29/11/2025
As technology becomes inseparable from daily life and social media use continues to surge, online violence and cyberbullying have escalated, with devastating real world consequences. This 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence. Youth for All joins hundreds of organisations across the region to silence the guns and end digital and physical violence against women, girls, and young people
• Globally, an estimated 137 women and girls are killed every day by an intimate partner or family member, a stark reminder that violence is widespread both on and offline.
• One in three young people in a multi country UNICEF poll reported having been a victim of online bullying. Cyberbullying is linked to anxiety, depression, school absence, and, in the worst cases, su***de.
• In Southern Africa (SADC), the regional average for lifetime prevalence of forced s*x among girls and women is around 17%, underscoring why this region must lead on prevention and survivor support.
• Social media adoption keeps rising: millions more join every year, a trend that increases both opportunities and risks for young people online. (Digital platforms added ~266 million new users in 2023).
• In the last 12 months, about 316 million women (≈11% of those aged 15+) experienced physical or s*xual violence by an intimate partner showing why connected world harms and intimate partner violence must be tackled together.
We call on governments, tech companies, parents, educators, and young people to:
1. Treat digital violence as part of GBV prevention and fund survivor services.
2. Strengthen online reporting, moderation, and legal protection for survivors.
3. Invest in youth mental health support and safe digital literacy programmes.
Youth for All stands with survivors. Join us — speak up, share resources, and demand change. .
Mike Mehch
Aleatanu Noela
Simalui Kate
Welkam M Kaponya
Joseph Khonga Saviye
TIE Events
UNICEF
UNFPA
