Framework to Develop Gender-responsive Cybersecurity Policy | IGF 2023 WS #477

Audience

The analysis uncovers several significant points concerning gender equality and cybersecurity policies. One notable issue is the exclusion of women, girls, and individuals of other genders from discussions with the private sector and tech companies. This exclusion leads to a lack of diversity and representation in decision-making processes, potentially resulting in policies that do not adequately address the needs and concerns of all individuals.

Another concerning finding is the resistance to including gender language in the final text of policies. This pushback may arise from factors such as a resistance to change, a lack of understanding of the importance of gender-inclusive language, or intentional efforts to maintain the status quo. This resistance highlights the need for greater awareness and commitment to gender equality in policy-making processes.

On a positive note, the analysis recognizes the essential role of including a gender perspective and intersectionality in cybersecurity policies. By considering the experiences and challenges faced by different genders and intersecting identities, policies can be more comprehensive and effective in addressing cyber threats. This recognition emphasizes the importance of adopting an intersectional approach when developing cybersecurity strategies.

Furthermore, civil society and the United Nations are identified as key actors in ensuring gender-inclusive policies. Their involvement in advocating for and monitoring the implementation of gender equality measures can contribute to creating an environment that values and promotes the rights and representation of all genders.

Another noteworthy insight is the recognition that gender equality is a task that requires collective support, not just from women. It is important for everyone, regardless of gender, to actively contribute to achieving gender equality and dismantling gender-based discrimination and inequality.

Education is highlighted as a crucial tool for combating setbacks in gender equality. By promoting education that emphasizes gender equality principles and human rights, societies can foster greater understanding, empathy, and equal opportunities for all individuals.

However, limitations arise during negotiations, as member states often draw red lines that restrict progress on gender language. This observation suggests that political considerations and differing priorities among states can serve as obstacles to advancing gender equality within policy frameworks.

Additionally, the analysis emphasizes the need for a gender framework for digital transformation and cybersecurity. This framework should account for the specific challenges and vulnerabilities faced by different genders in the digital realm, ensuring that cybersecurity policies and practices are inclusive and responsive to diverse needs.

In conclusion, the analysis brings attention to several key aspects of gender equality and cybersecurity policies. It highlights the need for increased diversity and inclusive decision-making processes, the importance of gender-sensitive language, the role of education in promoting gender equality, and the significance of international cooperation and civil society engagement. These insights can inform policymakers, stakeholders, and advocates working towards gender-inclusive cybersecurity policies and contribute to building a more equitable and secure digital future.

Speaker 1

The analysis underscores the critical need for cybersecurity awareness among citizens and businesses. Policymakers should actively support collaboration between different sectors to effectively address this issue. By fostering cooperation and sharing knowledge, policymakers can enhance cybersecurity practices and protect individuals and organizations from cyber threats.

Furthermore, it is crucial for policymakers to take the lead in creating awareness about cybersecurity among citizens and businesses. They can educate the public about potential risks and promote best practices for safeguarding personal and sensitive data. This proactive approach can contribute to an overall improvement in cybersecurity measures and reduce the likelihood of successful cyber attacks.

The analysis also highlights the importance of respecting human rights within the domain of cybersecurity. Policymakers should integrate human rights as a fundamental principle when formulating cybersecurity policies. It is vital to remember that real people are affected by cyber threats, and their rights and privacy should be protected. By considering human rights, policymakers can strike a balance between ensuring cybersecurity and upholding individual freedoms.

Additionally, the analysis underscores the importance of balancing innovation with securing the digital infrastructure. Many young people are involved in both positive and negative innovations in the cyber domain. Policymakers need to find a middle ground that encourages and supports innovation while ensuring the security of digital infrastructure. This balance is essential for fostering technological advancements while safeguarding against potential vulnerabilities and cyber threats.

The analysis also emphasizes the significance of including vulnerable populations in policy considerations. Often, vulnerable populations are overlooked or ignored when it comes to cybersecurity policies, resulting in their problems being disregarded. By actively including these populations in policy discussions and decision-making processes, policymakers can address their unique needs and challenges. This inclusive approach helps ensure that the concerns and vulnerabilities of all individuals are taken into account in cybersecurity strategies and initiatives.

In conclusion, the analysis highlights the importance of cybersecurity awareness, collaboration, and human rights considerations in policymaking. Policymakers play a vital role in creating awareness, fostering cooperation, and protecting human rights in the realm of cybersecurity. Moreover, finding a balance between innovation and security, as well as actively including vulnerable populations, are instrumental in developing comprehensive and effective cybersecurity policies. By considering these factors, policymakers can enhance cybersecurity practices, promote a safer online environment, and work towards achieving the relevant Sustainable Development Goals.

Veronica Ferrari

Various speakers have emphasized the importance of including a gender perspective in cybersecurity discussions. Gender is not only a technical issue; it involves power relations and encompasses differentiated risks and needs experienced by individuals. The recognition that cyber incidents disproportionately harm specific social groups based on factors such as gender, sexual orientation, race, and religion is growing. There is also evidence that legal cyber frameworks are being exploited to persecute women and LGBTQ individuals.

To promote a gender-inclusive approach to cybersecurity, there have been calls to integrate a gender perspective at national, regional, and international levels. The Association for Progressive Communications (APC) has developed a specific tool/framework to achieve this goal.

Concerns were specifically raised about cyber laws in the Asia-Pacific region, where shrinking civic space and challenges to civil society inputs were highlighted. It was noted that cyber-related laws can be used for censorship and criminalization, with specific issues concerning the Philippines.

Additionally, there was a discussion on the gender perspective of cybercrime legislation and the strategies employed. Jess and her organization have conducted research and advocated for gender perspectives in cyber policy discussions. Veronica Ferrari showed interest in gaining insights into the gender perspective of cybercrime legislation from Jess.

The international dynamics of gender and cybersecurity were also examined. The appearance of gender considerations in multilateral processes on cybersecurity was addressed, with David providing his views on the important factors to consider for a gender perspective at the international level.

In order to link a human-centered approach to existing agendas such as sustainable development and digital economy indicators, recommendations were made within a gender framework. This highlights the importance of aligning cybersecurity with broader goals and keeping a focus on human well-being.

