To celebrate an important milestone in gender equality and women’s empowerment, the United Nations University Institute in Macau will host a side event that will draw attention to the pressing issue of gender digital divides in Asia-Pacific and provide evidence-based strategies necessary to close the gender gap in ICT access, skills, and leadership and ensure inclusion in the digital society.
Bringing a variety of viewpoints and experiences from academia, government, CSO, and the private sector, our panelists will highlight the implications of persistent gaps in digital access, skills, and leadership through personal accounts and case studies. In embracing the synergy of perspectives, we hope to extend a multi-stakeholder approach to advance the Beijing Platform for Action and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
One of the highlights of the panel is the Asia Pacific launch of the EQUALS research group inaugural report entitled Taking Stock: Data and Evidence on Gender Equality in Digital Access, Skills, and Leadership. The report highlights the implications of persistent gaps across different facets of digital technologies and tells the story of how technology impacts women and girls in various contexts, including jobs and wages, security and privacy, cyber threats, and new technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI).
The side event will be held during the Asia-Pacific Regional Review of the 25th Anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action: Beijing+25 Review.
Agenda
12:00 - 12:30 Registration
12:30 - 12:35 Opening Remarks
Cai Cai, Chief, Gender Equality and Social Inclusion Section, Social Development Division, UNESCAP
12:35 - 12:40 Presentation on EQUALS Inaugural Report on Gender Digital Equality
Don Rodney Junio, Senior Research Assistant, UNU Institute in Macau
12:40 - 13:10 Panel Discussion on Gender Digital Divides in Asia-Pacific
Dr Salma Abbasi, FRGS, Chairperson and CEO, eWorldwide Group
Dr Moon Choi, Associate Professor, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Graduate School of Science and Technology Policy, South Korea
Tahani Iqbal, Senior Research Manager, LIRNEasia, Sri Lanka
Dr Agnes Lam, Member, Legislative Assembly of Macau/ Associate Professor, Department of Communication, University of Macau, Macau
Moderator: Don Rodney Junio, Senior Research Assistant, UNU Institute in Macau
13:10 - 13:25 Q&A Session
13:25 - 13:30 Closing
