CSW67 Pitch: Women & digital access(ibility)

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.

Bianca Prins, the Global Head of Accessibility at the ING Bank, talked about the importance of (more) women in tech and tech education, especially for women and girls with a disability.

"Can you imagine a world without digital channels, products, services, and social interaction? Still women, especially women with a disability, are less represented in tech, but overrepresented in cases of exclusion by algorithms, digital abuse, even victims of crime. What can we do to improve life of an estimated 1 billion women with a disability worldwide?

As a woman with a disability, I encountered the importance of learning digital skills later in life. Without it you can hardly be independent, as essential services such as banking, utilities, taxes all moved to digital platforms, let alone feel secure using these channels in the digital world of today. With a stronger emphasis on digital accessibility standards such as WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines), which state: perceivable information for all, applications must be Operable and Understandable for all users and can withstand change = being Robust (POUR Principles). An essential start to disability inclusion can be created.

In extension, how can we prevent exclusion based on gender, create equity in the digital world? We need more women in tech, creating the opportunities for early access to computers and mobile devices. Especially for girls with a disability a tech education and/or data management will be the game changer, as we need their representation to assure algorithms of the future are based on representative data for women, with and without disabilities.

We, the women with a disability, also have a task: We need to speak/step up and learn how to leverage with our disability and take our own responsibility to improve our personal position, while our social and physical environment should be accessible and inclusive to make this happen!"

Comments

ARTivism for Change: Creativity as Resistance at CSW69

Artwork "Who can I trust with my story?" from ArtVism in Uganda During the 69th CSW, the Our Voices Our Futures (OVOF) consortium organised a creative ARTivism for Change space where bold protest sign-making, intimate film screenings, and thought-provoking feminist dialogues blended together. Over two days, March 12 and 13, 2025, artists, activists, and allies transformed the space into dynamic real-life canvases of empowerment, solidarity, and cultural and political resistance. In the main space of the Blue Gallery participants engaged with various stations, including Button Making , Journaling with Art , Drawing , and Protest Sign Making . Participants moved between activities, creating powerful messages of resistance and hope. The creativity extended beyond the activities themselves. Access Denied The ACCESS DENIED campaign , initiated by WO=MEN, was set up to be a photo installation. It highlights the deep gap between the inclusive vision set forth at the 1995 Beijing ...

Women in Politics: Choosing between Ambition and Safety?

At the CSW69 NGO Forum's session Accelerating Progress By Addressing Barriers To Leadership And Democratic Participation examples of barriers for participation and programs and policies that promote inclusion where shared by speakers from Canada, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. Evidence shows that barriers such as limited access to mentors and networks, lack of flexible work arrangements, and harassment and discrimination all limit women's participation and advancement in leadership roles. “In a democratic society, it is necessary to display a fair distribution of men and women at all levels of decision-making,” Jenny Gulamani-Abdulla, Co-Founder of the Canadian Federation For Citizenship (CFC), shared. CFC works to ensure that all residents of Canada are embraced, included and respected as all Canadians to participate in Canada’s progress. According to her “participation is what leads to opportunities to lead” . Furthermore, she shared success stories about mentorsh...

Access Denied Campaign

Following many concerns and calls for support received from activists who were not able to come to New York, WO=MEN – jointly with members and partners - took the initiative to launch a campaign to call attention to the exclusion of defenders from meaningfully participating in the CSW: ACCESS DENIED! “Without the active participation of women and the incorporation of women’s perspective at all levels of decision-making, the goals of equality, development and peace cannot be achieved.” - Beijing Platform for Action The ACCESS DENIED campaign seeks to address the stark contrast between Beijing’s call for participation of women back in 1995 already and the reality of exclusion faced by many activists who had wished to be here at this 30 year anniversary of Beijing. Particularly activists from the global South , black and brown women, women with disabilities, youth, trans and gender non-binary people, sex workers and undocumented migrants face exclusion. Denied access due to visa obstacle...

WO=MEN in New York

Search This Blog