Veronica Ferrari agreed on the significance of continued advocacy, research, and raising awareness about a human-centered approach while rethinking the concept of security. This emphasizes the need to push for gender inclusion in cybersecurity, generate more evidence, and promote a shift in security perceptions.

In conclusion, integrating a gender perspective into cybersecurity discussions is vital. Recognizing and addressing differentiated risks and needs, the disproportionate impact of cyber incidents on different social groups, and the misuse of legal frameworks are crucial steps towards establishing a more inclusive and equitable approach to cybersecurity.

Kemly Camacho

The analysis delves into various aspects of cybersecurity strategies and the involvement of different stakeholders in promoting gender equality. One key point highlighted is the significance of budget allocation in cybersecurity strategies. For instance, the discussion brings up Costa Rica’s cybersecurity strategy, which primarily focuses on reacting to cyber incidents rather than proactive prevention. This indicates that budget allocation plays a crucial role in defining the government’s vision and priorities, including whether gender is prioritised in the strategy.

Another significant aspect discussed is the role of civil society and training in cybersecurity. Sula Batsú, an organisation, is mentioned for convening a network of organisations across different fields to advocate for cybersecurity. They also conducted a comprehensive six-month training programme aimed at educating various sectors about the importance of cybersecurity. This evidence underscores the positive impact civil society and training can have in enhancing cybersecurity measures.

A mixed sentiment is observed regarding the private sector-led push to include more women in cybersecurity. While the intention appears to encourage gender equality, there is concern that this push may be driven by the private sector’s need to address resource gaps, rather than a genuine commitment to gender equality. This highlights the importance of ensuring that motivations for gender inclusion are rooted in equality and not solely economic interests.

The analysis also advocates for greater women’s leadership in the IT and cybersecurity sector. It highlights the stagnant percentage of women in the Latin American IT sector, which has remained unchanged for the past 15 years despite investments and efforts. The unique qualities and analytical leadership that women can bring to the sector are recognised as valuable contributions.

Furthermore, the analysis emphasises the need for safe digital spaces, drawing a parallel with the concept of safe neighbourhoods. It suggests that just as people require a safe physical environment, they also need a safe digital space. While the initial idea of integrating women in the IT sector is viewed positively, it is argued that more needs to be done to ensure genuine inclusivity.

Additionally, the analysis draws attention to the violence faced by women in the IT sector, framing it as a form of violence against women. It highlights that the challenges experienced by women in the sector are often not integrated into conversations around violence against women. The existence of extensive research on the difficult conditions faced by women in IT further supports this assertion.

Overall, the analysis sheds light on various dimensions of cybersecurity strategies, the importance of stakeholder involvement, and the need for gender equality. It provides evidence and insights into the factors that influence cybersecurity strategies, the role of civil society and training, private sector motivations, women’s representation in the sector, the need for safe digital spaces, and the recognition of violence against women in the IT field. These findings offer valuable considerations for policymakers, organisations, and individuals seeking to promote cybersecurity and gender equality.

Speaker 2

The cybercrime law in the Philippines has faced significant criticism due to its potential threat to the rights of women and LGBTQ+ individuals. One of the main concerns stems from the broad parameters and nebulous key terms surrounding the provision about cybersex, which is seen as a potentially serious threat to these marginalized groups. Additionally, the law also criminalises cyber libel, further limiting freedom of expression and raising concerns about possible misuse by authorities.

Another issue with the cybercrime law is the imposition of excessive penalties for crimes involving the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). These penalties may not be proportionate to the offences committed and can lead to unfair and disproportionate punishments.

However, there has been positive development in recent times. The problematic provision regarding cybersex in the cybercrime law has been repealed. This significant change is the result of years of advocacy by women’s rights groups that tirelessly worked towards addressing the flaws in the legislation. The repeal was enacted through a provision under new legislation addressing online sexual abuse and exploitation of children, demonstrating a shift towards a more comprehensive approach to protecting vulnerable individuals online.

The success of repealing the problematic provision highlights the importance of collaboration and building alliances to effect changes in flawed cybersecurity policies. Women’s rights groups, children’s rights groups, and LGBTQ+ groups came together to advocate for the repeal. Their concerted efforts, along with the support of a champion in the Philippine Senate who is open to dialogue with civil society, have been crucial in achieving this positive outcome.

Overall, while the cybercrime law in the Philippines still has its flaws, the recent repeal of the problematic provision about cybersex is a significant step towards addressing concerns about gender and human rights. It underscores the power of advocacy and collaboration in bringing about meaningful changes in policy. The journey, however, does not end here, and continued efforts are needed to ensure that cybersecurity policies align with international standards and protect the rights of all individuals in the digital realm.

David Fairchild

The analysis of David’s remarks sheds light on several important points concerning gender inclusion in cybersecurity and international policy. David underscored the significance of multilateral processes in advancing this cause. He noted that Canada has consistently supported gender issues as a crucial component of their foreign aid policy, reflecting the country’s commitment to promoting gender equality on the global stage. However, David also expressed concerns about the potential negative consequences of overemphasizing gender. He cautioned against an excessive focus on gender, highlighting the strategic disadvantages that can arise from such an approach.

In addition to advocating for multilateral processes, David highlighted the importance of education and understanding in addressing gender issues within technical fields. Specifically, he referenced the International Telecommunications Union, emphasizing the need to ensure that gender equality and understanding are prioritized in highly technical areas, where human rights may not always receive sufficient attention. David further emphasized that gender equality should not be viewed solely as a women’s issue, but rather as an issue that requires the support and involvement of everyone.

The analysis also revealed David’s observations on the ongoing debates and pushbacks surrounding gender language, even within progressive platforms like the UN. He cited an unnamed state’s call to end the integration of gender-related language in UN documents, demonstrating the challenges faced in promoting gender inclusion. Moreover, David noted that some countries or blocs may use gender language as a bargaining chip during negotiations, further complicating the progress towards gender equality.

