Pakistan Developing Gender Tracker to Monitor Online Harassment

Pakistan is developing a new Gender Tracker designed to monitor online harassment targeting women and the unauthorised use of their photographs and videos. Officials disclosed the initiative during a meeting focused on improving national mechanisms for dealing with gender-based violence, digital abuse and access to support services for women.

The proposed system is intended to address emerging forms of harassment linked to social media, digital platforms and the circulation of personal content without consent. Authorities are working on broader reforms to strengthen complaint handling and improve the ability of women to report abuse and seek assistance through formal channels.

During the meeting, officials said a baseline survey is being conducted across all four provinces to assess existing complaint mechanisms and identify areas requiring improvement. The exercise is expected to help authorities understand gaps in current reporting systems and develop a more coordinated approach to complaints involving harassment and violence against women.

Accessibility is also being expanded through plans to provide services in several Pakistani languages. Urdu, Sindhi, Pashto and Balochi are among the languages expected to be incorporated, alongside other regional languages, as authorities seek to make complaint and support mechanisms easier to use for women from different parts of the country.

A specialised portal and digital dashboard for gender-based violence have already been developed and are expected to be formally launched. The National Gender Dashboard will use 115 indicators to monitor the situation of women across multiple areas. The data is intended to help identify shortcomings, measure progress and provide policymakers with a more detailed picture of gender-related issues across Pakistan.

Officials are also considering engaging women lawyers in every province to provide legal assistance to those seeking support through the complaints system. Reports have been requested from provincial police chiefs to improve the availability of timely and comprehensive information about crimes involving women. The collected information is expected to contribute to the preparation of a National Gender Equality Report.

Another component of the wider programme is a proposed Women Facilitation Centre scheduled for completion in 2027. The facility is intended to bring several public services together at one location, including assistance involving identity documentation, passports, healthcare, counselling and judicial matters. The approach is designed to reduce the need for women seeking assistance to navigate multiple institutions separately.

The Gender Tracker will specifically focus on digital threats such as online harassment and the misuse of women's images and videos, while the wider dashboard will monitor broader gender indicators. Work on the systems and the national equality report remains underway, with additional operational details expected when the digital platforms are formally launched.