UNESCO’s Director-General calls for online gender equality 

In her appeal, UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay urged people to observe the International Day of Women in Multilateralism by emphasising women’s contribution to fostering peace and ensuring sustainable development. The focus is on the battle against hate speech, with a special emphasis on the harassment of and violence against women in the digital environment, which is a commitment at the core of UNESCO’s raison d’être, she said. On International Day, UNESCO hosts a global discussion at its Paris headquarters to encourage effective responses to online gendered misinformation.

The agency’s ongoing efforts to develop guidelines for the oversight of digital platforms, ensuring that information is a ‘public good’ while upholding freedom of expression, will be guided by recommendations.