Bangladesh pushes global rules against AI-driven violence targeting women
Dhaka initiative seeks common standards, platform accountability and stronger laws as AI deepfakes and synthetic media create new risks for women
DHAKA, Bangladesh (MNTV) — Bangladesh is pushing for an international framework to combat artificial intelligence-driven violence against women, seeking common rules for tackling deepfakes, manipulated images and voices, online harassment and other forms of technology-enabled abuse.
The initiative, known as the Dhaka Dialogue, aims to bring governments, technology companies, UN agencies and civil society together to develop shared definitions and standards for preventing, investigating and prosecuting digital abuse targeting women.
According to Bangladesh’s Foreign Ministry, the initiative would also push technology platforms toward greater accountability, including clearer labeling of synthetic media and systems that allow users and investigators to establish where AI-generated or manipulated material originated.
The effort comes as rapidly improving generative AI tools have made it easier to create convincing fake photographs, videos and audio recordings, creating new avenues for women to be sexually harassed, defamed, intimidated or targeted without perpetrators necessarily possessing authentic intimate material.
Bangladesh wants participating countries to develop common definitions of AI-facilitated violence so governments can document and compare cases, while establishing voluntary guidelines covering prevention, investigations and remedies for survivors.
A major focus will be helping countries in the Global South strengthen laws and investigative capacity. The initiative proposes training police officers, prosecutors and judges to handle digital evidence and AI forensics, while improving survivor helplines and access to technology capable of detecting and removing harmful synthetic content.
Those measures would be developed alongside safeguards for freedom of expression, privacy and minority rights.
Bangladesh first introduced the Dhaka Dialogue at the Dakar International Forum on Peace and Security in Africa in April, arguing that governments currently lack common definitions, adequate laws, technical expertise and sufficient international cooperation to respond to AI-enabled abuse.
The government brought ministers, lawmakers and civil society representatives together in Dhaka on Thursday to develop the initiative further.
State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam described the dialogue as a flagship foreign policy initiative connecting international diplomacy with women’s everyday safety online.
Law Minister Md Asaduzzaman said existing laws and evidence-gathering systems were struggling to address abuse involving manipulated images and voices, while lawmaker Jahrat Adib Chowdhury called on technology companies to build protections into their products rather than responding only after people have been harmed.
Lawmaker and Mayer Daak founder Sanjida Islam also called for simpler reporting systems so survivors are not forced to navigate multiple government offices while seeking assistance.
Bangladesh now plans to invite interested UN member states to form a group called “Friends of the Dialogue” and establish a technical working group to draft common definitions and standards.
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