AI and anonymity fuel surge in digital violence against women – UN News

Report on Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence and the Sustainable Development Goals

Executive Summary

This report addresses the escalating crisis of online, technology-facilitated abuse against women and girls. Fueled by artificial intelligence (AI) and inadequate legal frameworks, this form of violence presents a significant barrier to achieving multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), most notably SDG 5 (Gender Equality) and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions). With 1.8 billion women and girls lacking legal protection, urgent, multi-stakeholder action is required to ensure digital spaces are safe and inclusive, thereby aligning technological advancement with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The Impact of Digital Violence on SDG 5: Gender Equality

The proliferation of online abuse directly undermines the core targets of SDG 5, which aims to end all forms of discrimination and violence against women and girls.

Current Landscape of Online Abuse

• A global survey indicates that 38% of women have personally experienced online violence, while 85% have witnessed it against other women.
• The digital space has become a frontline for gender inequality, with women leaders, journalists, and activists facing coordinated harassment campaigns designed to silence their participation in public life.
• The consequences are not confined to the virtual realm; online threats frequently escalate to real-world physical violence and femicide, creating a continuum of harm.

The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Exacerbating Inequality

• AI has amplified the speed, scale, and sophistication of digital abuse.
• AI-powered deepfake technology is disproportionately weaponized against women. An estimated 95% of online deepfakes are non-consensual pornographic images, with 99% of these targeting women.
• This gendered application of technology highlights a failure to integrate gender equality principles into innovation, a key aspect of achieving SDG 5.

Challenges to SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

The lack of effective legal recourse and institutional accountability for perpetrators of online violence represents a failure to uphold SDG 16, which calls for access to justice for all and effective, accountable institutions.

Gaps in Legal and Institutional Frameworks

• Fewer than 40% of countries have enacted specific legislation addressing cyber harassment or cyberstalking.
• This legislative gap creates a climate of impunity, leaving perpetrators unchallenged and victims without justice, directly contravening the principles of SDG 16.3 (Promote the rule of law and ensure equal access to justice).
• While 117 countries report efforts to address digital violence, progress remains fragmented and often lags behind rapid technological advances.

A Multi-faceted Strategy for Achieving Digital Safety and Justice

A comprehensive approach is necessary to address technology-facilitated violence, involving governments, the private sector, and civil society to advance the SDGs.

Recommendations for Key Stakeholders

1. Governments and Policymakers: Must develop and enforce robust legal frameworks that specifically address all forms of digital violence. This action is critical for building the strong, just institutions envisioned in SDG 16.
2. Technology Companies: Must integrate safety-by-design principles into their platforms, swiftly remove harmful content, and increase the representation of women in technology development to mitigate gender bias in AI, contributing to SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure).
3. Educational and Civil Society Institutions: Must invest in digital literacy programs, particularly for young people, to foster responsible digital citizenship in line with SDG 4 (Quality Education). Support for feminist movements working on this issue is also vital.

The Imperative of Prevention

• Prevention strategies must extend beyond punitive measures to include culture-change initiatives that challenge toxic online communities and misogynistic norms.
• Enhancing digital literacy and promoting education on consent and online safety are fundamental to preventing abuse before it occurs.

Conclusion: Aligning Technology with the 2030 Agenda

Technology can be a powerful enabler of equality and sustainable development. However, without deliberate action to embed the principles of human rights and gender equality into its design and governance, it will continue to perpetuate and amplify harm. Addressing the crisis of digital violence is not merely a technological or legal challenge; it is a prerequisite for achieving SDG 5, SDG 16, and the broader promise of the Sustainable Development Goals to leave no one behind.

Analysis of SDGs in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The article primarily addresses issues related to two Sustainable Development Goals:

• SDG 5: Gender Equality

  This is the central theme of the article. It focuses on the escalating online abuse, harassment, and violence specifically targeting women and girls. The text highlights how this digital violence is a major barrier to achieving gender equality, stating that the digital space has become a “frontline in the fight for gender equality.” The entire discussion revolves around the lack of protection for women and the gendered nature of online attacks, such as “relentless gendered disinformation, deepfake attacks, and coordinated harassment campaigns designed to silence, shame, and push them out of public life.”

• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

  This goal is directly connected through the article’s emphasis on the failure of legal and justice systems to protect women from online abuse. The text points out the weakness of institutions and legal frameworks, noting that “less than 40 per cent of countries having laws addressing cyber harassment or cyberstalking, leaving perpetrators largely unchallenged and victims without justice.” The call for stronger laws, accountability, and an end to impunity for perpetrators aligns with the goal of promoting just and inclusive societies.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Based on the article, the following specific targets can be identified:

1. Under SDG 5 (Gender Equality):

   • Target 5.2: Eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls in the public and private spheres.

     The article is entirely focused on a modern form of violence against women: technology-facilitated abuse. It explicitly mentions “online harassment,” “cyberstalking,” “online death threats,” and “non-consensual pornographic images” created with deepfake technology. The statement that “Digital abuse spills into real life…leading to physical violence and femicide” directly links the online sphere to the broader goal of eliminating all forms of violence.

   • Target 5.b: Enhance the use of enabling technology, in particular information and communications technology, to promote the empowerment of women.

     The article discusses the dual nature of technology, which “offers both empowerment and danger.” It highlights the failure to achieve this target by detailing how technology, particularly AI, is being weaponized against women. The call for tech companies to “build safer platforms” and for technology to be a “force for equality” is a direct appeal to work towards this target.

2. Under SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions):

   • Target 16.1: Significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere.

     The article connects online abuse to real-world violence and death. It notes that “One in four women journalists report receiving online death threats” and that digital abuse can lead to “physical violence and femicide,” making this target highly relevant.

   • Target 16.3: Promote the rule of law at the national and international levels and ensure equal access to justice for all.

     This target is addressed by the article’s focus on the legal vacuum surrounding online abuse. The fact that “1.8 billion women and girls still lack legal protection from online harassment” and that perpetrators “act with impunity” demonstrates a failure to uphold the rule of law and provide access to justice for victims of digital violence.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

Yes, the article provides several quantitative and qualitative indicators that can be used to measure the scale of the problem and track progress:

• Proportion of countries with legal frameworks to protect women from online violence: The article states that “less than 40 per cent of countries having laws addressing cyber harassment or cyberstalking.” This is a direct indicator for measuring progress on Target 16.3. An increase in this percentage would signify progress.
• Prevalence of online violence experienced by women: The statistic that “38 per cent of women have experienced online violence” serves as a baseline indicator for Target 5.2. A reduction in this figure would indicate progress.
• Prevalence of witnessing online violence: The finding that “85 per cent [of women] have witnessed it” is an indicator of how pervasive and normalized the issue is within online spaces.
• Proportion of a specific group (women journalists) receiving threats: The indicator that “One in four women journalists report receiving online death threats” measures the severity of the problem for women in public-facing roles and relates to Target 16.1.
• Gendered use of malicious technology: The data that “up to 95 per cent of online deepfakes are non-consensual pornographic images, and 99 per cent of those targeted are women” is a specific indicator of how new technologies are being weaponized against women, relevant to Target 5.2 and 5.b.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: news.un.org