In conclusion, David’s remarks emphasized the crucial role of multilateral processes in promoting gender inclusion in cybersecurity and international policy. While commending Canada’s ongoing support for gender issues, he warned against the negative effects of overemphasizing gender. David stressed the need for education and understanding regarding gender issues in technical fields, highlighting the International Telecommunications Union as an example. Furthermore, he highlighted the ongoing debates and pushbacks surrounding gender language, underscoring the challenges faced in advancing gender equality. The analysis revealed both positive and negative sentiments expressed by David, reflecting the complexity and ongoing nature of these important issues.

Veronica Ferrari:
We are a small group, but we are a small group, and we are very happy to be here. We are a small group, but we are a small group, and we are very happy to be here. I’m the advocacy coordinator at the Association for Progressive Communications. I invite those who are in the room and want to come a bit closer, that’s fine. We are a small group. So the idea is to have a conversation and to hear from you also. So quickly, for those who don’t know about me, I’m the social and environmental justice and interceptions within digital technologies. And in today’s session, we are going to discuss, as you may know, about gender perspectives in cybersecurity. Specifically cyber security policy. So we all know that traditionally cyber security debates were mainly centered on national security, the security of systems. But in recent years, we are seeing an increased focus on national security, and we are also seeing an increased focus on international security, and we are also seeing an increase about the need for human rights-based approach to cybersecurity, which is an approach that places humans at the center, since they are the ones impacted by cyber threats, cyber operations. And additionally, we see more and more recognition in international, regional, and national spaces about the fact that different social groups are in different parts of the world in the internet use each of these platforms, comprising governments and national security servers, using international names for different campaigns in shutdowns , and research by the Association for Progressive Communications and others have sun that cyber incidents disproportionately impact and harm individuals and groups in society on the basis of the gentlemen, but also their sexual orientation, their gender identity or expression, but also because of race, religion, and gender identity. So, we have been documenting and producing research that shows that around the world, legal cyber frameworks are being used to silence and persecute women, LGBTQ people, for their activism, their gender expression, or simply because of expressing dissent. What do we mean by a gender approach to cyber security? How we can integrate such a perspective in debates at the national, regional, and international levels? So, we have a lot of questions about this, and we have a lot of questions about how we can integrate this perspective, and also, it would be great to discuss what issues this agenda should focus on in the future. So, for this, we have great speakers here that will be sharing examples of how cyber security directly affects the lives of women and diversities in different regions of the world. They will tell us also what is the status of the integration of gender in cybersecurity, as well as what would be the biggest challenges that we need to face incredibly economically. So, quick intros for our great panel. Our first panellist is Kemli Camaccio, and is the co-founder and current general Next, we have Grace Kitaga, CEO and convener of the Kenya ICT Action Network, KICTANet, which is a multi-stakeholder platform for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and regulation. Also joining is Jasmine Pazis from the Foundation for Media Alternatives, where she works on issues related to privacy data and cybersecurity. And finally, we also welcome David Ferchil, First Secretary at the Department of Mission of Canada. David focuses on digital policy and cybersecurity and represents Canada, for example, at the UN Open-Ended Working Group on ICTs. So, again, thank you all for being here. So we plan to have a round of interventions from our speakers, and then the idea is to open the floor up to questions. So, before we dive into the discussion, I quickly wanted to provide like a background of APC’s thinking on gender and cybersecurity, and also a bit more about the specific tools that we have. So, first of all, thank you all for being here. I’m very happy to be here. I’m very happy to be here. I’m very happy to be here. I’m happy to be here. I’m happy to be here. And also a bit more about the specific tool we have developed that we have here, these brochures. We have copies in English and Spanish, and you can use the QR code here to download it. So, firstly, for us, it’s important to note that a gender approach to cybersecurity is not only a women’s issue, that gender goes beyond that, and gender is about power relations. The idea also that cybersecurity is not only a technical issue, that technological and also policy solutions can actually contribute or be used to mitigate discrimination and inequalities in societies. So, for APC, a gender approach to cybersecurity is about understanding and addressing differentiated risks and also needs faced by complex subjects. So, for us, cybersecurity is not only a gender approach to cybersecurity. Cybersecurity should be explicitly intersectional, so it should take into account gender, but together with other intersections and factors that compose our identities, such as race, ethnicity, religion, class. So, cybersecurity is actually responsive to the diversity of We have a lot of work to do, and we have a lot of work to do to make sure that we are able to implement the best security priorities, the perceptions, and practices of different groups and people. Our approach also recognises that we are all active subjects that have agency in the process of creating a more secure environment online for everyone, and questions and works to overcome one of the main challenges regarding the security of the internet. We have a lot of work to do, and we have a lot of work to do to make sure that we are able to implement the best security priorities, the perceptions, and practices of different groups and people, and questions and works to overcome one of the main challenges regarding the security of the internet. So, all in all, this perspective means that in every step of the design, implementation, and evaluation of cyber security measures and policies, the goal should be to positively impact the greatest number of people in all of the diversity and diversity of the world, and to make sure that we are able to implement the best security priorities, the perceptions, and practices of different groups and people, and to make sure that the security of systems, as well as human rights, are affected and weakened. So, the framework that I mentioned before, just a quick about that, so, basically, from our research and an initial mapping that we conducted at the APC, we found it difficult to find references to gender and gender-specific policies, and we found that there were not enough references to gender-specific policies, and we found that there were not enough technical recommendations or guidance on how to incorporate such a perspective into cyber policy. So, because of that, we believe it was key to offer a reflection on why it is important to include a gender approach to cyber, but also guidance on how to do it. So, in collaboration with cyber security and gender specialist activists, and also policy makers, we developed this framework, and we think that this framework could be a useful tool for civil society when working at the national level, engaging in regional discussions, and also in the international level, and we also think that this could also feed the discussions happening, for example, at the UN on cyber security. So, basically, we want to help and support different audiences and groups in different ways. So, this framework is made up of an overview, it’s a document that combines norms, standards, and practices, and it’s a document that is used to understand the role of gender in cyber security, and it’s a document that is used to understand the role of gender in cyber security, from human rights council resolutions, to ITU guidelines, report of UN processes. We have another document that maps the existing research addressing gender and cyber security that is still scarce, but has been growing in the last years, and also, an assessment tool that provides the practical recommendations to develop this for different audiences and in different ways. Also thinking about the international organizations and the regional organizations that are the ones that provide advice for the development of cyber security strategies. So basically this framework has been designed as a starting point. We acknowledge that the recommendations are general and we need to adapt them to local and national context. This is why we have been organizing regional conversations with civil society, with policymakers, in regional IGFs to socialize and also enrich this framework and we are discussing it now with the IGF community. So I will stop here. So we would like to hear from our speakers. Kimberly, if that’s okay, I will start with you. So Sula Batu has a lot of experience engaging in cyber policy in Costa Rica but also in Central America. So I wanted to ask you what are in your view the main issues that a gender perspective on cyber security should consider in the region and also what do you think is the status of the integration of a gender perspective in cyber security policy in Costa Rica and broader. So yeah, I love to hear your thoughts on this. I can pass you this mic. Okay, you have it there. Thank you, Kimberly.

