UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression Irene Khan has urged States to protect women journalists from online and offline attacks, and social media companies to ensure that online spaces are free from discrimination and safe for all women. Khan, on World Press Freedom Day, expressed deep concern at rising levels of online gender-based violence, gendered hate speech and disinformation that heighten the risk of physical violence against women journalists.  “Whether online or offline, those who threaten women journalists seek to intimidate and silence them, are putting media freedom, pluralism and diversity as well as the safety of the women themselves in danger,” said Khan on Tuesday. “Independent, free, pluralistic and diverse media is essential for democracy. This creates an imperative and urgency for States and media outlets to work proactively to ensure women’s safety, equal participation and representation in the media sector.”   On the occasion of World Press Freedom Day on 3 May, the UN Special Rapporteur issued a Joint Declaration on freedom of expression and gender justice in collaboration with freedom of expression experts from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), the Organization of American States (OAS), and the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR).The Joint Declaration focuses on challenges to women’s freedom of expression and the roles and responsibilities of States, internet intermediaries and media outlets to address them. “International human rights law has made it clear that it is not enough for States only to refrain from unlawfully restricting women’s freedom of opinion and expression. They are obliged to proactively remove structural, systemic and legal barriers that inhibit women’s free expression and public participation,” Khan said.  The Joint Declaration calls on States, the private sector, including media outlets, social media platforms and civil society to address social discrimination, gender stereotyping, entrenched bias, misogyny and interpretations of religion, culture and custom, as well as sexual and gender-based violence and discriminatory laws and policies, that are at the root of gendered censorship. Noting the vital importance of the internet and access to information for women’s empowerment, the Declaration urges governments to accelerate efforts to close the gender digital divide and cautions social media platforms to ensure their business practices and automated or algorithmic processes do not amplify gender stereotypes, bias, misogyny and gender-based violence.  “Internet intermediaries must respect and uphold women’s human rights and ensure their safety online, including through secure digital communications, strong encryption and anonymity-enhancing tools, products and services,” said Khan.  Also read: Threats to media workers' freedom growing: UN

Facebook has partnered with UN Women Bangladesh to conduct a daylong virtual programme on digital citizenship and online safety for over 80 participants from 30 grassroots and community organizations in Bangladesh. Representatives from Facebook led sessions covering a wide range of topics including managing digital presence, privacy tools, and online safety for women. Also Read: Women often assaulted online in Asia but find limited recourse: UN Women study “Women around the world are empowered by digital tools to organize for causes they care about. At Facebook, we continue to invest in digital literacy and citizenship, resiliency, and safety programs around the world, including Bangladesh. We are delighted to partner with UN Women in Bangladesh as we support and promote communities led by women and invested in women,” said Beth Ann Lim, Director of Policy Programs for Facebook in Asia Pacific. This workshop marks a continuation of Facebook’s partnership with UN Women Bangladesh which began on International Women’s Day in March this year, through LedByHer, a social media campaign to feature Bangladeshi women leaders and the role that digital platforms can play to tell their stories and build resilience. Later this year, Facebook and UN Women Bangladesh will be hosting a series of intergenerational dialogues between women of different ages from the same fields. Shoko Ishikawa, Country Representative for UN Women Bangladesh said digital space has given a new dimension to gender-based violence that continues to be normalized and embedded in our societies. Also Read: Facebook supports COVID-19 health awareness and vaccine rollout in Bangladesh UN Women Bangladesh is working with public and private universities to build the capacity of young women for creating positive content and counter misogynistic speech, she said. “We thank Facebook for this partnership and hope it will help organizations working on women empowerment, human rights and marginalized populations to use digital tools more effectively and build a more inclusive community.” Facebook regularly engages with civil society groups in Bangladesh and around the world to help inform its policies and programs. This workshop is just one of its investments to build a safer digital space in Bangladesh, especially for women. The company has plans to build on the workshop and work closely with organizations and community groups to increase their capacity and help create a more informed and responsible online community. Also read:90,000 adolescents to get training on online safety Last year, Facebook launched its flagship program We Think Digital in Bangladesh in partnership with the ICT Division, Ministry of Education and UNDP Bangladesh. This global program helps people improve their digital capabilities and promotes responsible digital citizenship, as well as critical thinking and sharing thoughtfully online.