The Ministry of Human Rights, in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme, launched Pakistan’s first National Strategy on Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence in Islamabad on 6 March 2026, presenting a structured, survivor-centred and rights-based approach to digital safety for women and girls.

At the event, Barrister Aqeel Malik, Minister of State for Law and Justice, described the strategy as a landmark measure to address emerging online threats. He highlighted risks such as cyber stalking, doxxing, coordinated trolling and AI-generated abuse and said the framework will strengthen institutional coordination, ensure survivor protection, promote responsible engagement with digital platforms and prioritise awareness and prevention to improve digital safety across society.

Abdul Khalique Sheikh, Secretary of the Ministry of Human Rights, outlined a roadmap to operationalise the strategy, calling for stronger inter-agency coordination and clearer institutional accountability to deliver on its commitments and make digital safety an active governance priority.

Despite gains in digital inclusion, the protection gap remains large: eight million new female users came online in 2024, while that same year recorded 135,000 cybercrime complaints and only 826 prosecutions, a rate of 0.6 percent. Parliamentary Secretary Saba Sadiq urged greater public engagement and awareness to complement legal and institutional reforms and to empower women and girls to participate safely online.

Dr. Nafisa Shah, Chairperson of the Gender Mainstreaming Committee in the National Assembly, stressed that accountability and a strengthened justice response are central to tackling technology-facilitated gender-based violence. UNDP Resident Representative Dr. Samuel Rizk framed the strategy as a forward-looking governance reform that embeds safety and accountability into Pakistan’s digital governance, while Sam Waldock of the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office called for sustained partnerships and practical action to turn commitments into results.

The launch featured presentations on the national framework and a panel discussion on translating policy into effective institutional response and survivor-centred delivery. With a focus on prevention, protection and accountability, the strategy charts a pathway to bolster digital safety and protect the rights of women and girls across Pakistan.