Online political communication has become an increasingly central arena of electoral competition, shaping visibility, narratives, and voter engagement. Currently, it has emerged as a key environment for gender-based violence, where women political candidates are disproportionately exposed to hate speech, harassment, and discriminatory narratives. In Kosovo, as in many democratic contexts, this phenomenon poses growing risk not only to participation of women in politics but also to the quality, inclusiveness, and integrity of democratic processes.
This report examines online gender-based violence against women in politics (VAWP) during the 2025 electoral cycles of the national and local elections held in 2025. It situates online hate speech and discriminatory political communication not as isolated incidents or expressions of individual hostility, but as systemic and cumulative forms of political violence that shape who should participate in politics, under what conditions, and at what personal cost. By combining large-scale digital monitoring with in-depth qualitative interviews, the report seeks to capture both the scope of online violations and their lived impact on women political candidates.
The analysis builds on Democracy for Development’s (D4D) long-standing experience in monitoring hate speech and harmful online content during electoral processes. Using a mixed-methods approach, the report documents patterns of media coverage, platform-specific dynamics, and the distribution of gender-based discriminatory content across municipalities, political actors, and time periods. Particular attention is given to the pre-campaign phase, and the final stages of electoral contests, where online hostility appears to intensify, while institutional safeguards are often the weakest.
Beyond quantitative trends, the report foregrounds the voices of women candidates themselves. Through qualitative interviews, the report explores the emotional, personal, and political consequences of online abuse, including cumulative psychological pressure, intrusion into private and family life, deterrent effects on political participation, and pressures to withdraw from public life. These findings illustrate how online hate speech reinforce gendered power structures, functions as a disciplining mechanism, and normalizing exclusionary political practices.
The report further examines the practical protection mechanisms, including family networks, political parties, solidarity among women, and formal reporting channels.
The findings reveal significant gaps between formal commitments to gender equality and the practical protection offered to women candidates, with responsibility for managing harm often shifted onto individuals rather than institutions. These dynamics risk entrenching structural inequalities and discourage future generations of women from engaging in politics.
