To strengthen the protection of women and children in the digital environment, ITSEC Asia, a cybersecurity company in Indonesia, together with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), a United Nations agency focused on sexual and reproductive health and population issues, have launched SHECURE Digital as a national initiative.
SHECURE Digital integrates digital self-protection education, privacy-based technological protection, and data-driven advocacy to prevent and address online gender-based violence and digital exploitation. The programme is launched amid increasing risks faced by women and children in digital spaces, ranging from online harassment and misuse of personal data to digital extortion and the non-consensual distribution of intimate content. The initiative is designed to support national mandates on the protection of women and children and to strengthen violence prevention efforts in the era of digital transformation.
President Director of ITSEC Asia Patrick Dannacher, emphasised that digital protection must be rooted in the real experiences faced by society. “Many women face digital risks without ever labelling them as violence because they are seen as part of everyday online life. We designed SHECURE Digital to bridge this gap through an approach that is practical, relevant, and applicable to daily situations. This is our contribution to strengthening the national agenda for the protection of women and children in the digital era,” he said.
Hassan Mohtashami, UNFPA Representative in Indonesia, highlighted the importance of cross-sector collaboration in addressing gender-based violence in digital spaces. “Digital violence has real impacts on the mental health, social wellbeing, and future of women and children. SHECURE Digital demonstrates how collaboration between the private sector, development partners, and government can strengthen sustainable and people centered protection,” Hassan said.
SHECURE Digital is built on three main pillars focused on prevention, protection, and empowerment:
- SHECURE CLASS focuses on education and digital self defense literacy for women and adolescents.
- SHECURE SHIELD delivers technical protection designed to help users actively protect themselves from digital risks.
- SHECURE VOICES promotes advocacy and community engagement through awareness campaigns, dialogue spaces, and the strengthening of women’s and youth voices.
Minister of Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection of the Republic of Indonesia, Arifah Choiri Fauzi, emphasised in a keynote that Indonesia’s response to digital violence must be grounded in evidence and reinforced through structural reform and cross sector collaboration.
“Data shows us the scale and urgency of violence against women, including in digital spaces. In 2024 alone, an estimated 23.3 million women experienced physical, sexual, or psychological violence, and 7.5% of Indonesian women have faced harassment online. This is not a virtual issue with virtual consequences. The impact is real, and so must be our response,” she stated.
The Minister further highlighted that Indonesia has strengthened its legal and policy foundation through the enactment of the Law on the Crime of Sexual Violence, the integration of cyber safety into the 2025 to 2029 National Mid Term Development Plan, Government Regulation No. 17 of 2025, and the Roadmap for Child Protection in the Online Environment 2025 to 2029.
“Regulation alone is not enough. Protection must function in the same spaces where violence occurs. Through SHECURE Digital, we are embedding protection directly into Indonesia’s digital ecosystem through collaboration with UNFPA and PT ITSEC Asia Tbk. Our responsibility is clear: to ensure that women and girls can participate in the digital future with confidence, dignity, and full protection of their rights,” she added.
Through SHECURE Digital, ITSEC Asia and UNFPA hope to strengthen synergy between government, the private sector, and society in creating digital spaces that protect the safety, dignity, and rights of every individual.
As part of strengthening the SHECURE SHIELD pillar, the programme is supported by the use of IntelliBroń Aman, a digital security solution designed by ITSEC Asia to provide real protection in everyday digital activities. IntelliBroń Aman works by detecting potential threats early, including digital fraud attempts, risky applications, malicious links, and suspicious activities that may compromise user data and privacy.
The solution helps users understand the risks they face through clear and easy to understand notifications and alerts, enabling them to make informed and independent decisions. Using threat analysis and AI, IntelliBroń Aman provides layered protection without collecting or exploiting users’ personal data.
In Indonesia, around 7.2 million women have experienced digital violence by non-partners at some point in their lives, according to the 2024 National Survey on Women’s Life Experiences. Women aged 15 to 24 are the most affected group in digital spaces.
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