Discover EU-funded projects under Digital Europe Programme combatting cyber violence against girls

The pan-European High-Level Conference on  “Preventing and Combating Gender-Based Online Violence against Girls”, held on 18 and 19 May 2026, reinstated the high priority placed on gender equality during the Cyprus Presidency of the European Union (1 January to 30 June 2026).

The conference highlighted the widespread and evolving forms of abuse that girls face in digital environments. Participants raised their concerns about how cyberbullying, online sexual harassment, the non-consensual sharing of intimate images, hate speech, violations of privacy and other forms of online abuse disproportionately target girls. The conference reaffirmed that online violence against girls is closely connected to broader patterns of discrimination, coercion and violence in the physical world.

The Digital Europe Programme has been a key player in combatting cyberbullying and protecting young children online, notably through an established network of Safer Internet Centres (SICs) that it co-funded. 

Discover HaDEA-managed projects and the resources developed on the topic of combatting cyber violence against girls:

• The Austrian Safer Internet Centre produced a Handbook on Sexuality, violence and digital media, with information on relevant legislation and advice for young girls;
• The Dutch Safer Internet Centre published a book - Click, Share, Humiliate, Destroy  that confronts online sexual violence against girls and women;
• The Slovenian Safer Internet Centre developed a Handbook  for school teachers on online violence;
• The German Safer Internet Centre distributed an informative brochure for parents: The first smartphone - How can I protect my child from sexual violence online?

The network of Safer Internet Centres aims to raise awareness about online safety issues and to mitigate the risks children and young people are exposed to.

Interested in learning more about the SICs’ key activities, policy background and funding? Please check HaDEA’s  Safer Internet Centres factsheet.

Background information:

The Digital Europe Programme (DEP) aims to build the strategic digital capacities of the EU and to facilitate the wide deployment of digital technologies. With an overall budget of €7.5 billion, out of which €0.8 billion is managed by HaDEA, the programme will support investments in the following sectors:

• High Performance Computing
• Cloud, data and Artificial Intelligence
• Cybersecurity
• Advanced digital skills
• Accelerating best use of technologies

HaDEA manages actions under Cloud, data and Artificial Intelligence, Advanced Digital Skills and Accelerating best use of technologies.