Kemly Camacho:
Thank you. Thank you, Veronica. Thank you for the invitation. Thank you, everybody, for being here. This is, I think, a really key discussion. I decided to go to the very practical aspects based in the experience that we have had now for since 2018 working in integrating gender in policies in general and the cyber security strategy in Costa Rica. I’m going to try to reflect a little bit and get some of the good practices and the lesson learned also. Just very fast, Sula Batu, we participate in Costa Rica, we have a policy of gender science and technology which is big framework to work in these issues. And we participate very actively in the building of this policy, and then later we were designated to elaborate the monitoring and evaluation framework for the policy. And now, this year, we are designated to begin, when I return, to develop the action plan for the policy of science, gender, of science, technology and gender in Costa Rica, yes? And also, we are part of the national committee as representative of the civil society organization, the National Committee for the Cybersecurity Strategy. And one thing that, first, here, my first thing is, I don’t know in all your countries we have this strategy, mandatory in Costa Rica, you have to have a committee, a multi-stakeholder committee to develop and to follow up the policies and the strategies. Then we are part of this committee. The first thing that I have to say is budget. Budget, where the budget is allocated. I think this is, to be honest, the possibility to do or not to do things, yes? And to define which is the vision of one government, yes? About what you are going to prioritize, and if gender is prioritized in the strategy, is the budget. Then this is something that we, one of the lessons learned, or the thing that we wanted to share. As Veronica said before, when we began, we have two moments in Costa Rica. Costa Rica was hacked as a country in 2020, exactly after the pandemic. Yes, we were hacked totally as a country, yes. Health data, banking data, everything was hacked as a country. Then there is a before and after for the hacking, yes. And also, at the same time of the hacking, we got an authoritarian government, yes. And the other was more open. And we have hacked and have an authoritarian government, OK? Then I wanted to say first that the cybersecurity strategy was totally, at the beginning, totally oriented to attend, to take care of the attacks. That is the cybersecurity policy. I imagine in many of your countries is the same, yes. Nothing more than that. And all the budget was related to react to the cyber. Even with that, we were hacked as a country totally, OK? But when we were hacked, something very important is because of the country was not prepared, they asked the country, they asked to the private sector to be in charge of the cybersecurity of the country, OK? And this is something that continues happening, OK? And also, they asked some governments to support the country in the cybersecurity part. Then in this context, we have tried to integrate the gender perspective in the cybersecurity strategy, yes. Then what do we do to try to integrate the gender in the cybersecurity strategy? One thing that we do was. to convene civil society organisations as a network, and we, as representative of the civil society organisation, we convene a network of organisations that were not interested in cyber security at all. Organisation working with kids and young people, organisation working with sexual workers, organisation working in environment, organisation working in VHS, organisation, LGBT organisation, a really big network of organisations to do the advocacy based in this big movement. If not, it’s for us impossible to integrate a gender perspective in the strategies. One first thing I don’t see here, we participate on that, then it’s something for ourselves also, is something that we have to do with this organisation was a training programme about what cyber security is, yes, and why it’s important for organisation working in indigenous aspects, yes, that the education part about what cyber security is, using a popular education approach, I think it’s something that we have to do. For this organisation, even more than cyber security, they are worried about the management of the personal data, yes, and not necessarily it’s connected, but it’s not the same. Then, I think this is something that we have learned, we have to dedicate almost six months of training programmes to really, for the people to understand not only what is cyber security, but which is the connection between cyber security and sexual workers, for instance, yes, then this process is, for me, crucial, crucial because it’s the only way to really advocate, we believe a lot in that advocacy-based … social movements. Then this is one point I wanted to say. We have discussed in, I don’t remember in which of the panels, but the issue of the consultation, because we were consulted by the strategy builders, yes, but this consultation, we participate a lot, we dedicate a lot of time, we did the recommendation, we put, we comment everything, and when the first cyber security strategy came out, any of our comments were integrated of the civil society comment. Then this consultation process is also something that we have to take a lot in count. I’m going to finish very fast, I have other things, but I wanted to say that after the hacking and the authoritarian government come, we continue the last cyber security strategy, I don’t know if that happened in your countries, but when the government change, they trash it, okay? All these processes, they trash it, and they begin another process, okay? They begin another process, and then this is something also that we have to take in count when we are working on these issues, because we have to begin again, all the process, all the process, all the process of developing the strategy. Something that I wanted to say also is in the second strategy, led by the private sector, by the big companies that have their headquarters in Costa Rica, my country, they are pushing a lot for having more women studying cyber security, and this is one of their most important strategies inside the cyber security strategy. Women study cyber security as the gender focus of the strategy, and, of course, this is wonderful, more women in IT, and all of that, even if this is because of the private sector agenda, to cover the deficit of human resources that they don’t have at this moment to answer to all the digital development, yes? And then this part we have to take a lot of care because it’s not necessarily one aspect related with the gender approach to the cyber security strategy. Just two more words for the other. We also have this policy, what we could was to integrate in the policy of gender science and technology a big area related with violence against women, a big area, a big strategy, yes? And then we could integrate that, and because this is the umbrella, maybe we can take this part to develop the strategy. And then we could integrate that, and we also could integrate data monitoring of the gender, and not only women, but gender, yes? Data monitoring related with VHS, people, sexual workers, etc., yes? About that violence against them. Even if we know violence against gender diversity is not the only thing, but those are the issues that at the moment, at this moment, we could integrate based in our practice. Then I leave it there. Okay. Thank you, Gemily. Yeah, so many great things that Gemily shared

