A report on the sixty-seventh session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women.

The United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (UNCSW) held its sixty-seventh session at the UN headquarters from March 6th to 17th (1). The main focus of this session was innovation and technological advancements and their impact on achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls. The main topics discussed in the past year were the challenges and opportunities for gender equality and empowerment of rural women and girls.

This meeting was held in a hybrid format, both virtually and in person. Over the past four years, the forum of non-governmental organizations – which runs parallel to the official summit of women leaders – has been held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The presence of fourteen thousand people at the forum of non-governmental organizations and the holding of seven hundred and fifty educational workshops, speeches, and meetings by non-governmental institutions revived the historical, influential, fruitful, and perpetual space once again.

Sima Sami Bahous, Executive Director of the UN Women, after the adoption of the final document of this conference, addressed the member countries of the Commission on the Status of Women, stating: “The final document agreed upon by the member countries of the UN Women Commission brings a better vision. Now that this conference has come to an end and we are leaving here, let us take steps together with determination to make the decisions of this conference a reality for all women and girls.”

In this conference, which was held after the outbreak of COVID-19, power dynamics between women’s non-governmental organizations in the Global North and Global South are more noticeable. The economic crisis, especially in countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, and the limited financial resources for non-governmental organizations have weakened the presence of their representatives. On the other hand, obtaining visas to the United States for many feminists and women activists from these three continents has created another layer of restrictions.

Women’s rights

“I love to be with you forever”

Digital rights

This is an image of a beautiful sunset over the mountains.
Photo of social networks

The reality is that the current world is facing a new form of poverty; a poverty that leads to major barriers and obstacles for gender equality. From this perspective, access to technology in today’s world is crucial for the empowerment and economic, political, and social participation of women. As a result, the digital gender gap represents a new face of gender inequality.

The current session of the Women’s Assembly was aimed at examining the current challenges and opportunities for reaching agreements on standards that can utilize modern technology to accelerate gender equality. Antonio Guterres, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, estimated the time for achieving global gender equality and justice as “three hundred years” in his message at the beginning of this assembly.

The global society has the necessary tools to shorten the process of achieving gender equality, but the growth of religious fundamentalism in all religions and the consequent rise of right-wing, populist, and neo-fascist forces, as well as the political and strategic role of technology companies, have led to greater challenges in achieving gender equality. Therefore, one of the emphases of non-governmental organizations – especially emphasized by feminists – is that without closing the digital gap, we will not achieve gender equality.

On a global level, not only is the presence of women in the field of technology much more limited than men, but women also face a 21% wage gap in comparison to men. Furthermore, according to recent research, almost half of employed women in the technology industry have experienced harassment and discrimination in the workplace, and the work environment is not conducive to the presence, advancement, and innovation of women. Additionally, in countries where gender inequalities are more severe and patriarchal power dynamics are more prevalent, digital job opportunities are also much more limited for women, girls, and gender minorities.

The gender and digital divide has limited women’s access to important resources and information for economic empowerment, health, and education, and has further deepened the gender digital divide in patriarchal power relations. The world’s experience with the COVID-19 pandemic has clearly shown that lack of access to digital technology and digital literacy has exacerbated the gender gap in education and hindered access to important information about health and hygiene. Social groups that are not in positions of power, such as women, girls, racial and gender minorities, immigrants, the elderly, refugees, and individuals with physical disabilities who are more vulnerable, have faced extensive challenges in receiving timely medical and health information during the pandemic.

One of the research studies mentioned at this conference was that in 25 countries around the world, 80% of children have experienced feelings of danger, harassment, and sexual abuse in the online space. In another study, which was also mentioned by Sima Bahous, the data shows that three-fourths of female journalists in 125 countries have experienced both overt and covert violence in the online space, and one-third of these journalists have resorted to self-censorship.

In Afghanistan and Iran, the conditions are extremely oppressive, as these two countries are at the forefront of countries facing gender-based inequalities imposed by authoritarian governments. In Afghanistan, women and girls who protest against gender inequalities on platforms such as YouTube have fled the country due to the threat to their lives, and in Iran – where the former chair of the UN Commission on the Status of Women was ousted – as reported by the UN Secretary-General, many women and girls are at risk of their safety by participating in various online campaigns for human rights, and the online space is also highly restricted for women and girls.

Given the great importance of opening up the field of technology and innovation to women and girls, and the key role this plays in achieving gender equality and a better and more just global society, as well as promoting women’s participation in political, economic, and social spheres, we must confront obstacles and challenges.

But how?

This is a picture of a beautiful sunset.
Photo of the peace line.

