ISLAMABAD: As the global 16-day UNITE campaign against digital violence against women and girls concluded on International Human Rights Day, Senator Sherry Rehman on Tuesday issued a forceful call for urgent action to confront the escalating crisis of online and offline violence targeting women in Pakistan and beyond.

In a statement issued here, Sherry Rehman warned that technology-driven abuse had become “a defining and devastating feature” of modern life, with impacts that extend far beyond screens.

“The persistence of violence against women, particularly tech-facilitated abuse, revealed a deep and dangerous failure of our systems. Its impacts are not virtual; they were painfully real,” she said.

Latest data from the Digital Rights Foundation shows 3,171 complaints of digital violence were recorded in Pakistan last year, with May registering the highest number of cases. Cyber harassment alone accounted for 2,741 incidents.

Alarmingly, 36 per cent of these complaints originated from areas where the FIA’s cybercrime wings were already functional, pointing to gaps in prevention and enforcement.

Women remained the primary victims. Of all digital violence complaints, 1,772 were filed by women, while the FIA reports that 90pc of its harassment cases involved female victims.

Globally, the scale of the problem mirrored Pakistan’s experience: the Economist Intelligence Unit reported that 85pc of women worldwide faced online harassment in 2024.

“These numbers are not merely statistics; they represent disrupted lives, shrinking opportunities, and silenced voices,” Sherry Rehman expressed.

She noted that online abuse had forced women out of classrooms, workplaces and even politics, with many public representatives considering withdrawal due to targeted online hostility.

The broader picture of gender-based violence in Pakistan remained equally grim. The Gender-Based Violence 2024 report documented 32,617 cases nationwide, including 5,339 rapes, 24,439 kidnappings, 2,238 domestic violence cases and 547 honour killings. Despite the establishment of 480 dedicated GBV courts, the Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan recorded a conviction rate of only 5pc, while 70pc of survivors did not report incidents due to fear and stigma.

Marking Human Rights Day, Senator Rehman stressed the need for safer digital ecosystems, enforceable laws, gender-sensitive policing, and strong data protection mechanisms. “Protection and prevention cannot remain privileges enjoyed by a few,” she said, urging a national commitment to narrow the gap between legislative progress and the realities faced by women.

PPP Calls Human Rights “the soul of democracy”: In a separate message, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari described human rights as the foundation of democracy and reiterated his party’s commitment to the dignity and equality of all citizens.

In a statement issued from Bilawal House, he said Human Rights Day was a reminder to transform constitutional rights into real access to education, healthcare, livelihood and justice. He called on institutions and citizens to safeguard civil liberties, eliminate discrimination and build inclusive spaces.

Paying tribute to human rights defenders, he said their courage remained “the conscience of the nation,” and affirmed the PPP’s pledge to champion a compassionate, rights-based Pakistan where women, minorities, children, workers, persons with disabilities and vulnerable communities live with respect and opportunity.

Published in Dawn, December 10th, 2025