Branches of Safety: Reimaging Protection for Women in Digital Spaces

As part of the global 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence campaign, the Centre for Business and Society (CBS) at LUMS, in collaboration with the Punjab Women Protection Authority (PWPA), the LUMS Student Policy and Research Initiative, and the LUMS Law and Politics Society, hosted an on-campus event titled “Branches of Safety: Reimagining Protection of Women in Digital Spaces.” The event held in SDSB-LUMS on Dec 2, 2025, brought together the LUMS community and external partners to reflect on how various forms of violence and harassment especially the dangers that exist for girls and women in the digital spaces

The event opened with remarks by Arzoo Ali Gauhar, Head of Unit at CBS, who framed the initiative within CBS’s mandate to foster socially consciousness, evidence-based dialogue, and institutional partnerships that promote safer, more equitable public and digital spaces for women and gender minorities. She underscored the importance of moving beyond awareness to concrete commitments and collaborative action between universities, government bodies, and youth. Hina Pervez Butt, chairperson of PWPA, shared reflections on the policy and legal dimensions of women’s protection, highlighting the role of state institutions, universities, and young citizens in reshaping norms around safety and dignity in digital spaces.

A central feature of the programme was the inauguration of a “Tree of Support”, a symbolic anchor for collective compassion. This was followed by a Solidarity Walk on campus to visibly affirm the community’s stance against gender-based violence in all its forms, including online harassment and tech-facilitated abuse.

The event concluded with a shared commitment from CBS and its partners to continue creating platforms for dialogue, learning, and action that strengthen protective mechanisms for women, both offline and online.