In depth
Emma Watson, trolls and a feminist internet
Within days of her highly visible and publicised speech, Emma Watson became the subject and target of violence. The threat and reality of using women’s sexualised bodies as weapons to humiliate, shut them up or blackmail them into submission is an increasingly prevalent expression of violence against women online. Jac sm Kee, APC´s Women´s Rights Programme manager shares her insight on the…
Publication
Technology-related violence against women – Recent legislative trends
This study seeks to explore recent legislative developments aimed at addressing and providing avenues of redress for technology-related violence against women. We explore the objectives, structure and application of four domestic legislative responses to different forms of violence against women, seeking to understand how domestic legislatures are responding to increasing awareness of violence…
Publication
End violence research: Case summaries from country reports
The following case summaries are excerpted from End violence against women: Country reports, which involve seven countries and are part of research commissioned by the Association for Progressive Communications Women's Rights Programme (APC WRP) beginning in 2013.
In depth
Feminist Principles of the Internet
Over three days, the participants discussed and debated intersections of gender, sexuality, and the internet – not only as a tool – but as a new public space. In thinking through these issues, the participants at the meeting developed a set of *15 feminist principles of the internet*. These are designed to be an evolving document that informs our work on gender and technology, as well as…
Gender, sexuality and the internet
Have we taken over the internet or has it taken us over? Are we using or being used by the internet? How can we resist the globalised commodification of the internet and defend it as open, diffused, decentralised and subversive? Is the divide between our online and offline lives blurring? Is this empowering or threatening? Many fascinating questions that look not for a definite and absolute…
In depth
Becoming an agent of change
Are feminists bored with online activism? Cyber feminists’ minor politics and affirmative political approach often presents us with dynamic, thematic and changeable maps of affinities, of political kinship, and there is a strong potential in the crafting of such unities. However, there are more than just a few obstacles that feminists in the virtual communities have to deal with. “But their…
In depth
Thirty years after 1984: Who’s looking at you?
Recording cameras everywhere, facial recognition software, gait-recognition technology, unauthorized collection of pictures: It is widely known now that private companies are working with states on surveillance, but does this affect women and girls in a particular way? “While online security is for everyone, women and girls are frequent targets of malicious attacks online, and they suffer greater…
Publication
Internet intermediaries and violence against women online: User policies and redress framework of Facebook, Twitter and YouTube
A recent report, “Internet intermediaries and violence against women online” released by the Association for Progressive Communications for the “End violence: Women’s rights and safety online” project, analyses the policies and redress framework of the three major internet intermediaries: Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, in regard to violence against women online. These case studies allow APC to…
Editorial
Two weeks to push for greater recognition of our rights
What did we do for two weeks in New York? We participated in one of the most interesting and combative meetings for the advancement of women's rights worldwide. The annual session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) is a major event on the calendar of governments and women's organisations because it is where discussions take place on advances and unmet goals under the Beijing Platform…
Back and forth in the advancement of women's rights at CSW58
The theme of the 58th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW58), which took place in New York on 10-21 March 2014, was “Challenges and achievements in the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals for women and girls”. Also on the meeting agenda was Women’s and girls’ access to technology. This GenderIT.org edition addresses the negotiations and barganing in agreements…