An Indonesian cybersecurity firm and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) have launched a national program aimed at tackling online gender-based violence, as digital harms increasingly affect women and young people across Southeast Asia’s largest economy.
PT ITSEC Asia Tbk (IDX: CYBR) and UNFPA formally introduced the SHECURE Digital initiative in Jakarta on 27 February, positioning it as a cross-sector response to rising levels of digital harassment, exploitation and privacy abuse. The launch was attended by Indonesia’s Minister of Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection, Arifah Choiri Fauzi.
The move follows findings from Indonesia’s 2024 National Survey on Women’s Life Experiences, which reported that around 7.2 million women in the country have experienced digital violence by non-partners at some point in their lives. Women aged 15 to 24 were identified as the most affected demographic. Globally, nearly two in three women are estimated to have encountered some form of digital violence.
SHECURE Digital is structured around three pillars: education, technical protection and advocacy.
The first component, SHECURE CLASS, focuses on digital literacy and self-protection training. It aims to equip women and adolescents with practical guidance on managing privacy settings, securing accounts, identifying scams and responding to online harassment or data misuse.
The second pillar, SHECURE SHIELD, introduces technical tools designed to reduce exposure to digital threats. ITSEC Asia says the approach prioritises user privacy and avoids intrusive monitoring. As part of this component, the company is deploying its IntelliBroń Aman security solution, which uses threat detection and artificial intelligence to flag potentially malicious links, fraudulent activity and suspicious applications. The company states the system operates without collecting or exploiting personal data, although independent assessment of its privacy architecture has not been disclosed.
The third pillar, SHECURE VOICES, centres on public awareness campaigns and community engagement intended to strengthen reporting culture and amplify women’s and youth perspectives on digital safety.
UNFPA’s Indonesia representative, Hassan Mohtashami, described digital violence as having tangible consequences for mental health and long-term wellbeing, arguing that collaboration between government, private sector and development agencies is essential for sustainable prevention.
Minister Fauzi framed the initiative within Indonesia’s broader policy reforms, citing the Law on the Crime of Sexual Violence, Government Regulation No. 17 of 2025, and the Roadmap for Child Protection in the Online Environment 2025–2029. She noted that 23.3 million women experienced physical, sexual or psychological violence in 2024, with 7.5 percent reporting online harassment.
“Regulation alone is not enough. Protection must function in the same spaces where violence occurs,” she said, underscoring the need for operational safeguards embedded directly into digital platforms and services.
Indonesia, home to more than 200 million internet users, faces mounting challenges in balancing rapid digital growth with user protection. Online gender-based violence has increasingly included non-consensual sharing of intimate content, digital extortion, impersonation and coordinated harassment campaigns, often with limited reporting or redress mechanisms.
While SHECURE Digital signals stronger alignment between policy frameworks and private-sector technology deployment, its long-term impact will depend on accessibility, uptake among vulnerable groups, and transparency around data governance. Programs addressing digital violence in the region have historically struggled with underreporting, social stigma and uneven enforcement capacity.
The partnership also reflects a broader trend across ASEAN, where governments and civil society organisations are seeking to integrate cybersecurity, gender policy and digital literacy as part of national digital transformation agendas.
As Indonesia advances its 2025–2029 development roadmap, initiatives such as SHECURE Digital will likely serve as test cases for how public policy, international agencies and domestic technology providers can coordinate responses to increasingly complex digital harms.
