UNFICYP held a hybrid NGO Networking Forum at Ledra Palace Hotel to mark the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, an annual global campaign from 25 November until 10 December that mobilizes efforts to end violence against women and girls.

The event focused on evolving forms of violence and how the digital sphere has become a space through which violence against women and girls is perpetrated. Named “Digitally speaking: Online violence against women and ways to address it”, the forum had the presence of around 30 people in person and 18 participants followed the discussion online. 

Dr. Christina Kaili, a PhD in Sociology with 15 years of experience promoting gender equality and women’s rights in Cyprus, across the Eastern Mediterranean and Europe, and Damla Kodan, an academic and a young researcher and member of Queer Cyprus, shared their perspectives on the problem of online and digital violence towards women, including women activists, and highlighted the possibilities ahead to mitigate this type of violence.

During the conversation, the guest speakers provided interesting findings both from Cyprus and Middle East which followed by an insightful question and answers session.

The event was organized by UNFICYP Civil Affairs Section and the Mission’s Gender Affairs Officer and was also attended by representatives of the diplomatic community, civil society organizations, gender related institutions and other community members from both sides of the island.