A unique forum titled “Digital Theater” was held in Dushanbe to raise awareness about digital gender-based violence and how young people — particularly girls — can protect themselves online. The event was part of the global campaign “16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence,” which this year focused on the growing threat of online abuse.

Organizers emphasized that teenage girls are most vulnerable to digital violence, including cyberbullying, blackmail, and online threats.

An interactive approach

Nearly 70 young participants gathered to explore how parents, teachers, and social media platforms can play a role in protecting youth from digital abuse.

What set this forum apart was its interactive format. Rather than traditional lectures, participants took part in a “digital theater,” where they reenacted real-life online scenarios and collaboratively explored solutions — gaining firsthand insight into how to protect themselves and others.

Organizers say such initiatives are more than just conversations — they are practical steps toward building a safer internet for girls and teenagers across Tajikistan.

As digital spaces increasingly become central to public life, the issue of online gender-based violence is gaining urgent attention. Defined as targeted harassment and abuse through digital technologies based on a person’s gender — disproportionately affecting women and girls — this form of violence represents a growing challenge in the fight for digital rights and gender equality.

Often used interchangeably with terms like cyberbullying, online harassment, digital violence, and technology-facilitated abuse, online gender-based violence is distinct in that it draws specific attention to abuse rooted in gender discrimination. Unlike general online harassment, gender-based digital violence highlights the systemic and often misogynistic nature of these attacks.

Online gender-based violence can include unwanted sexual remarks, non-consensual circulation or distribution of sexually explicit media or content, threats, doxing, cyberstalking and harassment, online gendered disinformation, deepfakes, and gender-based discriminatory memes and posts among other things.