Nearly half (47 percent) of women in local politics face threats and hate online, compared to 35 percent of their male colleagues. Female politicians from progressive parties are particularly often targeted, according to new research commissioned by the Cabinet.

Jakarta Indonesia — UN Women Indonesia marked the annual United Nations 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence campaign 2023 by inviting young people to learn about how to combat violence perpetrated online.

United Nations Women (UN Women) has called on local political parties to create a safe space for women participating in politics and swiftly move to address violence against women during elections.

Speaking during the opening of a three-day multi-stakeholder conference in Salima on Wednesday themed ‘Violence against women in elections’, UN Women acting country representative Kebedech Ambaye observed that women experience various forms of violence during elections, including physical, psychological, verbal and digital abuse.

Gender-based violence has crept up in the digital era in the form of online violence against women and girls, especially affecting women with political ambitions. Part of this violence entails gendered disinformation. This form of disinformation uses gender stereotypes to attack women and influence debates by promoting certain political, social or economic goals.