The 67th session of the Commission on the Status of Women will focus on the theme “Innovation and Technological Change, and Education in the Digital Age for Achieving Gender Equality and the Empowerment of All Women and Girls”.
UNFPA will highlight our work to advance sexual and reproductive health and rights in the digital age, with a special focus on technology-facilitated gender-based violence – the subject of UNFPA’s award-winning feature The Virtual Is Real and bodyright campaign.
Among our key messages:
- In a rapidly changing world, dynamic and innovative digital solutions are needed to fulfill the promise of the International Conference on Population and Development and to ensure sexual and reproductive health and rights for all.
- Technology in the digital age must ensure that women and girls enjoy equal opportunities and rights and have the skills to participate in its development and design, creating tools for safe and equitable use.
- The gender digital gap persists, creating economic and social inequalities.
- The emergence of digital technology has created a space through which harm may be perpetrated, as it is increasingly being misused and weaponized against women and girls on the basis of gender.
Executive Director Dr. Natalia Kanem will kick off our participation in the proceedings with remarks at a UNFPA-organized event on 10 March, “Catalysing Collective Action to End Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence Against Women and Girls,” and will join in other events as well. A schedule of side events can be found here.
“Women and girls are shapers of an equal future,” Dr. Kanem says. “The more they are included in the creation of technology, the less vulnerable they will be – and the more all of society will benefit.”
