CSW67 Pitch: Age- and Gender-Responsive Human Rights: Due Diligence in the Technology Sector

During the NGO briefing on January 26, 2023, members of civil society pitched their recommendations to the Dutch CSW67 delegation. Together they had one clear message: Involve us and take human rights in digital spaces seriously.

Sebnem Kenis, of Plan International, pushes for age- and gender-responsive human rights impact assessments and due diligence in the tech-sector.

"Technology revolutionizes our lives for the better but at the same time it facilitates new forms of discrimination, violence and harms. Many digital services and products are gender-biased or discriminatory by design or pose novel risks for children and young people, especially for girls who are at the intersection of age and gender. For example social media algorithms amplifying misogynistic and gender-stereotypical content, and beauty filters promoting harmful beauty standards. These problems could have been avoided had tech-companies conducted age- and gender-responsive human rights impact assessments and due diligence at the early stages of their design.

Human rights due diligence means that corporations proactively assess, identify and prevent potential human rights harms that may arise from their products and services. This “do- no- harm” approach is a requirement set out in the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, which provides the global standard for ensuring businesses respect human rights. Many big tech-companies have already voluntarily committed to human rights due diligence. However, as in other voluntary commitments, there is a lack of implementation.

Governments can play a crucial role in addressing this by introducing laws and regulations requiring tech- sector to implement this effectively and ensure this is done in an age- and gender-responsive way. For example assessments and mitigation plans for new digital products and services must take into account potential impacts on different age groups and genders, including girls and young women.

We request the Dutch and other European governments taking the lead to make this a priority for CSW and ensure that the tech-sector respects human rights. This is essential to create a more inclusive, equitable digital future for all, including girls."

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