Veronica Ferrari:
from their experience working at the national and regional level. from the need of awareness at the very beginning, the need to form coalitions and to be linked also with organizations working on other agendas, not necessarily on cybersecurity and gender, but human rights, development, children rights more broadly, and also the need to think a gender perspective in cyber beyond the idea of diversity and inclusion of more women in ICTs, which I think is really important. So I’d like now to turn to Grace. So Grace, you also have extensive experience working in cyber security policy at the national, the regional, and also the international levels, but direct work, for example, on cyber capacity building for groups that experience marginalization, such as women, but also persons with disability, person living in rural areas. So I wanted to ask you about, like, more the intersectional challenges that, for example, policy makers should consider when working on cyber security policy, and also how can these policy makers effectively address these intersectional challenges that are about gender, but also about broader inequality issues? So yeah, I would love to hear your thoughts about that.

Speaker 1:
Okay, thanks, Veronica. I think before I respond to your question, I just wanted to say that at Kiktonet, we work on cyber security and cyber hygiene, and that is in line with our mandate to push or agitate for inclusion of communities in ICTs and in whatever that we do. So for example, we have been working, we have dedicated an entire program on just working with women in all their diversity, and this has included training women in digital security and in cyber hygiene practices, and just encouraging them to form communities of practice so that they’re able to protect each other, especially when they are attacked online, and to also to be able to push for their issues so that then they can get that policy attention. We also, you know, in terms of also. working with other groups like you have raised. We work with persons with disabilities. We also work with farmers, we work with home care givers, and we also work with youth in the informal settlements. In terms of supporting, that’s our work at national level, and we also sit at the Kenya SART as the civil society representatives. In terms of regional work, we run what we call TATUA, Digital Resilience Center, TATUA. It’s Swahili, meaning that it will solve, solve, and this is to support social justice organizations, organizations that are working in very sensitive issues to basically enhance their digital resilience. And then, of course, internationally, we participate in the open-ended working group, just making sure that we are bringing on board the perspectives of ordinary people in those conversations. Now, the question that you have asked me about shaping that, you know, about contributing, or what policymakers should consider at that intersectionality, I think the first thing that I want to say is that cyber security, unless, unlike your other policy issues, I think, you know, it’s a complex, it’s a complex issue, as it requires a multifaceted field that intersects with different stakeholders and different domains. And therefore, because of that, I think policymakers need to consider certain range of intersectional challenges. But I’m just going to highlight three, and one of them that has been drawn from my experience of working. the community members who are not particularly knowledgeable about cyberaffections, I think you would agree that in some ways, it is titre singing on the issue of cybersecurity awareness. That policymakers sometimes will see in the cybersecurity policy, there is a need to understand what is happening in the cybersecurity policy, and what is happening in shaping some of these policies. So there is a need to understand what informs those who are the perpetrators, but also for ordinary people, do they really understand what cybersecurity is all about? So cybersecurity is very critical, that is a very important part of the policy. So, I think that is a very important part of the policy, and, you know, apart from coming up with the policies, there is need for them to be at the forefront of supporting awareness creation among citizens, and among businesses, and to support that collaboration between different sectors on how, you know, on how citizens are addressing the content that is being discussed by philosophers it can be used by proof-achiever, or platforms to help us celebrate the services and the corresponding existing law and conduct of the society. That’s one part of our perspective, and then, the second issue I wanna talk about is on human rights, you know, when we work in civil society, we work with ordinary people, we do not have a public place to give public space to speak about what other institutions are doing in such a way to listen to the sayings and what else do we think, this participation that’s being done, you know, by people like Tatyana who spend very little time contacting the So, I think that’s a very good point, and I think it’s important to think about how do we make sure that we have the right policies and the rights as a vital consideration, and when I say about vulnerable populations, it’s because there’s that element of thinking up here and forgetting that there are people who are affected here, and not thinking that the issues of the people down there matter. And, finally, when it comes to cyber attacks, I think it’s important to remember that we have a lot of young people who are in the system, and we have all these young people who are innovating, and we also have them innovating both positively and negatively because we have a lot of cyber attacks actually coming from young people who, you know, young people who are unemployed and are consistently thinking of how they can make money, so they are always thinking of how to break into banks, into companies, and, therefore, the tendency is to respond to that with, you know, with a policy that sometimes curtails innovation, and, therefore, policy-makers need to keep up with the rapidly-evolving technologies, and that ever-changing threat landscape, and the threat of landscape is that today, threats are going to be identified, and once people know that those have been identified, they are consistently thinking of how to go behind what has been done to come up with new threats, and, therefore, policy-makers need to be above, so there is need to balance that need for innovation with securing the digital infrastructure. Thank

Veronica Ferrari:
you. Thank you, Grace. I think, yes, it’s a really critical point, one of the things that you mentioned. You mentioned a lot of critical points, but I was thinking about the need to actually involve the communities and these groups that experience this. experience these differentiated impacts and have specific needs and perceptions around cybersecurity when policy securities are actually drafted, but also implemented and evaluated. So in the framework that we put together, there are some recommendations in that regard, so I think it’s a key point to have in mind. Thanks so much for sharing about that, Grace.

