7. Recommendations
7.3 For policymakers
and legal actors
Creating an environment of accountability requires
decisive action from state authorities and the judicial
system.
1.
Reform and enforce legal frameworks
– Enact or revise cybercrime and electronic transactions laws to explicitly criminalize all forms of GBVO,
including non-consensual image sharing, doxxing,
cyberstalking, and online threats of sexual or gendered
violence. Ensure definitions are clear and penalties are
proportionate and dissuasive.
– Harmonize legislation to ensure that GBVO is recognized as a form of gender-based violence within
broader GBV and anti-discrimination laws.
2. Build specialized institutional capacity
– Establish dedicated cybercrime units within
law enforcement agencies staffed by officers
trained in digital forensics and trauma-informed,
gender-sensitive investigation techniques.
– Provide specialized training for judges and prosecutors on the nature, impact, and legal adjudication of
GBVO cases to ensure sensitive and effective handling
in courts.
3. Promote multi-stakeholder governance and
prevention
– Initiate and fund national public awareness campaigns
that shift social norms, challenge victim-blaming, educate the public on digital rights and responsibilities,
and promote positive bystander intervention.
– Facilitate formal dialogue and cooperation protocols
between government agencies, social media platforms, and civil society to improve the reporting and
processing of GBVO cases originating in Syria.
– Allocate funds to support independent research
and data collection on GBVO to continuously inform
evidence-based policy and monitor the effectiveness
of interventions.
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