SAFE-T Initiative Targets Digital Abuse Against Women

The SAFE-T Initiative has been launched at the 15th UN Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice in Abu Dhabi to address technology-facilitated violence against women and girls.

Implemented under the patronage of Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, the programme is a partnership between the General Women’s Union, the Ministry of Justice and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime. It combines legal measures, digital literacy and international co-operation.

Its framework begins with digital safety infrastructure, including a toolkit, a Global Coalition for Digital Safety and the UN Women Strategy on Technology-Facilitated Violence Against Women and Girls. At its core is an Upstander model covering nine areas, including narrowing the digital divide, strengthening law-enforcement capacity, standardising data collection and increasing accountability for technology companies.

The General Women’s Union’s Cyber Pulse Initiative for Women and Family, developed with the UAE Cyber Security Council, has also been expanded internationally through the Cyber Pulse Academy for Women and Family.

Sheikha Fatima said digital threats including abuse, blackmail and defamation can restrict women’s participation in public life, adding that women should be viewed as active participants in shaping digital transformation rather than simply its beneficiaries.

The initiative comes amid wider international efforts to address technology-facilitated violence against women, including work by UN agencies on data gaps, policy frameworks and online safety.