November 25 2025
Staff Report
LAHORE
A rights-based organisation, Uks — which monitors gender representation in the media, researches emerging trends related to gender, and raises awareness on inclusion and harmful stereotyping through training and advocacy — has released a new report exposing misogynistic and harmful content on social media, along with a compendium of commonly used online slurs.
In its press release, Uks announced that it would be observing the global “16 Days of Activism” against gender-based violence in Pakistan under the theme Unite to End Digital Violence Against All Women and Girls.
The report, titled ‘365 Posts, One Message: Stop Online Sexualised Violence!’, compiles 365 harmful online posts collected over the span of one year, along with documented responses from the public. “Respond they did — sometimes with support, sometimes with criticism, and sometimes with honesty,” the report noted.
This compendium was developed under Uks’ 2023–2024 SafeWord Safer World project with the World Association for Christian Communication (WACC) and represents one of the few attempts in Pakistan to document the full range of sexist, misogynistic, and abusive language used online in Urdu and Punjabi. We have collected not only standard spellings but also the many Roman Urdu misspelled and variations. The compendium offers a practical tool for law enforcement agencies and social media platforms who must identify and act upon online gender-based violence.
The software Meltwater was used for extensive social media monitoring. The project captured how abusive words appears in scripts and when intentionally misspelled. This has aimed to close the gaps that allow abusers to evade detection, and provides institutions an understanding of how misogynistic language works in South Asian online spaces.
The primary aim of the study is to raise public awareness and strengthen sensitivity among men, who constitute the majority of perpetrators of online abusive language. “The comments in this compilation make it clear that online misogyny is routine for many women. They also show that sustained conversation does make an impact,” the report emphasised.
The publication contains the lived experiences of women — journalists, academics, civil society members, and everyday users — who routinely face derogatory comments in digital spaces. “This effort not only documented lived experiences but also sparked dialogue. It encouraged both individuals and institutions to take online abuse more seriously,” Uks highlighted.
Alongside the reports, the organisation also launched a 16-video campaign featuring prominent figures from media, show business, academia, civil society and other sectors. “It brings together diverse perspectives on why women face disproportionate online harassment and how collective action can help create safer digital spaces,” the press release stated.
Statements
Dozens of people have made their statements in support of this research by Uks and the phenomenon of online abuse targeting women. Some of the more well known names also spoke up. Many of the others were students and homemakers, and some kept their names anonymous too.
Fasi Zaka, a media commentator said, “I though the internet was a cesspool for both men and women, As i became more aware I realized the bar for directing hate towards women is much lower, and its vicious unlike anything men face.”
“Social media companies need to be more transparent in how they deal with online misogyny especially outside of the West,” said journalist Sindhu Abbasi.
“Online misogyny is a troubling reality that not only silences women’s voices but also perpetuates harmful gender stereotypes and discrimination,” said lawyer Moniza Kakar.
“Women need to claim and assert their right to online spaces and access to digital spaces,” said journalist Ambar Shamsi.
Veteran human rights activist Zohra Yusuf brought attention to the reaction by many victims of online abuse.
“Social media has become the latest tool to harass women. In extreme cases cyber bullying has led to suicides,” she said. “The state and regulatory authorities have not been very responsive to women’s complaints. She said that a support group for women in cyber space would help give them courage to confront these bullies online.
Media monitoring
In addition to the campaign, Uks announced that it will publish the Global Media Monitoring Project (GMMP) National Report on December 9. Describing the GMMP as “the world’s largest and longest-running research project on gender representation in news media, conducted every five years since 1995,” Uks noted that the project monitors the portrayal of women in print, broadcast, and digital news across more than 100 countries.
Uks has served as Pakistan’s national coordinator for the GMMP since its inception, responsible for gathering data, training volunteers, monitoring media content, and reporting trends on gender representation in the country’s news landscape.
Earlier this year, in February, Uks also launched its Uks AI (Beta) platform — an artificial intelligence tool designed to detect and highlight gender bias in media content, “whether it’s hiding in plain sight or lurking between the lines.”
The organisation said the tool was developed specifically for journalists, editors, and reporters to address a persistent challenge in media production: the unconscious perpetuation of gender stereotypes that shape how society views and values women.
Uks added that the tool scans text for both overt and subtle biases, providing media professionals with “immediate, actionable feedback.”