Dr. Halimah DeShong, the newly appointed University Director of the Institute for Gender and Development Studies (IGDS) at The University of the West Indies, has articulated a dual-focused agenda for the 2025 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence. This annual observance, running from November 25 to December 10, brings global attention to sexual and gendered violence disproportionately affecting women, girls, and gender-diverse individuals.
This year’s campaign addresses two critical emerging issues. First, responding to the United Nations’ theme ‘UNiTe to End Digital Violence against Women and Girls,’ Caribbean activists are highlighting how information and communication technologies (ICTs) are being weaponized to perpetrate sexual and gender-based violence. These technology-facilitated harms manifest as cyberstalking, non-consensual sharing of intimate images, digital impersonation, and online sexual harassment—all targeting vulnerable groups with alarming frequency.
Second, in Hurricane Melissa’s devastating aftermath across Haiti, Jamaica, and Cuba, the initiative emphasizes integrating gender and social inclusion perspectives into disaster preparedness and recovery efforts. Crisis situations exacerbate existing inequalities, leading to increased displacement of women and children, heightened unpaid care burdens, reduced access to reproductive health resources, and elevated risks of sexual violence.
Despite these challenges, Dr. DeShong notes that digital technologies also empower activists. Organizations like ‘Intersect Antigua’ and IGDS’s own educational platforms demonstrate how digital tools can combat violence and promote gender justice. Additionally, a draft model law on technology-facilitated gender violence has emerged under the Belém do Pará Convention, which several Caribbean governments have endorsed.
The statement calls for collective action to address the systemic roots of gender inequality, urging policymakers, civil society, and community leaders to prioritize inclusive disaster management and ethical technology use while supporting frontline organizations driving change.