EU statement at the 67th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women

Honourable Chair, 

I am honoured to speak on behalf of the European Union and its Member States.

The Candidate Countries North Macedonia*, Montenegro*, Serbia*, Albania*, Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova and Bosnia and Herzegovina*, the potential candidate country Georgia, as well as San Marino and Monaco align themselves with this statement. 

The EU welcomes the timely focus of this 67th Session on innovation and technological change, and education in the digital age for achieving gender equality. As Secretary General Guterres has highlighted, we now have a unique opportunity to shape a future where technology has the potential to address negative social norms and gender stereotypes, amplify women’s  and girls’ voices, push back against online harassment and abuse, prevent the perpetuation of Artificial Intelligence biases, and distribute equally the benefits of digitalization. 

No country has reached full gender equality. At the current rate of progress, it may take 300 years to achieve. The increased global pushback on women and girls’ enjoyment of human rights is alarming. For many women and girls, gender equality is a far-off ambition. They have to fight for their lives, for their rights and dignity. We are witnessing systematic, growing restrictions on women’s and girls’ freedoms in Afghanistan and Iran. Furthermore, the Russian war of aggression has devastating repercussions on the lives of women and girls in Ukraine, but also beyond. 

While challenges remain in all parts of the world, the EU has high hope for a brighter future. We believe that through clear political commitments and at the highest level, an enabling environment and significant investment we can ensure that technology contributes to a better world for all women and girls. With our current policies on gender equality, we are pushing for faster progress towards gender equality with partners across the globe.

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Technologies, innovation and digitalization can be game-changers in consolidating democracy and accelerating gender equality. The EU works towards women’s and youth’s full, equal and meaningful participation, in all their diversity, in all spheres of public and political life. A gender-responsive digital transformation represents a unique opportunity to achieve milestones towards gender equality, including through hybrid work and digital services. 

Using the digital transition as a springboard for gender equality will not only contribute to SDG 5 (on gender equality), but also SDG 3 (on health and wellbeing), SDG 4 (on quality education) and SDG 8 (on decent work and economic growth) and SDG 16 (on peaceful and inclusive societies). As we harness the benefits of innovation, technological changes and digitalization, women and girls of all ages must be at the forefront of the transition. Particularly, we should pay attention to how innovation and digitalization could benefit women and girls in vulnerable situations, including in conflict-affected and humanitarian contexts.

It is crucial to bear in mind that the downsides of digital technologies and innovation also need to be addressed: not only regarding privacy, safety and security of women and girls, but also through transposition of structural gender inequalities from the physical world into the digital sphere, for example gender stereotypes and biases. This must be tackled resolutely and redressed.

The EU commits to closing the digital gender divide. Globally, a girl is five times less likely than a boy to consider a tech career. This year, the European Year of Skills, we recognize the acute need to provide women and girls with inclusive and equitable quality (digital) education, access to human-centric technologies and digital skills, and vocational training related to STEM fields also to facilitate access to employment opportunities enhancing women’s and girls’ [economic] empowerment”. Within the EU, we have set ambitious targets in our Path to a Digital Decade. We are committed to double the number of employed ICT specialists this year to 20M, with increased gender balance.

The EU is stepping up efforts to shape the digital landscape, from policy to infrastructure. We promote equal access for all. We fund initiatives worldwide to harness digital technologies for learner-centred education. We support digital skills and literacy, particularly for women and girls. Globally, we need more efforts for digital education solutions, including transformative approaches to address the root causes of gender inequalities in policy-making and decision-making. These efforts should further be disability inclusive, age-specific, adapted to poor and rural areas and conflict-affected contexts; and in that respect, ensure digital rights for all.

The EU is working on long-term policies and strategies, awareness training, programs and funding – to prevent, detect, criminalize, and end all forms of sexual and gender-based violence. We put particular emphasis on technology-facilitated gender-based violence, pervasive in online spaces. Such heinous acts often target young girls, as well as women in the public eye. We must collectively address this serious issue.

The EU calls for sustainable political and financial support to civil society organizations and women human rights defenders, offline and online. Women human rights defenders are disproportionately impacted by threats and attacks, including online smear campaigns. These threats can lead to self-censorship and disengagement from public life. Their activities are often hampered by restrictions and Internet shutdowns, reducing their participation and voice. We also strive to systematically include and consult women human rights defenders and integrate their perspectives and those of the different groups they represent, online and offline.

Overall, more attention needs to be paid to ensure all women’s and girls’ full, equal and meaningful participation and leadership in innovation and technology, notably to mental and physical health, giving special attention to sexual and reproductive health and rights, as agreed in the new European Consensus on Development, the EU remains committed to the promotion, protection and fulfilment of all human rights and to the full and effective implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the Programme of Action on the International Conference on Population and Development (ICDP) and the outcomes of their review conferences and remains committed to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), in this context. Having that in mind, the EU reaffirms its commitment to the promotion, protection and fulfilment of the right of every individual to have full control over, and decide freely and responsibly on matters related to their sexuality and sexual and reproductive health, free from discrimination, coercion and violence. The EU further stresses the need for universal access to quality and affordable comprehensive sexual and reproductive health information, education, including comprehensive sexuality education and health-care services.

Chair,

As a Union of Equality we are committed to lead by example on gender equality and women and girls’ rights, online as well as offline.

We are working to improve regulatory and policy frameworks at all levels. The Global Digital Compact is one such example. Furthermore, human rights and gender-responsive approaches must be the foundation of agreements, plans and programmes. While States bear the ultimate responsibility to respect, protect, and fulfil human rights, the private sector, in particular technology companies and digital platforms across the multi-stakeholder digital ecosystem, have a key role to play. Human rights due diligence, in line with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, cover also women’s rights and gender equality.

Today, the EU emphasizes the need to address the structural and institutional barriers, be they social, political, cultural or economic, which curtail the potential of all women and girls – especially those in vulnerable situations – to drive and benefit from the digital transition.

Closing the gender digital divide is much more than an aspiration, it is an imperative for us all. Gender equality is at the core of the EU’s actions across all fields, including the digital agenda. We stand ready to support and join forces with all partners to take promotion of inclusivity and gender equality to the next level. To turn words into deeds.

Let me finish by quoting a young women’s rights advocate, Nilofar Ayoubi, a member of the EU supported Afghan Women Leaders Forum: “As far as women’s rights and technology are concerned, the world needs to get it right. Because for some of us in the most oppressive regimes, the world provided by technology is the only world we have left.”

*North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.