Organized within the scope of the 16 Days of Activism to end violence against women and girls, the event shed the light on “Her Vision on the Digital Edge”, emphasizing women’s perspectives and voices.

December 4, 2025, Ankara – Funded by the European Union and implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Türkiye in collaboration with the faculty of Communication, Hacettepe University, the “Shaping the Digital Threshold: New Risks and New Horizons for Women” panel was held on December 4, 2025, in Ankara.

The event featured two main segments. First, participants engaged with the digital stories created through the women’s storytelling workshops, which reflected their lived experiences, challenges, and opportunities in the digital sphere.  In the second part, participants toured the exhibition and joined the networking session, providing additional space for further reflection and exchange. 

The digital stories offer an intimate look into women’s experiences with and perspectives on digitalization, highlighting the risks and benefits.  Together, they inspire an agenda focused on amplifying women’s voices, strengthening their agency in shaping the digital turn. 

Digital violence is real and effecting all the women, especially the youth (15-24), the most

Digital violence is real violence; its impact on safety, mental health, freedom of expression, and public participation is profound. 

Representatives from the Delegation of the European Union to Türkiye, UNDP Türkiye, Hacettepe University leadership, public institutions, civil society organizations and academic experts took part in the event and gave their welcome speech and opening remarks.

Prof. Dr. Uğur Sadioğlu, Dean of Faculty of Communication, Hacettepe University

“In three different digital storytelling workshops, we had the opportunity to closely observe how 16 women experience inequalities in the digital age, as well as the reflexes and empowerment behaviours they develop in response. Thanks to these UNDP-supported projects, it has been highly informative for us to witness the outcomes of digital-age risks both at the societal level and in the daily lives of individuals.”

Miodrag Dragisic, Deputy Resident Representative, UNDP Türkiye

“Each new technology brings new risks that disproportionately affect women simply because they are women. Digital violence not only undermines their safety but also severely restricts their freedom of expression.”

Maria Luisa Wyganowski, Head of Cooperation, Delegation of the European Union to Türkiye

“As we mark the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, gathering here for the Digital Story Showcase and Forum gives real force to this campaign, and it is a true pleasure and honour to be here with you. These stories, shared by women who speak about the digital world with honesty and strength, invite us to see both the risks and the resilience through their eyes.”

Discussions addressed the women’s experiences on digital spaces, including digital violence, gender-based online discrimination, women’s digital rights, and the creation of safe digital ecosystems through policy, education and collective action.

The panel highlighted the urgent need to address digital forms of violence and strengthen collective action to ensure safe, inclusive and respectful digital spaces for women and girls. 

Together, these discussions underscored the importance of recognizing women’s vision and leadership in shaping safer, more equitable and inclusive digital futures — a central focus of the “Her Vision on the Digital Edge” theme.

Campaign Continues Until 10 December

Digital awareness campaign will continue until 10 December, marking Human Rights Day. The campaign features short video content compiled from workshop outputs, digital stories and mini-interviews recorded with panel participants in the foyer area. 

Through these stories, the campaign reinforces a collective message: Women are not alone in digital spaces — and digital violence must end.

For more information: Lâle Çeviker Bozüyük, UNDP Türkiye Communication and Outreach Officer, lale.bozuyuk@undp.org