NHRC organizes panel discussion on women in digital age between empowerment, online violence

Doha, Qatar: The National Human Rights Committee (NHRC), in cooperation with Qatar Lawyers Association, organized a panel discussion on women in the d...

Doha, Qatar: The National Human Rights Committee (NHRC), in cooperation with Qatar Lawyers Association, organized a panel discussion on women in the digital age: between empowerment and cyber violence, within the framework of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and as part of the "16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence" campaign launched by the Ministry of Social Development and Family.

The panel discussion brought together experts from the legal, judicial, security, academic and civil society sectors to discuss digital challenges and ways to protect women in cyberspace, and the global digital transformation that has provided women with new opportunities in education, work and entrepreneurship, in contrast to the rise of alarming patterns of cyber violence such as blackmail and defamation, digital surveillance and data theft, economic violence via platforms, and others.

In this context, Chairperson of the NHRC, HE Maryam bint Abdullah Al Attiyah said tha the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women firmly affirms that women's dignity, rights and safety are an international and national responsibility that cannot be compromised or neglected. She noted that this discussion panel reflects the State of Qatar's unwavering commitment to supporting justice and equality, and enhancing the protection of women in all real and digital environments.

In her opening remarks, Her Excellency pointed out that digital attacks in all their forms and manifestations, such as blackmail, cyber harassment, defamation, stalking, privacy breaches, espionage, theft of personal photos, data, and financial accounts via platforms, and gender-based hate speech, constitute crimes that not only affect women, but also affect family security, social peace, and trust in the digital space. She noted that these digital attacks limit women's ability to participate economically and socially as desired.

Her Excellency stressed that protecting women from the dangers of the digital space is a national duty that requires the integration of all state institutions, governmental and non-governmental, in building a safe and inclusive digital environment capable of protecting women and girls from digital risks, and enabling them to fully benefit from the opportunities offered by the digital age.