Lilongwe, Malawi  The Government of Malawi, through its Ministry of Gender, Community Development and Social Welfare, has announced that the 2025 edition of the global campaign 16 Days of Activism against Gender‑Based Violence will be observed from 25 November to 10 December under the national theme “Unite to End Digital Gender-Based Violence in Malawi”. This year’s official launch is scheduled to take place in Balaka District, signalling a strong focus on emerging forms of violence inflicted via digital platforms.

According to the published concept note, the campaign will primarily address the growing challenge of online abuse and digital gender-based violence (DGBV) targeting women and girls. Specific priority areas include image-based violence (such as non-consensual sharing of intimate images), cyber-bullying, online sexual exploitation, harassment on social media platforms (including Facebook, WhatsApp, TikTok) and other forms of digital misuse. UN Women+2UN Women+2

The Ministry emphasises that while Malawi has long been active in the 16 Days of Activism campaign, the 2025 edition marks a deliberate shift toward digital spaces, acknowledging that technology has become a significant vector for gender-based harm. The concept note highlights that perpetrators increasingly exploit digital tools to inflict gender-based harm, abuse, hate speech, control, harassment and violence  a trend documented across the continent. UN Women+1

Objectives & Key Activities

The campaign in Malawi is set to achieve several key objectives:

• Raise awareness among citizens  especially young women and girls  about the nature and risks of digital gender-based violence and how to report it.

• Promote safer online spaces by engaging telecommunication companies, social-media platforms, digital rights organisations and community groups to implement awareness-raising and preventive measures.

• Strengthen legal and community responses by reviewing existing policy frameworks, improving coordination across the justice and cyber-security sectors, and mobilising local leaders to challenge harmful digital practices.

• Encourage investment in prevention not only reacting to violence but proactively designing digital-safe programmes, supporting survivors, and changing the digital culture around gender.

Launch in Balaka District

The official launch event in Balaka District on 25 November will bring together government officials, civil society organisations, youth and digital activists, traditional and religious leaders, as well as representatives of private-sector tech and telecommunication firms. The event is expected to include public pledges, digital-safety workshops, community dialogues and a youth-led online-campaign component.

Why This Matters

Malawi’s decision to centre the 2025 campaign on digital gender-based violence comes at a time when data from local studies indicate a rising prevalence of cyber-violence against women and girls. One survey highlighted malicious online behaviour such as cyber-bullying, online defamation, revenge pornography and harassment via WhatsApp or social media in Malawi. arXiv

Moreover, aligning the campaign with the global UN-run 16 Days initiative ensures that Malawi remains part of a broader international movement tying together gender-based violence and human-rights violations. The initiative symbolically runs from International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women (25 November) to Human Rights Day (10 December). Women Lawyers Association of Malawi+1

Looking Ahead

As the launch approaches, key themes to watch include:

• How Malawi’s digital-safety and cyber-regulation frameworks respond to this thematic shift.

• The role of private-sector partners (telecommunications & tech platforms) in supporting prevention of digital GBV.

• Engagement of youth and digital natives in shaping peer-to-peer campaigns and online activism.

• Implementation of community-level interventions that link offline gender-based violence with its digital counterpart.

• Monitoring and evaluation mechanisms to track the impact of the campaign — especially in reporting, prosecution, and survivor support in the digital domain.