At the closing session called The Way Forward, Mavic spoke from the floor on behalf of women's rights activists and gender advocates who met at the IGF. She stressed the need for gender aspects to be part of the discussions in the following words:
>> Thank you, Mr. Chair. I just would like to stress again the centrality of gender in the discussion on Internet Governance and all ICT policies in general. There are two key issues that need
to be on the agenda, and these are violence against women and pornography in the Internet. Without jeopardizing the open boundaryless and free nature of the Internet, how do we counter violence against women and pornography? These are issues that concern us all: Governments, private sector, civil society. But how come that in this forum, only civil society, particularly women's organizations who are raising these issues? And we're a very small minority in this forum. I reiterate the call to ensure women's representation and participation in all upcoming forums, in Rio, in India and in Egypt and on all discussion spaces on Internet Governance. We are here, we are ready, and we are more than capable to engage in the dynamic coalition that we have been talking about. Only with women's active participation that we will be able to move forward successfully in using the Internet as an effective development tool. Thank you. Mavic Cabrera-Balleza from the women's center. [ Applause ]
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