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ITU 150

Protecting and Empowering Women in the Digital Space: Advocacy for the Human Security Approach

Project No 9EGY25004
Title Protecting and Empowering Women in the Digital Space: Advocacy for the Human Security Approach
Description

The overall purpose of the Joint Programme (JP) submitted to the United Nations Trust Fund for Human Security (UNTFHS) is to apply the human security approach to help address, protect, and prevent technology-facilitated violence against women and girls (TFVAWG) while advocating for the benefits of digitalization for their empowerment. Under the UN Resident Coordinator, with UN Women as the technical lead, the JP is designed to engage UNODC and ITU as responsible UN Organizations (RUNOs) and UNICEF and UNFPA as technical partners. It will be implemented in close partnership with the National Council of Women of Egypt (NCW) and in close collaboration with national counterparts (Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, Ministry of Justice, etc.). 

The Government of Egypt has identified digitalisation as an unprecedented opportunity to enhance the human security of women and girls globally and in the country. Digitalization is contributing to women’s economic security (through enhanced access to livelihood

opportunities, banking, and financial support), women and girls’ education (through enhanced learning for all) and their health security (through for example tech-facilitated reproductive healthcare). 

The JP will address technology-facilitated violence against women and girls (TFVAWG) through three different pillars/framework for interventions using the human security framework, and in close partnership with the National Council for Women as the coordinating and convening body of the JP: 

1: Improving knowledge, including evidence-based knowledge for policy making and methodologies for effectively addressing the impacts of TFVAWG, cognizant of intersectional vulnerabilities.

2: Building capacity for different stakeholders (law enforcement, tech companies/service providers and women’s groups) on how to prevent and address TFVAWG from a human security perspective 

3: Raising awareness on opportunities provided by technologies as well as on TFVAWG risks and protection mechanisms

Status Ongoing
Time Frame From 1/9/2025 To 28/2/2027
Beneficiary Countries Egypt
Implementing Agency International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
Cooperation Agency United Nations Trust Fund for Human Security (UNTFHS)
Financial Scale (CHF) Less than 100'000
Achievements It is expected that by the end of the UNTFHS Joint Programme: 
-New knowledge products and methodologies are developed linking the human security approach with new awareness on TFVAWG which will be of use to not only Egypt but regionally. 
-Policy makers, local government authorities, public organizations and research community are better able to understand the scope of TFVAWG as an issue of human insecurity in Egypt to protect women and girls.  
-The criminal justice institutions are better able to apply laws on cybersecurity/cybercrimes in protection of women and girls. 
-The private sector and IT regulators are made aware of how their technology-based products can be used to empower women and girls and protect them from online abuse. 
-National and civil society EVAWG service providers are better equipped to provide services to women and girls exposed to TFVAWG. 
-Women and girls in local communities are empowered with new awareness to help protect themselves and their communities. 
-The public is made more aware of the human security approach to preventing and TFVAWG. 
-The products, knowledge and partnerships developed under the JP will leverage and inform the UN Country Team’s and Government of Egypt’s broader investments on ending all forms of violence against women and girls, including harmful practices.

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