Panel discussion: Closing the data gap on technology-facilitated violence against women

Online spaces and technology are important for women and girls in enabling connection, networks and access to information and services to grow creativity, prosperity, and leadership. However, the growing access, use, and reliance on Information and Communication Technologies has created a context conducive to increased violence against women (VAW) in digital contexts and in offline. Evidence showsthat technology-facilitated VAW (TF VAW) is a pervasive problem with disproportionate risks for some groups including young women and girls, women in politics, women journalists and women activists. However, the absence of agreed definitions and methodologies for measurement coupled with underreporting are a challenge for understanding the true prevalence of TF VAW. Global coordinated efforts to fill these gaps were called for in March 2023 by the UN Statistical Commission at its 54th session and by the Commission on the Status of Women at its 67th session.  To fill this gap, UN Women has initiated global consultations that have resulted in a common definition for data and measurement. With data producers, academics and civil society organizations, existing methods and datasets as well as gaps in data have been identified.  The session will focus on sharing global efforts to enhance the ethical measurement of TF VAW. It will discuss the proposed conceptual definition and status of evidence and data collection, and share national and regional experiences in measuring it to inform next steps in developing global agreements for measurement tools.