Speaker 2:
I would like to turn to Jess now, if that’s okay. So as I mentioned, we were organizing some regional conversations around this framework. We organized a good session during the Asia-Pacific IGF. So participants there highlighted challenges, for example, in the region related to a shrinking civic space, challenges for civil society inputs to be taken into account. That challenge clearly we heard from Kemley appears in other regions in the world. And also another thing that came up in that conversation is cyber-related laws that are ultimately used to censor and even criminalize. So you and your organization have done research and advocacy around those issues in the Philippines context. So I wanted to ask you if you can briefly share what were, for example, problems from a gender perspective with cybercrime legislation there in the Philippines. And it could be, I think, useful for all of us if you can share about what strategies you put in place to engage in cyber policy discussions to bring gender and feminist perspectives. So yeah, thanks so much, Jess. Thank you, Veronica, and thank you, firstly, for inviting us to share our experiences from the Philippines. We also have a national cybersecurity plan, which is actually currently in the process of being updated this year, so I hope we’ll have time later so I can also talk about that. But as to the cybercrime law, which is another piece of legislation that’s very crucial and impacts gender a lot, well, let me start by saying that the cybercrime law of the Philippines actually has a lot of problems. So from a human rights perspective. in general, so we have the criminalization of cyber libel, we have this very generic and wide-reaching blanket provision that imposes excessive penalties to crimes that are done with the use of ICTs, but one of the most problematic provisions, especially related to gender, is that the law introduced this new crime called cyber sex, and it was very broadly defined as the willful engagement, maintenance, control, or operation, directly or indirectly, of any lascivious exhibition of sexual organs or sexual activity with the aid of a computer system for favor or consideration. So it’s a very broad definition, and the law didn’t even define some of the critical terms here, but lascivious exhibition, what do we count as sexual organs, what do we count as sexual activity, which makes this provision prone to arbitrary interpretation of whoever is made to interpret it, and so that brings us a situation where even things like consensual acts done online, or artistic works, or works of art, or legitimate expressions of women and LGBTQ persons, for example, could fall under this criminalized provision, and also considering that the Philippines is still, the Philippine society and Philippine culture is still highly patriarchal, we’re very predominantly Catholic, so there’s still a lot of conservative values there, and with this policy being made subject to these kinds of moral standards, it really disproportionately endangers women, LGBTQ persons, and their rights to their freedom of expression. The good news is that this provision has actually been very recently repealed, I think early last year. It was not through an amendment of the entire cybercrime law, it was through a repealing provision under a new legislation on online sexual abuse and exploitation of children, so it was quite an unconventional route that it take, and it was not ideal. but also I think we also need to recognize that this was also a product of years of advocacy by women’s rights groups, by LGBTQ advocacy groups in the Philippines. And as to the second part of your question was on the strategies, so what’s the strategies that led to this small victory as I consider it? It was, like Kamli mentioned earlier, it was really working with the networks. It was a lot of collaboration and coordination across different advocacy groups. So women’s rights groups, for example, children’s rights groups, because like I said, it was repealed under a law on online sexual abuse and exploitation of children. So we worked also with children’s rights groups, LGBTQ groups. So because, like I said, because the law is very problematic on a lot of different points, it was also very clear to us early on that we had to also attack it from different points of entry. And it was also fortunate for us to have a champion in the Philippine Senate who is a staunch advocate of women’s rights and also remains open to speaking with civil society on various issues, including cyber policy. So that was, I think, it was a key point in pushing for that kind of legislative change. No worries. Thanks so much. Just, I think that was a key point, the idea of how, well,

Veronica Ferrari:
the idea of forming coalitions and also identifying the champion within the government that could actually be working on cyber security specifically or not. So I would like now to move to some of the international discussions, and to David, because I would like you to share a bit of what’s happening on the international level and how do gender considerations appear in some multilateral So I’m going to turn it over to David, who is going to talk about the importance of the multilateral processes on cybersecurity, for example, the UN open-ended working group on ICTs, and what are, if you can share, in your view, crucial factors that a gender perspective on international cybersecurity should consider moving forward. So over to you, David, thanks.

David Fairchild:
Great. Hi, everybody. It’s end of day, it’s day three, bottom of the seventh, nine o’clock in the morning, and I’m going to talk a little bit about the importance of the multilateral processes. I’m going to spend the time, I’ll pretty much dump most of it, and I think get to the point. Canada has long supported gender issues at the international level. It’s a core component of our foreign policy, and our foreign international aid policy, so I don’t think it goes without any saying that, of course, we support this issue entirely. It’s a core component of our foreign policy, and our foreign international aid policy, so I don’t think it goes without any saying that, of course, we support this issue entirely. It’s a core component of our foreign policy, and our foreign international aid policy, so I don’t think I will spend a lot of time on that, despite the fact that I’ve probably got two pages of notes, none of it is really that relevant. I think what is really relevant is sort of painting a bit of a canvas of what is going on, because I think what people only see is the final product, right? So, I think what we see is the final product, and I think what we see is a lot of the things that we see in between, in the interim period, behind the closed doors, where countries like Canada and like-mindeds are fighting for inclusion of specific language that I think we would all agree with, and there are a cast of countries which I won’t bother naming, I’m sure you can figure out who they are, are doing for their own purposes, have an alternative narrative that they’re pushing. This is a constant fight. It is not going away, and I would say that this is not going away. I do cover lots of UN agencies. I sit in Geneva, so including the Human Rights Council, where this is often a front-and-centre element to many negotiations. This is just more of a clarion call to repeat that we are not necessarily the war, we are winning battles, but the war is not over, and I think it is in critical importance that we continue to frame our activities in a rights-respecting way. So, I think this is an important message. The WG itself has a norm, Norm E, which says that countries must respect, in the uses of cyberspace, basic international frameworks, including UDHR. Some countries, as we know, don’t necessarily respect, they may respect the principles and say that they respect the framework, but their implementation of the framework is not going away. We are seeing backsliding on SOGI language, we are seeing efforts by some countries to reframe how we talk about rights away from individual rights to people-centric rights, which we know is a crafty way of reducing the role of the individual and upplaying the role of the state. These are unfortunately traps that some people fall into because what starts to happen is that these languages are brought to different forums, they’re brought in different ways, and some of the people in the meetings aren’t necessarily as imbued with the human rights expertise as in other places. So we see this in places, I cover the ITU, which is also a fascinating place if you want to spend a few hours. We see, one would think standards are not necessarily political, but we do find sometimes we get wrapped around the axle fighting over gender language. I’ve been up till midnight, two in the morning, fighting about inclusion on gender language in a technical standard negotiation. It’s not pleasant, but it’s necessary. And so I don’t really want to spend time with the notes because I don’t think that’s really what’s relevant. I think it’s really to reinforce to this community that of course, Canada, but in person, we are in the room, we are fighting, but we need support. I think we need to continue to raise our voices to those who disagree. I think we need to be sophisticated. There is also a trend of course of overemphasizing gender and that in fact has a strategic negative effect. So it’s being smart, it’s being nuanced, and it’s being appropriate to where we want to push it. But I think we just need to keep pushing. This is not going to go away, and frankly as we all see, cyber, digital, tech is becoming much more front and center in international geopolitics, geostrategic competition. And so I think there is a new demographic of fora that are not necessarily well imbued with the human rights understandings that other fora like the Human Rights Council and others have a much more sort of mature conversation and folks who understand the issue. So it’s imperative that we support the technical community. It’s imperative that we support the civil society in the member states to the extent that we can to understand why we need to make sure that there’s no backsliding and that we reinforce the existing international human rights frameworks. I think that’s more important than probably what somebody from Ottawa sent me yesterday. I will stop there.

