Protecting Caribbean women in digital spaces

The rights of women in the Caribbean need to be protected,  both in physical and virtual spaces. The prevalence of cyberviolence in terms of its root causes and impacts is gender-based, with a disproportionate impact on women. Similar types of violence against women and girls often occur in both offline and online spheres or originate in one sphere and are carried through into the other. In the most serious cases, cyberviolence can lead to physical assaults and even suicide.[1]

One of the objectives of International Women’s Day (IWD - March 8) this year is to spotlight the importance of protecting the rights of women and girls in digital spaces and addressing online and technology-facilitated gender-based violence. The theme for IWD is, “DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality”. This theme is aligned with the priority theme for the upcoming 67th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW-67), “Innovation and technological change, and education in the digital age for achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls”. 

In 2018, the UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls, its causes and consequences defined online violence against women to encompass any act of gender-based violence against women that is committed, assisted or aggravated in part or fully by the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), such as mobile phones and smartphones, the Internet, social media platforms or email, against a woman because she is a woman, or affects women disproportionately.[2]

Women worldwide and in the Caribbean are increasingly falling victim to cyber-attacks, particularly via online shopping and other social media activities. There have also been several instances of stalking and trafficking resulting from cyber activities. Additionally, the rapidly growing access and use of ICT, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, has had multiple impacts on gender equality and women’s rights, including the further exacerbation of existing forms of violence against women (VAW), especially sexual harassment, and the emergence of new forms of VAW, such as non-consensual image sharing and harassment of women in virtual spaces. It is important to take the necessary actions, both big and small, to address this issue. It is imperative that measures are implemented to prevent, address and criminalize these acts, whether big or small, to  ensure that there are consequences for perpetrators. We must also ensure that adequate and useful help is available for survivors.

While digital spaces are a challenge for the safety of women and girls, they can also be leveraged as powerful tools to protect and promote their rights. Here in the Caribbean, the United Nations - including the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) - has taken several measures, using ICT, to protect our women. For example - in the framework of the EU funded Spotlight Initiative - in Jamaica the App HOPE (a mobile app) was launched  in 2021 in collaboration with the civil society organization Eve For Life. The App HOPE can help you understand if you or someone you know is affected by gender-based violence (GBV). The App does this through questions that you can answer. It also sensitizes on the rights to a life free from violence in a  “know your rights” section; through the analysis of scenarios, it also helps address common myths related to GBV. Finally, but not less important, the App Hope provides hints on  the actions that you can take to be safe and the contact information of support services available, including in cases of emergencies.

The digital space also has the potential to promote Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) and raise awareness on human rights. In 2022,   the Caribbean Observatory on Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) Observatory was launched. The SRH Observatory is an advocacy platform that permits monitoring and tracking progress towards the advancement of integrated SRHR and GBV in the region while lobbying for improved programming as well as policy and legislative reforms.

While there are several initiatives that can help to address technology-facilitated Gender-based Violence and promote the rights to a life free from violence, we recognize that the work needs to continue and much more needs to be done, including by promoting the further development, use and dissemination of safe technology for GBV prevention and response.

In addition to highlighting the need to protect women in digital spaces, the United Nations’ Observance of IWD this year also serves to recognize and celebrate the women and girls who are championing the advancement of transformative technology and digital education, further promoting gender equality. There is a plethora of women in the Caribbean who deserve recognition for their work to advance transformative technology and digital education in our region who we should be celebrating and elevating. Today, let’s highlight two of the women in tech who have been making strides in the Caribbean and that can inspire more women to participate in the digital space while promoting safe spaces. Evie Kanhai-Gurchuran, from Guyana, for example is the founder of  a coworking space that fosters a tech and entrepreneurial community. She works tirelessly to close the opportunity gaps for Caribbean entrepreneurs in a digital space and to close the gender gap for women and girls in computing. Another stellar woman in tech is Jamaican Melissa James, an award-winning diversity expert who has been dedicated to increasing diversity in the technology industry.

This 8th of March, join us in celebrating women in tech, but let’s also engage all year long in helping to protect our women in ICT spaces!

UNFPA, as the UN agency responsible for sexual and reproductive health, remains dedicated to supporting governments and other stakeholders to protect the rights of women from various forms of violence, while aiming at achieving three transformative results:  zero maternal deaths, zero unmet need for family planning and zero GBV and harmful practices. UNFPA is committed to helping the Caribbean through deliberate, strategic and collaborative actions that will lead to a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person’s potential is fulfilled.

[1] Addressing Online Violence against Women and Girls in the Commonwealth Caribbean and AmericasThe Role of Bystanders, The Commonwealth (2018)

[2] Intensification of efforts to eliminate all forms of violence against women: Report of the Secretary-General (2022)