Leveraging technology to advance solutions to gender-based violence
Empowering Ethiopian communities to report and respond to gender-based violence, connecting survivors to support and driving awareness for safer, more resilient futures.
Written by Oluseyi Adegbulugbe
on December 1, 2025
Technology has transformed the way we live, connect, work, advocate and influence decisions, but when it comes to Gender-Based Violence (GBV), it’s a complex double-edged sword. This year’s 16 Days of Activism theme, “ UNiTE to End Digital Violence Against All Women and Girls,” calls us to action against evolving digital threats to women and girls.
Technology can be a powerful tool for GBV prevention and response: connecting and empowering survivors, enabling confidential reporting and amplifying awareness campaigns. On the other hand, its misuse can fuel cyber harassment, privacy breaches, identity theft and new forms of abuse.
This article offers a glimpse into how the RESILIENT-WE project is utilizing technology to combat GBV through an innovative mobile-based reporting and case-management platform, Information and Communication Technology for Gender Equality (ICT4GE).
The reality we couldn’t ignore
The Global Affairs Canada-funded RESILIENT-WE project operates in Ethiopia, a country grappling with the compounded pressures of climate change, gender inequality, environmental degradation and socio-economic instability. While these challenges are widespread, their impacts disproportionately fall on historically marginalized populations, especially women and girls.
According to a 2025 meta-analysis, 1 in every 2 women in Ethiopia has experienced some form of GBV in her lifetime. Even more alarming is that these numbers are likely underreported, due to shame, fear of retaliation and cultural norms that enforce silence, treating GBV as a private matter rather than a public crisis.
A gender-based violence case manager provides women with knowledge on ICT4GE reporting and response tools. (Photo credit: World Vision Ethiopia)
Leveraging technology for impact
In collaboration with the Network of Ethiopian Women’s Association (NEWA) and other local partners, trusted community members across the project area were identified and trained as volunteer GBV case managers.
The training covered survivor-centred case management, trauma-informed care, ethical reporting and resource coordination to ensure timely referrals to legal, medical and psychosocial services, alongside standardized use of the ICT4GE mobile tool.
To strengthen their role, case managers were equipped with mobile phones and dedicated local numbers, creating a vital link between survivors and critical support systems, as well as ensuring rapid and reliable communication for an effective response.
Marufa, a GBV case manager, shares information on reporting GBV with adolescent girls. (Photo credit: World Vision Ethiopia)
Why it matters
Across communities, the culture of silence and stigma is being dismantled, and survivors are finding the confidence to speak out and access support for recovery. Over a six-month period, more than 80 GBV cases were reported through the mobile platform, an increase from previous months, underscoring its role in improving reporting access and strengthening survivor trust.
Beyond enhancing case reporting and management, aggregated data from the platform is leveraged by trained GBV case managers and local partners to design targeted awareness campaigns on GBV prevention and response services within the project communities.
For survivors, knowing help exists is as vital as having access to it. That’s why the RESILIENT-WE project combines continuous capacity building of volunteer GBV managers with targeted awareness outreach, utilizing mobile technology to create sustainable systems that dismantle the culture of silence surrounding GBV. Through the ICT4GE platform, survivors are empowered and connected to rapid, effective services that promote holistic well-being.
A GBV case manager facilitates an awareness session. (Photo credit: World Vision Ethiopia)
“When I faced violence, the case manager walked with me; she showed me that my pain mattered and I had rights," survivor supported by RESILIENT-WE.
Even in contexts where network access is constrained, the project aims to ensure that no one is left behind while advancing efforts to strengthen the resilience of women and girls in the targeted areas of the Oromia region.
The RESILIENT-WE project continues to leverage technology to promote reach in underserved and remote areas, empowering and protecting survivors whilst ensuring digital safety and ethical data use remain central to our programming.
In alignment with this year’s 16 Days of Activism theme, ‘UNiTE to End Digital Violence Against All Women and Girls,’ we reaffirm our commitment to creating safe digital spaces that amplify voices, uphold dignity and drive transformative change.
Learn more about RESILIENT-WE: