‘much of the deepfake technology has only been taught to make pornographic images of women, almost exclusively without the consent of the person they are impersonating. This exacerbates pre-existing threats of image-based sexual abuse and online abuse, and is often used to intimidate, threaten, coerce, and control.’

'By comparison with the other jurisdictions on these islands, Northern Ireland is a heavily armed society. As well as more than 100,000 legally held firearms and over 53,000 firearms license holders, there are still an unknown number of illegally held firearms that are part of the legacy of the conflict.'

the report calls on the government to dismantle the women’s prison estate and halt all prison expansion, and to invest urgently in housing, mental health and domestic abuse services that would prevent women coming into contact with the criminal justice system in the first place

Honoring the Transnational Activists and Activism Behind the First 16 Days Campaign.

Jamie J. Hagen

Lecturer in Global Politics, University of Manchester,

Co-Convenor of the Queer Justice, Peace and Security Community of Practice

'Thousands of organizations in over 172 countries have participated in the 16 Days Campaign since the initial events over the past three decades. The accessible form of advocacy continues to allow people to collaborate globally, and across issue areas to highlight how gendered violence continues to be the most pressing issue in women’s lives.'

Millions of women and girls are affected by digital abuse each year. Reports suggest that between 16 and 58 percent of women have experienced this type of violence. This is wide ranging and includes cyberbullying, trolling, online stalking or surveillance hate speech and disinformation, online grooming and sexual exploitation and in recent years deep fakes.

'The Executive’s failure to act is not simply a policy oversight—it constitutes a breach of international human rights law. Disabled women in Northern Ireland remain invisible in planning, excluded from decision-making, and underserved by critical systems. The rights violations already highlighted by the UN have not been addressed—and, in some cases, have worsened.'

‘Demand for Women’s Aid services also remained high, with 8,393 referrals made in 2024/25 as the network continues to meet the need for vital support for women and their children across Northern Ireland.

These are not just statistics, they are women, children, families who have been affected by abuse within their home and have had to reach out to Women’s Aid services.’

for the LGBTQIA+ community, access to safe spaces are shrinking due to a lack of resources, and a hostile political and media culture, has left LGBTQIA+ people feeling less safe in public life.

Immigration detention can only be understood as an oppressive state instrument, designed to instil fear. There is no form of immigration detention that doesn’t cause harm. Women for Refugee Women found that the vast majority of women who are detained in immigration detention had been survivors of rape and other forms of gender-based violence.

Government budgets can be a powerful driver for tackling issues such as VAWG if they are used effectively. Gender budgeting tools, such as gender impact assessments, help governments think differently about how they are spending money, who is benefitting most from the investment, and which groups are being left behind.

16 blogs for 16 days