, we renew a simple and enduring promise: that no one is left behind; that everyone can live free from fear and violence; and that every person’s rights are upheld.

Recalling the testimonials and the real impacts that members of our families and communities experience, let us reaffirm our resolve to confront abuse and violence, whether at home, at work, at school, or online.

Let us commit to investing in digital regulations, education and empowerment, and to strengthening digital literacy and safe online spaces.

Let us also engage boys and men as allies, and ensure that survivors of all forms of violence, including tech-facilitated abuse, can access support, justice and healing.

Ladies and gentlemen:

We must recognize that no institution can do this alone. The Government, civil society, youth groups, community leaders and the private sector must stand firm and speak with one voice.

Accountability is key in this regard. We must monitor progress, collect the right data, including data on digital forms of abuse, and remain transparent in our collective efforts.

This commitment is driven by the vision and future we want to see. Imagine the world where:

• A school girl who opens her phone without fearing that a comment or message will turn into harassment.
• Or a young man who challenges abusive behavior among his peers and says, ‘That is not acceptable’.
• Or women entrepreneurs who use digital tools to grow their businesses and networks without being attacked online.

This vision is within reach when we stand together and act as one.

In the spirit of unity and hope, we will invite all of you who share this commitment to light a flame. A flame to fight darkness, ignorance and abuse. Just one begins to make a difference.

And many flames symbolize our shared promise to bring safety, dignity and light into every life touched by violence.

Thank you.