Opening of ICTs and Gender Mainstreaming track

WSIS Gender Group

Session 208

13:00–14:00 CEST (UTC+02:00), Wednesday, 1 July 2020 ICTs and Gender Mainstreaming Thematic Workshop

Session Recording

Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) are tools through which gender equality and women's empowerment can be advanced, and are integral to the creation of societies in which both women and men can substantively contribute and participate.[1]

The WSIS Forum had launched a 50/50 gender balance challenge in the wake of call for realising equal participation at the WSIS Forum. The WSIS Stakeholders are all invited to mainstream a gender equality perspective and use ICTs to accelerate progress towards gender equality.

This year, the WSIS Forum 2020 will feature ICTs and Gender Mainstreaming track, comprises interactive sessions with different topics covering gender and ICTs issues. This effort is also part as an initiative in addressing the gender gap in ICT that aligns with SDG Goal 5 “Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls”. The cross-cutting commitments on gender equality are further echoed across all WSIS Action Lines.

To highlight the importance of the matter at hand and our commitment, the track will be inaugurated at the Opening of ICTs and Gender Mainstreaming track, which will be held on 1 July 2020 at 13:00-14:00 CEST with the presence of Ministers from different countries and High-level officials at the Virtual WSIS Forum 2020.

[1] Women's Empowerment in the Digital Age: Implementing WSIS Outcomes and Agenda 2030 (https://www.itu.int/en/action/gender-equality/Documents/WSIS-Women-Empowerment-Background.pdf)

Panellists

Ms. Doreen Bogdan-Martin Director of Telecommunication Development Bureau (BDT) ITU

Mr. Catalin Marinescu Head, Strategy & Planning Division ITU Moderator

HE Ms. Katrina Naut Ambassador Permanent Representative, Mission Dominican Republic, Geneva

HE Ms. Pamela Gidi Vice Minister Undersecretariat of Telecommunications, Chile

Ms. María Teresa Arcos Director General of Telecommunications and Audiovisual Services Ministry of Economic Affairs and Digital Transformation, Spain

Dr. Daniela Brönstrup Deputy Director General for Digital and Innovation Policy German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, Germany

Ms. Ndeye Maimouna Diop Technical advisor for H.E. Minister of ICT, Senegal Ministry of Digital Economy and Telecommunications, Senegal

WSIS Action Lines

C1. The role of governments and all stakeholders in the promotion of ICTs for development
C2. Information and communication infrastructure
C3. Access to information and knowledge
C4. Capacity building
C5. Building confidence and security in use of ICTs
C6. Enabling environment
C7. ICT applications: benefits in all aspects of life — E-government
C7. ICT applications: benefits in all aspects of life — E-business
C7. ICT applications: benefits in all aspects of life — E-learning
C7. ICT applications: benefits in all aspects of life — E-health
C7. ICT applications: benefits in all aspects of life — E-employment
C7. ICT applications: benefits in all aspects of life — E-environment
C7. ICT applications: benefits in all aspects of life — E-agriculture
C7. ICT applications: benefits in all aspects of life — E-science
C8. Cultural diversity and identity, linguistic diversity and local content
C9. Media
C10. Ethical dimensions of the Information Society
C11. International and regional cooperation

Sustainable Development Goals

Goal 5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
Goal 17: Revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development

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