Advancing Safe Digital Spaces: Addressing Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence through Inclusive Governance and Innovation

Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence (TFGBV) represents a growing challenge in the digital era, undermining gender equality, safety, and participation in online spaces. This roundtable, convened by UNFPA under the ICEGOV 2025 framework, will explore innovative policy and programmatic responses to TFGBV in Nigeria and globally.

Drawing from UNFPA’s digital innovation portfolio and partnerships with the Government of Nigeria, NITDA, and civil society, the session will showcase practical models that integrate gender-transformative governance, data systems, and survivor-centered digital protection. Participants will engage in an interactive discussion on leveraging e-governance platforms, artificial intelligence, and ethical data use to prevent and respond to TFGBV.

The roundtable will highlight lessons from national coordination mechanisms, including the GBV data ecosystem and virtual referral systems, offering actionable pathways for governments, private sector actors, and development partners to build safer, more inclusive digital environments for women and youth.

Objectives for Participants:

• Explore the evolving landscape of Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence (TFGBV) — examining national and global trends, identifying priority harms, and amplifying youth perspectives on the most urgent digital safety risks affecting women and girls.
• Discuss how to embed safety, privacy, and inclusivity in digital governance systems — advocating for “safety-, privacy-, and accessibility-by-design” principles as a core standard in Nigeria’s expanding digital public infrastructure.
• Debate the ethical dimensions of data governance for survivor-centred services — focusing on consent, lawful data use, protection from secondary harm, and ensuring that digital solutions safeguard rather than expose survivors of GBV.
• Reflect on opportunities for interoperable and coordinated responses — including effective referral pathways, evidence preservation, and responsible engagement with tech platforms, law enforcement, and judicial systems.
• Showcase promising digital innovations and youth-led solutions — highlighting the UNFPA-supported Virtual Referral and Response System (VRRS) and other adaptable tools that enhance survivor access to timely, confidential, and rights-based support.
• Foster collaboration and shared accountability across sectors — encouraging joint pilot initiatives, investment pathways, and a unified commitment to advancing safe, inclusive, and gender-transformative digital spaces in Nigeria and beyond.