Veronica Ferrari:
Thanks for that, David. Well, we just were talking about the need to identify champions and Canada has been pushing for the inclusion of this type of language in negotiations and also being a key ally in terms of civil society participation in some of these international processes and how important it is to have the groups as Grace and others were saying, affected by these operations in a differentiated way like in the discussion too or the organization that we try to bring these perspectives there. So thanks for that. I wanted now, I have a couple of questions. I don’t know if we can technically showcase them there instead of seeing my face at that size. So yeah, I have a couple of questions for the speakers but also in the case somebody wants to jump in from the audience or physical or online audience because I wanted to quickly hear your thoughts also on main challenges. Jess, you mentioned some of them but Kimley too. So main challenges you have faced or you consider you would face when advocating for gender and intersectional perspectives in cyber policy. Also, any thoughts on how a tool like this, this framework could. I’m going to ask you to provide some support for different stakeholders in integrating a gender perspective into cybersecurity policy and norms, and also what else, like what resources, support, do you think you need to champion gender in cybersecurity policy in your work, any specific resources or guidance that you think could be helpful? I just wanted to open the floor to see if there are any thoughts from the audience, but also I would like to hear from the speakers. So I see a hand there. Do you want to jump in? Yeah. Can you pass the mic to the colleague? Thank you.

Audience:
Thank you so much. My name is Ahmed Karim from UN Women’s Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, and I have three quick questions. First one, which I also noticed here during IGF, that the conversation with private sector and tech companies is very gender blind, and most of the time it’s very generalizing all users in one basket, or take a global perspective, or the focus is just on the minors, but women and girls are excluded, but other genders are also not part of that design. And I wonder if you have any strategies or specific ways of how can we change that conversation and make them a little bit gender sensitive and include gender in the design itself of their platform? Second question is related to inclusion of the cybersecurity agenda in the national action plans, and I wonder if any of you have had that experience within the national context with national action plan, and what are the elements of the cybersecurity agenda that could be included there? And last question is more for David on those nuances in between the dark side before the text is finalized, and I wonder what are the main issues that really gets the pushback against inclusion of gender language in the final text, and what do you think is where is this coming from, and how can we from civil society and the UN can help in eliminating some of those concerns for inclusion? Thanks. Great question. Thanks so much for that. I see Angela’s hand. Do you want to jump in? And then we try to address or distribute the question. I’m not sure if you can hear me. I’m not sure if you can hear me. I’m not sure if you can hear me. Please go ahead. I wanted to attempt question 3 on what can we do to bring the gender agenda in the cybersecurity space and also to respond to your questions and concerns because I have the same concerns. And this is something I’ve spoke to with Grace that we need to have research on with ourselves. It’s very hard not to go into discussion I have but we both know that it disproportionately affects women, minorities, and sexual minorities. Even just thinking about what kind of data CASE Attackers have on complaints they receive. Reserved then on cybersecurity, it will give us helpful insights on how to deal with these issues. I think it’s very important to have a discussion about the impact in terms of even monetary and mental so that they can enrich the policy decisions that are made. So I think that’s my contribution to that question.

Veronica Ferrari:
» Thanks so much, Angela, for the contribution and the response to the colleague here. Shall we, do you want to address some of the questions? I think we have time for one or two. I think we have time for one or two. I think we have time for one or two. Kimberly? Kimberly, go ahead, please.

Kemly Camacho:
» I wanted to address the first question for me, it’s my passion, to be honest. Because I have been working for, I have been working for a long time in the field of cybersecurity, I have been working for a long time in the field of cybersecurity, and I have to say that we have switched a lot the focus of the work that we are doing there, okay? Because, and I wanted to say, this is really, I think, really important. Yes, because, you know, at the beginning we began with this idea of integrating more women in the IT sector, yes, and do capacity training for them to be integrated in the sector and to have opportunities of jobs in this sector, in the IT sector, because it’s really a sector of opportunities, yes, and I think this is good, yes, but it’s not enough, yes. More and more, we have now in Latin America, I have done for UNESCO a mapping of all the initiatives to attract women to the IT sector and to integrate women in the IT sector, and there is a lot, but at least in our region, the percentage, 20%, 80%, haven’t changed in 15 years, yes, it haven’t changed at all, even with all this effort and all this investment, it hasn’t changed a lot, yes, and I think this is because, I want to say, this is because this IT sector is very expulsive of the diverse, and the condition for women studying and working in the IT sector are hard, yes, then in one point, we decide we are going, instead of continue doing that, others are doing, and we think it’s part of the economical rights of the women, we are going, we are working very much more in creating a women leadership for the IT sector, yes, creating a women leadership, an analytical women leadership, understanding their own conditions, and this is connected with the science. cybersecurity, what means to be part of this society as women and we, women in the IT sector, how we can contribute to the fighting of the women in general? And this is where I connect with the third question, yes, is this solidarity, solididad as we call it in Spanish, yes, where we have to connect the process of getting this women leadership, yes, to reflect on cybersecurity from this really analytical and collective action of women in IT, supporting women. Then for us, this is the strategy of women. We think it’s very crucial that women work and study ITs. But the problem is that we have a lot of evidence because we have done a lot of research, a participatory research with them about this condition where they work and they study, yes, and that we have to change also. For us, this is part of the violence against women, some violence against women that we haven’t integrate in the discussion around violence against women. Then this is my question, a big leadership of women in IT supporting the women agenda, including cybersecurity. And just to finish, we understand cybersecurity as the right of the people to have a safe space on the digital world as they need a safe space in their neighborhood, yes? Then this is the way that we are focusing. Thank you for the question.

