Project implementation: October 2022 – September 2025.
Location: Guatemala, Kenia y Georgia.
Transform
Partners: Irex, Pact, Sonke Gender Justice, Moonshot.
Transform
Transform is a three-year global pilot initiative that will support practical approaches to prevent, mitigate, and respond to Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence (TFGBV), with a particular focus on addressing violence experienced by women in politics and public life.
Transform will strengthen individual resilience to TFGBV, institutional capacity and commitment to reduce its prevalence, and gender-equitable social norms related to gender and digital citizenship, with the goal of reducing the negative impact of TFGBV on the lived experiences of women in all their diversity, particularly those in politics and public life, LGBTQI+ individuals, and marginalized communities. The program is being piloted in three countries: Kenya, Georgia, and Guatemala.
Transform is an Associate Award (AA) carried out under the Civil Society and Media – Strengthened Together and Advancing in New Directions (CSM-STAND) Leader with Associates Award (LWA). It is implemented through the CSM-STAND consortium, with Pact as the lead award holder and AA recipient, and IREX as the primary implementer. CSM-STAND is a five-year USAID-funded award that aims to foster independent civic forces, enhance civic engagement, and build vibrant, resilient, and self-reliant civil society and media sectors that cultivate more pluralistic and democratic societies.
Objectives
Transform will strive to:
-
Address the root causes of Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence (TFGBV). This includes understanding the complex interplay of factors that contribute to TFGBV, such as gender norms, power imbalances, and the misuse of technology.
-
Strengthen the capacity and collaboration among diverse local actors who monitor, analyze, prevent, mitigate, and respond to TFGBV. This involves supporting the development of local expertise, fostering partnerships, and promoting information sharing.
-
Establish accountability mechanisms for those who facilitate and perpetrate TFGBV, and reinforce positive incentives for those seeking to eliminate it. This encompasses developing legal frameworks, implementing enforcement measures, and promoting ethical practices within the technology sector.
-
Catalyze public demand and support for equity-focused gender and digital citizenship norms, as well as policy reforms. This entails raising awareness, engaging stakeholders, and advocating for change.
Quick Facts
Defining Gender-Based Violence in the Digital Age (VGFT)
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) defines VGFT as “an act of violence perpetrated by one or more persons that is committed, assisted, aggravated and amplified in part or totally through the use of information and communication technologies or digital means, against a person based on their gender.”
VGFT: A Global Phenomenon with Disproportionate Impacts
VGFT is a global phenomenon disproportionately experienced by women and girls, LGBTQI+ individuals, and other marginalized groups. It often exhibits high levels of linguistic and normative contextuality, complicating efforts to monitor and prevent VGFT using solely technological tools.
Escalating Trends and Impacts
Globally, VGFT is increasing in frequency and form, creating an increasingly hostile online civic space for women, particularly those engaged in politics and public life.
Beyond Individual Harm: Societal and Institutional Consequences
In addition to its impact on individual well-being, VGFT diminishes women’s civic participation and increases self-censorship, negatively affecting institutions, communities, and nations, and exacerbating the global trend of rising digital authoritarianism.
Addressing VGFT: A Collective Responsibility
Combating VGFT requires a multi-pronged approach involving governments, civil society organizations, technology companies, and individuals. By fostering a culture of respect and accountability in the digital sphere, we can work towards creating a safer and more inclusive online environment for all.
Key Action Areas:
- Strengthening legal frameworks and enforcement mechanisms
- Promoting digital literacy and education
- Supporting victims and survivors of VGFT
- Encouraging responsible technology development and use
- Fostering collaboration and partnerships
By addressing VGFT, we can promote gender equality, protect human rights, and advance sustainable development.
Project Activities
- Expand training resources (including training, education, and internal policies) and coordination among stakeholders. This includes women’s public participation, digital democracy, anti-violence organizations, service and support organizations, civic technology groups, advocacy coalitions, and others. The goal is to advance women’s safety, inclusion, participation, and leadership on digital platforms.
- Empower service and support organizations, as well as relevant women’s public participation, digital democracy, and anti-violence organizations, and civic technology groups. This will enable them to effectively serve those affected by technology-based gender-based violence.
- Strengthen the evidence base for contextualized approaches that document, prevent, mitigate, and respond to technology-based gender-based violence. This will inform effective strategies and interventions to address this growing issue.
