Invitation for Press Conference and a Film Release on Gender Based Online Violence - 25th November 2025

[Swayam Swayam]

Dear Friends,

Greetings from Swayam!

We hope your family and you are doing well.

Swayam is a feminist organisation that has been working since 1995 to end discrimination and gender-based violence and to build a gender equal society. For nearly 3 decades, we have stood beside women with care and trust, offering confidential mental health counselling, legal advice and aid, court and police follow-up, economic empowerment guidance, and referrals to safe shelters, among others. Swayam also generate public education and action, produces creative resources, disseminate information, shares expertise, mobilises and empowers rural and urban communities, and network with other like-minded organisations to bring about systemic changes in society.

Every year, Swayam observes the International 16 Days of Awareness Drive to end Gender Based Violence, a global initiative that runs from 25th November (International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women) to 10th December (International Human Rights Day). The dates symbolically connect violence against women with human rights, underscoring that gender-based violence is a fundamental violation of human rights.

Internet and the digital world have become integral to our everyday lives—from early childhood to adulthood, shaping both our personal and professional spaces. While digital platforms offer immense opportunities, they have also become sites of increasing harm, including online harassment, surveillance, misinformation, character assassination, and other forms of online gender-based violence. As part of our annual 16 Days of Awareness Drive, Swayam is organising a press conference on the theme “Gender Based Online Violence”, to mark the opening of the International 16 Days of Awareness Drive to End Gender-Based Violence. We are pleased to invite you to the press conference which will be held on 25th November 2025 (Tuesday), from 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM at Press Club, Kolkata (Address: 12, Dufferin Rd, Maidan, Dr. B.C. Roy Market, Kolkata, West Bengal 700069, G Map link: https://maps.app.goo.gl/gUvwZQVswqe7SvH88)

The press conference aims to shed light on the growing concern of online and technology-driven gender-based violence and to spark meaningful dialogue on how we can collectively strengthen safer digital environments. The discussion will feature voices from frontline organisations working with survivors to highlight the ground reality, along with professionals from the legal, media, and creative industries, followed by the launch of two short awareness films developed by Swayam in collaboration with Ogilvy to inspire safer, more empathetic online behaviour. 

We are honoured to host a panel that includes:

• Anuradha Kapoor, Founder of Swayam (Moderator)
• Amrita Dasgupta, Director of Swayam
• Representative from Ogilvy (Advertising Agency)
• Adv. Kaushik Gupta, Lawyer
• Representative from the Cyber Cell
• Content Creator
• Journalist

Your participation would be greatly valued, and we sincerely hope you will join us in enriching this important discussion and tea post programme.

A line of confirmation is appreciated.

 

Thanking you

Warm regards

Poulami

On Behalf of Swayam