GENDER, SECURITY AND DIGITAL SPACE: ISSUES, POLICIES, AND THE WAY FORWARD

Online threats are often approached without a gender focus, despite having disproportionate impacts across different genders. Gender-based online threats, including gendered disinformation (disinformation with gender-specific undertones) and harassment, can build on gender stereotypes and deepen existing faultlines in societies. Foreign influence attempts or domestic power politics may exploit these gender-related faultlines, and they can hamper democratic participation by women and marginalised groups. Furthermore, the digital divide and internet shutdowns, both of which have gendered impacts, may restrict certain gender groups from accessing economic opportunities, legal aid and information, and self-help, among others. The gendered implications of these threats impair the myriad of opportunities that Information and Communication Technologies could otherwise provide to advance gender equality. Building on the 2021 CENS & The High Commission of Canada Webinar Series on “Gender, Security and Digital Space”, this policy report reiterates the need to embrace a gender-focused approach to studying cybersecurity threats to understand and tackle their gender-specific impacts. The policy report ends with a discussion on the actions that can be taken by the government, social media companies, and society to alleviate the problem.