Session
Digital Divides & Inclusion
Gender Digital Divide
Organizer 1: Lauren Power, Women7 (W7) Japan
Organizer 2: Megumi Ishimoto, Women 7 Japan
Speaker 1: Lauren Power, Civil Society, Intergovernmental Organization
Speaker 2: Megumi Ishimoto, Civil Society, Intergovernmental Organization
Speaker 3: Nicholas Rew, Civil Society, Intergovernmental Organization
Megumi Ishimoto, Civil Society, Intergovernmental Organization
Lauren Power, Civil Society, Intergovernmental Organization
Lauren Power, Civil Society, Intergovernmental Organization
Birds of a Feather - 60 Min
A. How does the digital landscape marginalize or exclude women and girls in all their diversity?
B. Why does inclusivity matter?
C. How do you see gender inclusivity making a difference in your organization?
What will participants gain from attending this session? Our workshop will deliver crucial insights to participant and attendees in three important ways:
1. We will introduce the current challenges and approaches to bridging the digital gender divide, including outcomes from the G7 Hiroshima Summit, regulatory frameworks, and gender equality advocacy efforts.
2. We will present real-world best practices in use and in development for creating effective gender-responsive approaches in current digital industries, and also highlight a few points to avoid.
3. We will deliver a 'Digital Gender Equality Toolkit' and facilitate an interactive experience to guide session participants through the process of using it.
After completing this workshop, attendees will be equipped to exercise gender-responsive and inclusive practices more effectively in their own organizations and endeavors.
Description:
Governments, businesses, and other stakeholders must develop strategies, policies, laws and budgets that ensure that women are meaningfully represented and can influence digital advancements. In alignment with the themes of the 2023 Commission on the Status of Women (CSW67) on ‘Innovation and Technological Change, Education in the Digital Age, and Progress Toward Gender Equality’, W7 Japan, an official engagement group of the G7 Process, released the W7 Digital Statement 'Women Transforming the Digital World: Safer and Inclusive with Prosperity for All' to highlight the particular risks for women and girls in all their diversity being excluded from the benefits of digital work, technology, and AI; and the urgent need for regulation, coordinated intervention, and a gender-responsive and intersectional approach to technology.
In this workshop, we invite governments, private sector stakeholders, and organizations from all levels to learn about the progress being made in bridging the digital gender divide and what more needs to be done. We will present the latest developments on gender equality advocacy and commitments coming out of the G7 Hiroshima Summit with emphasis on real-world best practices and what to avoid. Finally, session participants will be given a 'Digital Gender Equality Toolkit' and gain meaningful experience in how to use it in their own initiatives.
Women7 (W7) is an official engagement group of the G7, which means that we have a yearly mandate to inform G7-level advocacy on gender issues. The outcome of our IGF session will directly inform W7 Italy and its digital advocacy. W7 will also publish our IGF digital proceedings on the W7 website and circulate it among our global advisors.
Hybrid Format: We will optimize interaction between our onsite and online attendees by engaging expert moderators with years of experience in hybrid event facilitation and interactive online tools. We will host the session in-person and over Zoom and we plan to use 1.) interactive polls and 2.) interactive miro board for resource-sharing, brainstorming and recording ideas.