With the aim to reimagine the digital landscape through a gender-just lens, WACC and the Global Alliance on Media and Gender (GAMAG) are organizing a session at the World Summit on the Information Society – WSIS+20 Forum High-Level Event in Geneva.

Themed “Gender Equality and Inclusion in our Digital Future: A new gender deal for WSIS+20,” the session on Wednesday, 29 May, at 5pm CET will evaluate the zero draft of the Global Digital Compact (GDC) from a gender and women’s rights perspective.

Already the WSIS+10 review in 2013 spotlighted the digital space’s failure to include women and girls and prevent new forms of misogyny, notes WACC Gender and Communications program manager Sarah Macharia. The concerns persist today, she adds, with further marginalization of women’s rights activists by key global stakeholders from crucial decision-making processes.

“The current digital ecosystem continues to pose challenges to gender equality and the protection of women’s rights, with pervasive issues such as online violence, discrimination, and exclusion persisting across various digital platforms,” Macharia says.

“As technology rapidly evolves, the need to address these issues becomes increasingly urgent, underlining the significance of advocating for a more inclusive and empowering digital future for all.”

The upcoming session aims to push for a paradigm shift in digital governance. In a time when women’s rights are being eroded and the gender digital divide continues to deepen, the session will engage strategic stakeholders and advocate for a Global Digital Compact that prioritizes and safeguards the digital rights of women and girls.

Guided by a distinguished panel of experts including Anita Gurumurthy from IT for Change, Albertina Piterbarg from UNESCO, Reem Alsalem, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls, and Sylvia Musalagani from Meta, the session will delve into critical discussions on strengthening gender equality within global and national digital ecosystems.

The event will be moderated by Aimée Vega Montiel, Chair of GAMAG, with an overview of civil society leadership in WSIS processes presented by WACC General Secretary Philip Lee.

To participate remotely, register for the WSIS+20 Forum High-Level Event at https://bit.ly/WSIS-GVA-Virtual and select Session 301 “Gender Equality and Inclusion in Our Digital Future.”