Vientiane, 8 July 2026 – As more people in Lao PDR connect, learn, work and communicate online, women and girls are also facing new risks in digital spaces, from online harassment and cyberstalking to the non-consensual sharing of intimate images and gender-based hate speech. 

To help address this growing challenge, the Ministry of Technology and Communications, the Ministry of Public Security, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) convened a National Multistakeholder Consultation on Technology-Facilitated Violence against Women in Lao PDR, with support from the Korean National Police Agency. 

The consultation brought together around 50 participants from government, judiciary, law enforcement, health and education sectors, civil society, technology companies, development partners, and United Nations agencies. Together, they examined how online violence is affecting women and girls, where protection gaps remain, and what practical steps are needed to strengthen prevention, response and accountability. 

For many women and girls, violence does not stop at the doorstep. Around the world, digital technologies have created new opportunities for connection, education, and economic participation. However, they have also opened new channels for abuse. UN Women estimates that 1.8 billion women and girls globally still lack adequate legal protection from online abuse, while fewer than 40 percent of countries explicitly criminalize cyberstalking or online harassment. 

Lao PDR faces similar challenges. National data show that roughly one in three women experiences physical, sexual or emotional violence in her lifetime. Yet only about one in five seeks help, and just four percent report incidents to the police. Recent research by UNFPA and the National University of Laos shows that these harms are increasingly appearing online, including through cyberstalking, online recruitment for exploitation, non-consensual sharing of intimate images, and gender-based hate speech, with women, girls and LGBTQIA+ persons disproportionately affected. 

Ms. Kaysone Souliyvong, Vice Chair of the Committee for the Advancement of Women, Mothers and Children and President of the Women’s Union of the Ministry of Technology and Communications, underlined the need to ensure that digital transformation goes hand in hand with safety and equality. 

“We must ensure that the benefits of technology are enjoyed safely and equally by all. Technology-facilitated violence against women is an emerging challenge that requires stronger policies, effective legal and regulatory frameworks, and coordinated action across sectors. This consultation provides an important opportunity to gather evidence and perspectives that can inform our ongoing efforts, including the amendment of the Cybercrime Law and broader efforts to create a safer digital environment for women, girls and all citizens.” 

Police Lieutenant Colonel Sert Thammavong, Deputy Director General of the Investigation Department, Ministry of Public Security, emphasized that law enforcement must be equipped to respond as violence increasingly moves into digital spaces. 

“As offences increasingly occur in digital spaces, law enforcement agencies must continue strengthening their capacity to identify, investigate and respond effectively, while ensuring survivor-centred approaches. No single institution can address this challenge alone, which is why cooperation among government agencies, civil society, technology companies and development partners is essential.” 

Martine Therer, UNDP Resident Representative in Lao PDR, stressed that online violence is not only a technology issue but also a barrier to equality, justice and development. 

“Technology-facilitated violence against women is not simply a technology issue. It is a human rights issue, a governance issue, a justice issue, and ultimately a development issue. As our societies become increasingly digital, we must ensure that women and girls can participate safely, freely, and equally in online spaces.” 

The consultation comes at a pivotal moment, as Lao PDR advances amendments to the Cybercrime Law and finalizes new national action plans on gender equality and the elimination of violence against women and children, which are expected to be adopted later this year. 

The insights gathered will help shape two practical tools: a Lao Legal Analysis and Capacity Needs Assessment on technology-facilitated violence against women, and a contextualized training package for national and district-level police officers under the Ministry of Public Security. 

UNDP will continue working with national partners and United Nations agencies, including UNFPA, UNICEF and UNODC, to bring evidence, international good practices and technical expertise to these efforts. The shared goal is clear: to help ensure that women and girls in Lao PDR can use digital technologies safely, freely and equally.