The Gender-Based Violence Lab
We investigate how gender-based violence takes shape online—and how censorship limits access to information and the freedom to participate.
Explore our researchGlobal research. A particular focus on the Middle East and Africa.
01 / About
The GBV Lab is an interdisciplinary research initiative examining how digital environments reinforce gender inequality—and how people challenge it.
We combine social science with data science and network analysis to understand the relationships behind online abuse. Our research considers who is targeted, how harmful narratives spread, and what happens when people are silenced or denied access to essential information.
Our work is global in scope, with particular attention to the Middle East and Africa. We place findings within their linguistic and political contexts so they can inform meaningful responses.
02 / Research
How harm spreads.
Whose voices are heard.
What information remains accessible.
We examine abuse directed at women and girls, including attacks on women in public life. Through case studies and network analysis, we investigate how harmful narratives gain attention and whether patterns suggest coordinated activity.
Working with civil society, we develop context-specific lexicons to recognize abusive language and interpret it within local debates.
We investigate the blocking of websites and online resources about gender-based violence, sexual and reproductive health, and support services. Our research examines how these restrictions affect women and survivors seeking information or help.
We also study government and platform restrictions on speech, alongside efforts to silence advocacy through harassment or abusive reporting. This includes examining why moderation systems may remove legitimate discussions of GBV while missing harmful language in local contexts.
We examine how AI systems respond to gender-related questions and whether their outputs reproduce harmful assumptions. Our work considers bias in the data that shapes these systems and the consequences for people seeking reliable information.
Findings inform recommendations for more responsible AI development and evaluation.
03 / Approach
We analyze how gender-related issues are framed and contested. Language is interpreted in context, with attention to meanings that keyword searches alone can miss.
Social network analysis helps us examine communities and trace the circulation of narratives. We consider what patterns of interaction reveal—and what the available data cannot establish.
We translate findings into recommendations for protection programming and advocacy. Research can also inform platform policy, particularly where responses overlook local forms of harm.
Across this work, careful interpretation matters. Research should make harm better understood without unnecessarily exposing the people affected by it.
04 / Relevance
The Lab produces evidence that informs UNFPA’s work on gender-based violence and harmful practices, and UNHCR’s efforts to protect displaced women and girls.
Its research examines digital threats and blocked access to essential online resources, helping identify gaps in protection. Findings can also support UN Women’s efforts to address gendered silencing and UNESCO’s work on the safety of women journalists.
For civil society and humanitarian practitioners, this evidence can help focus advocacy and adapt responses to the contexts in which harm occurs.