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, setting a new direction for digital safety and institutional response. The TFGBV strategy frames online protection as a governance priority and commits to survivor-centred, rights-based measures across public institutions.
Barrister Aqeel Malik, Minister of State for Law and Justice, called the initiative a landmark step for protecting women and girls as they increasingly participate in digital life, noting emerging threats such as cyberstalking, doxxing, coordinated trolling and AI-generated abuse. He said, ‘As more women and girls engage in digital spaces for education, work and civic participation, we must strengthen protection, awareness and accountability to keep these spaces safe and inclusive.’
Abdul Khalique Sheikh, Secretary of the Ministry of Human Rights, outlined a practical roadmap for operationalising the TFGBV strategy, emphasising stronger inter-agency coordination, clearer institutional roles and mechanisms to ensure accountability and effective implementation across government bodies.
The launch highlighted an urgent protection gap in Pakistan’s digital expansion. In 2024, eight million new female users came online, yet the same year recorded 135,000 cybercrime complaints with only 826 cases moving to prosecution, a rate of just 0.6 percent. Saba Sadiq, Parliamentary Secretary for Human Rights, stressed public engagement and awareness, stating, ‘Addressing technology-facilitated gender-based violence requires both institutional strength and collective responsibility to empower women and girls to participate confidently online.’
Dr. Nafisa Shah, Chairperson of the Gender Mainstreaming Committee in the National Assembly, said accountability and a stronger justice response are central to the strategy’s success and urged institutions to adopt survivor-centred procedures that protect rights and restore trust in digital spaces.
The launch programme included a strategic overview, discussion on implementation priorities and a panel on turning policy into practice with contributions from public institutions, oversight bodies and civil society. Dr. Samuel Rizk, UNDP Resident Representative, described the TFGBV strategy as a governance reform that embeds safety and accountability into Pakistan’s digital future, while Sam Waldock of the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office called for sustained partnerships to translate commitments into action.
Government and development partners agreed the immediate task is to move from strategy to measurable results, strengthening prevention, protection and redress systems so that Pakistan’s digital expansion delivers both inclusion and safety for women and girls under the TFGBV strategy.
