Dhaka: The Norwegian and Swiss ambassadors in Dhaka have highlighted the importance of safeguarding women's safety in digital spaces to protect democratic participation, given the ongoing online and gender-based violence targeting women in politics. They shared their views during a high-level dialogue titled "Power Without Fear: Ending Digital and Gender-Based Violence Against Women in Politics," hosted by the Norwegian Embassy in collaboration with UN Women.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Norway's ambassador to Bangladesh, H¥kon Arald Gulbrandsen, emphasized that digital platforms have become essential for political engagement and should be made secure for women's involvement. Gulbrandsen stated that when women are silenced through digital harassment, character attacks, threats, or physical violence, societies as a whole suffer. He urged for stronger legal protections, improved digital safety measures, and accountability for perpetrators to empower women to participate in politics without fear.
Switzerland's ambassador to Bangladesh, Reto Renggli, pointed out the growing significance of preventing gender-based violence in light of Bangladesh's upcoming national elections. He noted the substantial role women played in Bangladesh's historic events last year and expressed hope that the ongoing democratic transition will respect aspirations for equal political representation.
The dialogue was part of the global 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence campaign under the theme "UNiTE to End Digital Violence against All Women and Girls." It gathered political party representatives, young women leaders, academics, journalists, gender experts, development partners, diplomats, and civil society members to discuss the threats women face in political life, such as online harassment, misinformation, intimidation, cyberstalking, doxxing, and coordinated smear campaigns.
Participants underscored the psychological, political, and professional impacts of such attacks on women, noting that digital abuse increasingly deters women from engaging in public and political life. Speakers emphasized the need for political parties to include concrete measures in their mandates to address digital violence and enhance online safety for women leaders.
Key recommendations from the discussion included strengthening legal frameworks, establishing dedicated reporting and response mechanisms, providing cyber safety and digital resilience training for women in politics, expanding mental health support for survivors, and integrating digital literacy and online etiquette into education curricula. Participants also called for stronger collaboration between political parties and civil society organizations to challenge harmful social norms and act against gender-based violence.
In closing, UN Women Representative Gitanjali Singh proposed forming an inter-party women's caucus to champion gender equality issues across political lines and strengthen solidarity among women leaders.
The United Nations is implementing an electoral assistance initiative for Bangladesh's national parliamentary elections in February 2026, supported by Norway and Switzerland. Led by UNDP, in collaboration with UN Women and UNESCO, the project aids the Bangladesh Election Commission in enhancing its institutional capacity, promoting civic engagement, and ensuring information integrity. The initiative underscores that democracy flourishes when women can participate freely, confidently, and without fear, both online and offline.