AEWC analyses complex forms of Tech-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence (TFGBV) and forced displacement amid escalating conflicts in Asia
From left to right: Poe Po, Kartini Sunityo, Obertina Modesta Johanis
Chiang Mai, Thailand: While trying to understand the context and situations of mounting conflict, shrinking civic space, and the rise of digital abuse, participants of the Asian Ecumenical Women’s Conference (AEWC) heard about the new and increasingly complex forms of gender-based violence taking place in Asia.
The discussions on the second day of the AEWC centred on digital gender-based violence, forced displacement, and the importance of partnership between women and men in combating violence against women.
Kartini Sunityo, Partnership Manager at Asia Centre, Bangkok, highlighted the rise of tech-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV), where digital platforms such as social media, messaging apps, and online communities are used to harass, intimidate, or exploit individuals, disproportionately targeting women and marginalised groups.
Presenting on “Digital Gender-Based Violence”, she noted that while digital transformation and social media have empowered women with greater visibility and civic influence, these platforms have also enabled TFGBV, particularly against women with public profiles, including rights defenders and journalists.
Using Cambodia as a case study, Ms Sunityo highlighted how TFGBV is amplified by patriarchal norms, pressures to maintain cultural harmony, and occupational segregation, especially in rural and indigenous communities. Women who step outside traditional gender roles are disproportionately targeted. Female media professionals are among the primary targets, with nearly half experiencing GBV.
Online abuse takes many forms, including cyberbullying, sexual harassment, and content manipulation to undermine victims’ credibility. In extreme cases, such as sextortion, perpetrators coerce victims into actions against their will, curtailing freedom of expression and democratic participation.
To tackle these challenges, Ms Sunityo called for multistakeholder, values-led strategies that centre dignity, equality, and justice; strengthen survivor‑centred services; enhance digital literacy; and mobilise campaigns and workshops to identify issues and develop practical solutions.
She emphasised the moral and societal imperative to address the problem, stating, “Upholding women’s dignity and rights online aligns with the biblical and theological mandate for justice, respect, and equality. Digital spaces must reflect these same values as physical spaces do. Safeguarding women’s dignity in the digital realm is not only a moral and theological imperative but also a practical strategy for building and maintaining just and inclusive societies.”
Poe Po, a representative of the Women’s League of Burma (WLB) and General Secretary of the Karenni National Women’s Organization (KNWO), highlighted the worsening conditions for women in Myanmar amid ongoing conflict, displacement, and human rights violations.
Speaking on “Forced Displacement and the Escalation of Women’s Vulnerability”, she noted that abuses have persisted since independence, with successive military regimes targeting ethnic minorities. Before the 2021 military coup, around 497,000 people were internally displaced; that number has risen to over 3.5 million. Women are disproportionately affected, often forced to give birth in unsafe conditions and facing severe shortages of food, medicine, and sanitary supplies due to junta-imposed blockades.
Over 60 per cent of pro-democracy human rights defenders are women, representing diverse ethnicities and faiths. The military coup has intensified violence against women, with many jailed, tortured, or killed. Women and girls continue to face sexual violence, trafficking, and domestic abuse, yet they persist in campaigning for a free, fair, and feminist Myanmar.
Sexual violence remains widespread in the country, including mass rapes of women and girls. WLB documented 104 rapes by the military from 2010–2014, including 47 gang rapes, and since the coup in 2021 over 1,000 conflict-related sexual violence cases have been reported. Ms Po stressed that these figures represent only “the tip of the iceberg”, as persistent security risks leave many survivors unable to come forward or seek help.
Despite the risks, women-led organisations in Myanmar continue to operate on the front lines, providing shelter, food, and counselling to survivors of violence while adapting to an increasingly dangerous environment. Many of these groups report that survivors are experiencing severe physical and psychological trauma, with limited or no access to mental healthcare.
Ms Poe Po called for increased funding and sustained international support for local women’s groups and civil society organisations working in conflict-affected areas. “Extending financial support to local women’s groups is essential to strengthen survivor empowerment, counselling, and safe house services,” she said.
She also stressed that meaningful protection and empowerment of women in Myanmar must go hand in hand with efforts to restore democracy and accountability.
The panel discussion on “Towards Advancing Gender Equality: Partnership of Women and Men in Combating Violence Against Women” led by Rev. Jung Eun Grace Moon, Programme Coordinator at the Christian Conference of Asia (CCA), and Rev. Moumita Biswas of the Church of North India, called for stronger collaboration between women and men to address gender-based violence and promote equality within faith communities.
Rev. Grace Moon emphasised the need for greater collaboration in strengthening partnership, and to increase women’s leadership and visibility in churches, expand networks of men and women, advocate for women’s rights, and implement non-discriminatory policies.
Rev. Biswas highlighted the efforts of the ecumenical movement in recent decades through the World Council of Churches (WCC) and the CCA, which have encouraged churches to ensure women’s full participation, uphold justice and peace, and challenge gender-based violence. She urged faith communities to continue to re-examine their structures, teachings, and practices, incorporate the concept of transformative masculinity, and stand in solidarity with women globally.
Citing initiatives such as the WCC’s Thursdays in Black campaign, she noted how awareness and advocacy efforts can sensitise both men and women and have led to tangible action against violence and discrimination.
