Since its inception by the International Labour Organization in 2003, annual observance of the World Day for Safety and Health at Work reminds us that fostering safe and healthy workplaces globally is an imperative. This year, the Secretary’s Office of Global Women’s Issues (S/GWI) wants to highlight the importance of workplaces – both physical and online – being free from gender-based violence, a priority outlined in the National Strategy on Gender Equity and Equality, the U.S. Strategy on Global Women’s Economic Security, and the U.S. Strategy on Preventing and Responding to Gender-Based Violence Globally. In an increasingly digitized economy, it is essential to address technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV) to facilitate an enabling environment for all women and girls to achieve economic security.
TFGBV, as defined by UN Women, is a “subset of gender-based violence that describes any act that is committed, assisted, aggravated, or amplified by the use of information and communication technologies or other digital tools, that results in or is likely to result in physical, sexual, psychological, social, political, or economic harm, or other infringements of rights and freedoms.” This encompasses a wide array of acts, including stalking, harassment, threats of physical and sexual violence, impersonation, hacking, image-based abuse, disinformation, and defamation, among others. While all individuals experience online harassment and abuse, women and girls bear the brunt of TFGBV. For example, a report from Plan International found that more than half of girls surveyed, from around the world, have been harassed and abused online.
TFGBV not only directly threatens the safety of individuals targeted, but also both reflects and perpetuates gender inequality. While data is just beginning to be captured, we are already seeing a serious impact on women and girls’ ability to participate publicly. Research underscores the prevalence of TFGBV, with estimates indicating that between 16-58 percent of women have encountered such violence. This, in addition to witnessing other girls and women experiencing TFGBV, impacts both current online engagement and future participation in digital spaces. The prevalence of TFGBV exacerbates the gender digital divide – an already serious concern as a significant portion of the digitally unconnected population comprises women and girls. This underscores, further, the pressing need to address this multifaceted and evolving challenge.
TFGBV in the workplace has become increasingly common, especially with the rapid digitalization brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. As women and girls transitioned their lives online for work, education, and social activities, they became more vulnerable to various forms of online harassment and abuse. Women working in public-facing roles, such as activists, journalists, and politicians face a disproportionate amount of online harassment and abuse. A study conducted by the Inter-Parliamentary Union indicates that 41.8 percent of women politicians have been subjected to the dissemination of images or comments via social media containing sexual, defamatory, or humiliating implications about themselves. Research from UNESCO reveals that a staggering 73 percent of women journalists have experienced online harassment and abuse throughout their careers. Individuals who experience multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination are at even higher risk of experiencing TFGBV. For example, according to a study analyzing tweets sent to women journalists and politicians in the United States and the United Kingdom, women of color are 34 percent more likely (84 percent for Black women) to experience abusive tweets than white women.
This article was originally published by a www.state.gov . Read the Original article here. .