Veronica Ferrari:
Just do you want to quickly address some of the questions, then I’ll try to go to David, so we don’t forget that question about the pushback in international negotiation, and there is one more question. Go ahead briefly. Yes, very briefly, because it’s also related to what Kamali said. I was thinking about this. based on the questions that you post, but it might also address your concern. And I really think that we have to go back and re-evaluate our concepts of security. Because unless this is, like you said, how we frame security issues now is still very highly masculinized, you know, and unless this kind of thinking is addressed, everything that we would do, even if we push for policy changes, even if we encourage women to go into tech and ICT sector or the cybersecurity sector, that all of those will just be stopgap measures, you know. We will all, like a new policy will come in and it will regress to the same traditional frameworks that we’re used to and all of that. So, and this is what I also like the most about the APC framework, which is it highlights the need to really go back to our, the ways that we think about security and through that, then we will be able to change policy, change the frameworks, change the institutions and the structures that are you know, already very deeply ingrained in the security sectors now. And change, you know, the attitudes of the actors as well. So, people in government, even people from businesses and the private sector. So, I think that’s really where we need to start. Thanks so much for that, Jess. David, do you want to jump in on the question about discussions?

David Fairchild:
Oh, yeah. All right. Couple things. So, it’s not just, I’m gonna say this may sound a little bombastic, but it’s not just women who are the front and center. I mean, gender is not a gender-specific term. It’s also something that I think, you know, whether you’re a man, woman, or whatever you want to describe yourself as, it’s an effort that everybody has to get behind. So, I’d just like to sort of slightly correct the record that even though I’m a man, that doesn’t mean I can’t be highly supportive of the gender movement. That being said. So, the backslide and how we can fight it. I mean, it really, it’s an upstream. I’d say I would focus on the upstream. So, let’s take, for instance, the International Telecommunications Union. Not a very, let’s say, it’s an old organization. In fact, it’s the oldest organization in the UN. It’s not, it’s very technical. So, human rights is not something that comes up as an idea front and mind for many of these highly technical engineers and so on and so forth. So, it’s really education. But, of course, the, their demographic and the pools of interactions and stakeholders they deal with are not the same, you know, in the human rights world or otherwise. And so, there is a sort of reaching across the the hallway and reaching out, which is not, it’s partly our job, but also, I think, from a civil society. It’s, it’s, it’s, so it’s just a sort of like we say in French, les deux solitudes, the two solitudes, right? There are people who have their demographics and their stakeholders. Sometimes, it’s getting better, but it’s not great. A lot of it is simply because member states have certain things that are red lines. It’s normal. We have red lines when we’re in negotiations, which are framed around our values and our policies in the same way. I don’t have to agree with them. And so, the fight is about trying to find, obviously, the UN works on consensus, which, just to remind, is not unanimity, but consensus tends to focus on getting everybody to agree. And so, sometimes, some countries or blocs will hold out on something of substance because the gender language is something they don’t like. Sometimes, it’s a change. Sometimes, it’s, it’s to have it extracted. Sometimes, it’s just a useful, because they know it’s important to us, it’s used as a weapon to, for concessions and in other ways. So, that’s a bit of the, as they say, say, pulling back the kimono a bit to reveal a little bit what’s going on in the background. But I really want to just finish, and I realize we have two minutes left, so I’ll see the hand up. I won’t name the state, but the Human Rights Council Session 54 is currently ongoing. In one of the item 8 debates a few days ago, a state—I won’t be named—got up and, in a statement, called for the end of the integration of Soji language in UN documents on the basis that it’s not recognized as a legal form of discrimination under international law. Now, this state isn’t perhaps the one you might think would make this statement. I won’t name it. I’m happy to tell you offline. But just to give you an example, it’s happening even in the Human Rights Council. It’s happening everywhere. We have people who understand these debates in the Human Rights Council, and so can defend our values—our values—can defend the human—international human rights framework. So that doesn’t necessarily mean at an IEEE meeting, or at the IETF, or at the ITU, that those same expertise exist. So that’s where the civil society and, I think, stakeholders who are more educated need to work with and help those who don’t.

Audience:
Thanks, David, for that, and I’m aware of the time, but I want to give the opportunity to jump in. And there is another ticket you have in hand? Okay. I’m going to jump out, and then I can try to wrap up. Please. I can also talk about this after the session, but my name is Farzana Badi from Digital Medusa. So we are doing this research for USAID, and they are looking at what human-centered approaches to digital transformation, and one of the strategies that they have is cybersecurity to kind of incorporate cybersecurity in digital transformation. And I was wondering if you know of any kind of, like, gender framework that can help with these development organizations that help with digital transformation to consider gender as a factor when they want to have cybersecurity in place, and kind of like help from the beginning instead of doing things after the technology is in place.

Veronica Ferrari:
Thanks for that question. I know we have to finish the session. It’s okay, I encourage you all to continue the conversation after the session ends. We can, in fact, touch base because we have some recommendations in the framework about how to link this agenda to other agendas, to, for example, the agenda for sustainable development, also to digital economy indicators. So connecting those with broader arguments could be useful, for example, for a digital transformation strategy discussion, but we can continue the conversation after the session. I don’t know, Grace, I want to give you the opportunity to say something before we close, if you want to. No, okay. Thank you for being mindful of the time, and thank you all for the discussions. There are a lot of great points. The need to continue to keep pushing for this, also to produce more research, more evidence, and the importance of continue creating awareness and rethinking the concept of security, as Jess was saying. So thanks so much. Please reach out to APC if you want to stay in touch, and enjoy the rest of the IGF. Bye. Thank you so much. Thank you all for coming out. And have a good day. Thank you to all of you for being here, and we’ll see you next time.