Council of the EU Proposes Actions to Tackle Cyber Violence against Girls

Council of the EU Proposes Actions to Tackle Cyber Violence against Girls

On 29 June 2026, the Council of the EU approved Conclusions on Preventing and Combating Cyber Violence against Girls, recognising cyber violence as a widespread and rapidly evolving form of gender-based violence and calling for coordinated action by Member States, the European Commission, online platforms, schools, parents and caregivers, law-enforcement authorities and civil society. The Conclusions are based on a report by the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) available here.

The Council called on Member States to:

• Promote the gender-responsive and safety-by-design development of digital technologies and AI systems, including measures to prevent algorithmic bias and discriminatory outcomes. 
• Strengthen digital literacy for students, educators and families, covering online safety, digital consent, AI-generated manipulation, disinformation and technology-facilitated gender-based violence.
• Provide parents and caregivers with guidance, digital skills training and tools to detect and prevent online abuse at an early stage. 
• Encourage schools and informal education centres to establish clear procedures for identifying and responding to cyber violence and for supporting victims. 
• Promote age-appropriate education on consent, including digital consent and the non-consensual sharing of intimate images.
• Address harmful gender stereotypes, sexist norms and online environments that normalise violence against girls and young women at schools.
• Increase the resources and technical expertise available to law-enforcement agencies and non-governmental organisations to investigate and respond to cyber violence. 
• Improve support services for victims, including mental health support, legal assistance, helplines and integrated child protection systems.

The Council also called on the European Commission and Member States to work with online platforms and other digital service providers to strengthen content moderation, improve reporting mechanisms and ensure the swift removal of harmful or illegal content, including non-consensually shared intimate images. 

Regarding girls with disabilities, the Conclusions acknowledge that experiences of cyber violence can be shaped by intersecting factors such as disability, age, ethnicity, socioeconomic status and sexual orientation. The Council calls for prevention, support and protection measures for girls at risk of multiple and intersectional discrimination and highlights the need for victim support services to reflect a disability perspective. It also specifically refers to harmful online content targeting girls with disabilities.

However, the Conclusions do not include dedicated actions specifically focused on girls with disabilities. References to disability are included within a broader intersectional approach rather than through disability-specific measures or commitments. 

Finally, the Council called on the European Commission to continue implementing measures against cyber violence against women and girls through the Gender Equality Strategy 2026–2030.