First: The digital gender gap must be closed. All members of society, especially vulnerable social groups on the margins of society, should have access to digital skills, services, and equal opportunities. Services, especially government services, should be responsive to the needs of women and girls in the virtual space.

Second: Government and non-governmental organizations should invest in educating women and girls in technology, science, and digital skills. The reality is that although the gender gap in early childhood was close to closing before the global spread of COVID-19, with the crisis and the need for virtual education, this gap has deepened and child marriage has increased globally.

Third: Women’s jobs and management in the field of technology and innovation should be encouraged and promoted. The Secretary-General of the United Nations expressed this reality by stating that “there is a great danger to gender equality and misogyny in Silicon Valley and in this world.” It is the responsibility of those in power in the field of technology and large companies to achieve this change and open up equal opportunities for women in employment and decision-making positions alongside the government.

Fourth: We must take transparency and accountability in digital technology seriously. Virtual spaces (platforms and applications) should be affordable, secure, and accessible. Designers and innovators of digital technology products must be sensitive to gender and sexual sensitivities to prevent both overt and covert gender discrimination.

Fifth: We must incorporate systematic, sustainable, inclusive, and intersectional changes at the heart of digital technology. If women and girls are not represented among designers and managers of technological innovations with sensitivity to gender and sexuality, digital products will not reflect the priorities of women and girls and will not contribute to closing the digital gender gap through future-oriented strategies.

Sixth: Incorrect or incomplete information must be dealt with. We should encourage ethical principles in the presence of girls and boys in the virtual space through education and re-education, and promote gender equality in every aspect of digital citizenship and virtual space.

This text is an image caption and does not contain any Farsi text.
Photo of the Peace Line

The reality is that on a global level, digital technology is the main infrastructure and in some cases hidden from the eyes of those in power and authoritarian governments, it is used for women’s movements and feminist protests in order to bring about structural and systematic changes. Nowadays, feminist activists and advocates for gender equality rely on modern technology to form their forces for structural and systematic changes.

Although technology is often seen as a catalyst for equality, it should be noted that technology can also create and reproduce gender inequality, deepen the gender gap, and create new forms of violence, harassment, and harm for women and sexual minorities.

If this constant struggle is not fought intelligently and purposefully, the danger of the resurgence of racism and the power dynamics of patriarchy and a new form of colonization or other destructive and exploitative systems will exist. A feminist perspective questions technology, power dynamics, and the digital economy and large corporations, relying on social movements and the use of technology for freedom, fighting against authoritarianism and extremism, and eliminating violence.

ان

Despite being expelled from the Women’s Commission, Iran participated in this conference.

Discussions about Iran, gender equality in the digital and technological rights field, are worthy of a detailed report. However, in the report of the Women’s Commission in the current year, it can be briefly mentioned that Iran’s dismissal from the UN Women’s Commission was due to a revolutionary uprising in Iran in which women and girls were at the forefront. For the first time in the 76-year history of the Women’s Commission, a country’s record of violence and discrimination against women became a criterion for disqualification in holding a seat in an institution whose goal is gender equality and respect for women’s rights and dignity.

This criterion will put activists and feminists from other countries in the world in this situation to challenge the presence of other countries with anti-women policies in the Women’s Status Commission, based on the expulsion of Iran and with the same tools. The reality is that many countries – a significant number of them in Western Asia and North Africa – do not have the qualifications to hold a seat in the Women’s Status Commission.

The withdrawal of Iran by the vote of the United Nations Economic and Social Council on December 14, 2022, which was proposed by a resolution for the expulsion of Iran by the United States, was carried out with 29 votes in favor, 8 votes against, and 16 abstentions by the members of the United Nations Economic and Social Council.

Despite Iran’s expulsion from the UN Commission on the Status of Women, on the first day of this virtual summit, a video of Ensieh Khazali, the Deputy for Women and Family Affairs of the President in the Thirteenth Government, was broadcasted. Matou Jwaini, the representative of South Africa who chaired the summit, stated that although Iran is no longer a member of the UN Commission on the Status of Women, it can still participate in events as a member of the United Nations and the General Assembly.

The United Nations Commission on the Status of Women has had valuable achievements in the past seventy-six years in the field of resolutions and international documents, including the CEDAW (Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women), Security Council Resolution 1325, and the Beijing Conference Final Document and other documents. However, due to lack of enforcement power, these resolutions have not been able to close the gender gap, which is estimated to take 300 years at the current rate.

From non-governmental organizations that are held annually parallel to the Women’s Commission, a valuable platform is provided for exchanging ideas and sharing intelligent strategies and solidarity for the global women’s movement.

Note:

۱- For more information, refer to

Website
United Nations Commission on the Status of Women.