UNFPA India flags surge in digital violence, calls for strong safeguards for women

New Delhi, Dec 5 (PTI) The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) India has called for urgent, rights-based safeguards to protect women from rising digital violence, warning that technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV) has escalated into a "human rights crisis." At a high-level multi-stakeholder consultation held in New Delhi ahead of the IndiaAI Impact Summit 2026, the UNFPA brought together government officials, global experts, tech companies and civil society leaders to examine the sharp rise in online harms and push for stronger industry and policy responses.

Jointly organised with the University of Melbourne's School of Population and Global Health, the consultation -- 'Safeguarding Rights in the Digital Age: Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence in India' showcased the latest regional research on TFGBV and highlighted platform-level innovations and safety-by-design approaches, according to a statement by the UNFPA.

Representatives from Google, Snapchat, Her Circle, SOHUM and The Quantum Hub outlined strategies to curb cyberstalking, impersonation, non-consensual image sharing and deepfake-based abuse.

Digital rights organisations, including IT for Change, the Centre for Communication Governance, Breakthrough Trust, Feminism in India and the Digital Futures Lab, emphasised the structural drivers enabling online violence and outlined solutions emerging from the field.

UNFPA India representative Andrea M Wojnar stressed the urgency of action, saying technology-driven abuse was "not merely a digital issue but it is a human rights crisis," disproportionately harming women, young users and gender-diverse communities.

She noted the rapid evolution of online threats, from deepfake to targeted harassment, and called for systems that protect users without compromising inclusion or innovation.

Professor Cathy Vaughan of the University of Melbourne said India is uniquely positioned to lead global responses, given its strong technology sector and vibrant women's movement.

"The many benefits of technology have been accompanied by very real harm, harm primarily borne by women and girls, and those already facing inequality," she said. India, she added, has "a real opportunity to lead the world" with preventive and safety-first design approaches.

During a "Living Lab" session, participants shared personal experiences of online abuse, flagging challenges such as slow reporting pathways, inadequate moderation in Indian languages, weak safeguards against impersonation and non-intuitive safety controls. They urged platforms to introduce faster complaint mechanisms and clearer options for responding when harm occurs.

The consultation also assessed India's recent policy steps, including the Digital Personal Data Protection Rules (2025) and AI Governance Guidelines on deepfake detection, which experts said signalled progress towards making digital ecosystems safer and more accountable. PTI UZM MNK MNK