Joint UN event marks the start of 16 Days of Activism, highlighting urgent need to make online spaces safe for all.

BEIJING, China, 25 November 2025 – Today, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and UN Women in China co-hosted a high-level seminar to commemorate Beijing+30 and launch the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence campaign. The event, titled “Beijing+30 Seminar: Commemorating 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence and Accelerating Action to end Violence Against Women and Girls in China,” brought together government representatives, UN agencies, civil society, academia, media and the private sector to review progress and accelerate efforts to eliminate violence against women and girls, with a focus on the escalating challenge of digital violence.

The seminar was opened by Mr. Siddharth Chatterjee, the United Nations Resident Coordinator in China, and Madam Lin Yi, Vice President of the All-China Women's Federation (ACWF). In his remarks, Mr. Chatterjee underscored the timeliness of the 2025 global 16 Days campaign theme, “UNiTE to End Digital Violence against All Women and Girls.”

“Violence against women is not inevitable. It is preventable. But prevention requires coordinated action, investment, and societal commitment,” stated Mr. Chatterjee. “As we commemorate Beijing+30, let us reaffirm a simple truth: eliminating violence against women and girls – in all its forms, online and offline – is essential to building peaceful, just, and inclusive societies.”

“Over the past 30 years, guided by the spirit of the Fourth World Conference on Women, the cause of women has been thriving around the world. However, violence and discrimination against women still persist. New issues like online violence and discrimination in algorithms have brought new challenges to women’s development. The theme of this year’s 16 Days of Activism Campaign is not only in line with the trend of our changing times but also responds to the new situations of women's development,” said Lin Yi, Vice President of the All-China Women's Federation.

The event provided a platform to reflect on the 30-year journey since the adoption of the landmark Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. While acknowledging historic gains – such as 90% of countries reporting the introduction or strengthening of laws on violence against women and girls (since 2019) and the enactment of the Anti-Domestic Violence Law in China in 2016 – participants noted the slow, uneven progress and emerging challenges in ending violence around the world. This includes one in three women who continue to face physical or sexual violence, globally.

Technology-facilitated gender-based violence

A key concern highlighted was the rapid rise of technology-facilitated violence against women and girls, which exacerbates existing risks and forms of violence. Experts pointed to emerging forms of abuse such as image-based abuse, deepfake pornography, gendered disinformation, and online stalking.

“Eradicating technology-facilitated gender-based violence demands collective action across sectors,” said Ms. Alexandra Robinson, Global GBV Technical Advisor at UNFPA. “Our four-pillar strategy – from response, to prevention, to enabling environments, and research – ensures we tackle this challenge with coordinated and evidence-based action.”

"Technology-facilitated violence against women and girls is not a strictly virtual problem, it has tangible impacts on women’s safety, public presence and participation, and freedoms," said Ms. Melisssa Alvarado, Regional Manager, Ending Violence against Women at the UN Women Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific. 

"Beyond strengthening responses, laws and policies, we must accelerate prevention by changing harmful norms, countering online misogyny, and fostering gender-equitable narratives—grounded in women’s and girls’ lived realities. We will all be safer when gender equality is a lived reality, both online and in real life."

A Multi-Stakeholder Path Forward

The seminar provided a platform for dialogue on actionable recommendations to close implementation gaps. Discussions underscored that ending digital violence requires a united effort from all sectors of society – governments, tech companies, parents, educators, community leaders, and all individuals – to build an inclusive, open, safe, and secure digital space for all women and girls.

In his speech, Mr. Chu Q. Wang, UN Women China Head of Office (a.i.), emphasized that “as we strive for a world of zero violence, let us be reminded that the manifestation of violence is constantly evolving. As technology reshapes the way we live, work, and connect, UN Women stands ready to work with our partners in China to continue protecting the rights of all women and girls in every space – both online and offline.” 

The event concluded with a strong reaffirmation of partnership to end violence against women and girls. 

“China’s experience shows that leadership, commitment and collaboration are the cornerstones of long-term progress. Our path forward is the model we saw today: building robust partnerships, scaling what works, and championing intersectional approaches that ensure every woman and girl can live in safety and dignity,” said Ms. Nadia Rasheed, UNFPA Representative in China in closing the event. 

• Media Contacts:

​​​​​​Shujun Liu, Communications Analyst, UNFPA China, sliu@unfpa.org. 

Wenting Zhao, Head of Communications, UN Women China, wenting.zhao@unwomen.org.

• About the 16 Days of Activism: 

The international campaign begins on 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and runs until 10 December, Human Rights Day. It is a time for global action to raise awareness and galvanize efforts to end violence against women and girls everywhere. In 2025, the campaign focuses on ending digital violence against all women and girls – one of the fastest-evolving forms of abuse worldwide.

• About UNFPA: 

UNFPA is the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency. It aims to achieve three transformative results by 2030 – ending unmet need for contraception, ending preventable maternal death, and ending gender-based violence and all harmful practices against women and girls. It reaches millions of women, girls and young people with essential health services, protection from violence, and with vital information about their bodies and rights. 

• About UN Women: 

UN Women exists to advance women’s rights, gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls. As the lead UN entity on gender equality, it shifts laws, institutions, social behaviours and services to close the gender gap and build an equal world for all women and girls. It keeps the rights of women and girls at the centre of global progress – always, everywhere.