On the heels of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, a human rights event in Dhaka marked Human Rights Day 2025 with an urgent call to action against digital violence and to ensure the safety of journalists in Bangladesh.
The event, hosted by rights-based organisation VOICE in Lalmatia with support from UNESCO, brought together journalists, civil society leaders, and activists to address urgent rights challenges, particularly in the post-July Uprising climate. Observed globally on December 10, Human Rights Day commemorates the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Participants highlighted that the period of political transition demands stronger human rights protection, especially as public life increasingly moves to digital spaces where new forms of violence are emerging. Keynote speaker Musharrat Mahera of VOICE stated that digital violence against women and girls—such as online harassment, sexualised threats, and doxing—is a gateway to broader violations that undermine gender justice and press freedom.
Journalists present reported facing unprecedented risks since July, including physical assaults, arbitrary detentions, judicial harassment, and coordinated online smear campaigns. Women reporters, in particular, face added gendered abuse aimed at forcing them out of public life.
VOICE Executive Director Ahmed Swapan Mahmud stressed the urgency: “Human rights cannot wait, especially during times of political transition. Ending digital violence and ensuring journalist safety is central to rebuilding trust, justice and democratic resilience.”
The event concluded with a collective call for rights-based action, including legal reform, establishing gender-sensitive protection mechanisms for journalists, and ensuring accountability for attacks on media workers.
