The United Nations Commission on the Status of Women has called for efforts to bridge the gender digital divide and urged zero tolerance for gender-based violence and harassment online. The Commission’s document, approved by consensus after all-night negotiations, condemned the increase in these acts and called for significant investment to bridge the gender digital divide. At the start of the commission’s two-week meeting, the U.N. Secretary-General said that women and girls are being left behind as technology races ahead. The Commission’s “agreed conclusions” document calls for equal quality education for women and girls in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, information and communications technology, and digital literacy so that they can thrive in the rapidly changing world. Additionally, the final document reaffirms the 1995 Beijing platform adopted by 189 countries which says for the first time in a U.N. document that women’s human rights include the right to control and decide on matters relating to their sexuality, including their sexual and reproductive health, free of discrimination, coercion, and violence.
UN Commission Urges Efforts to Bridge Gender Digital Divide
The United Nations Commission on the Status of Women has called for global efforts to bridge the gap between men and women in today’s technology-driven world. The Commission has urged zero tolerance for gender-based violence and harassment online and expressed grave concern at the interrelation between offline and online violence, harassment, and discrimination against women and girls.
The Commission’s document, approved by consensus after all-night negotiations, condemned the increase in these acts and called for significant investment by the public and private sectors to bridge the gender digital divide. The Commission also urged the removal of barriers to equal access to digital technology for all women and girls, as well as the implementation of new policies and programs to achieve gender parity in emerging scientific and technological fields.
At the start of the Commission’s two-week meeting, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that women and girls are being left behind as technology races ahead. He also noted that three billion people are still unconnected to the internet, with the majority of them being women and girls in developing countries. In least developed countries, just 19% of women are online, and globally, men outnumber women two to one in the tech industry.
Sima Bahous, executive director of UN Women, hailed the document as “game-changing” in promoting a blueprint for a more equal and connected world for women and girls. She urged governments, the private sector, civil society, and young people to turn the blueprint into a reality for all women and girls. Bahous also cited a survey of female journalists from 125 countries, which found that three-quarters had experienced online harassment in the course of their work, and a third had engaged in self-censorship in response.
The Commission’s “agreed conclusions” document calls for equal quality education for women and girls in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, information and communications technology, and digital literacy so that they can thrive in the rapidly changing world.
UN Commission Affirms Women’s Human Rights in Technology-Driven World
The United Nations Commission on the Status of Women has adopted a final document reaffirming the 1995 Beijing platform, which says for the first time in a U.N. document that women’s human rights include the right to control and decide “on matters relating to their sexuality, including their sexual and reproductive health, free of discrimination, coercion, and violence.” However, lengthy negotiations on the document saw language on women’s rights challenged by several countries, including Russia, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Holy See, Cuba, and China. There were also intense debates over language on gender-based violence facilitated by technology. Diplomats spoke on condition of anonymity because negotiations were closed.
Pakistan’s insistence on adding a reference to “foreign occupation” to the document and Israel’s strong opposition were the final issue blocking consensus. The reference was not included, and before the document’s adoption, Pakistan’s representative expressed regret that the needs and priorities of women belonging to developing countries and facing humanitarian crises, including foreign occupation, were not included.
Don’t miss interesting posts on Famousbio
