We must embrace the digital age to close the gender gap and empower women in the face of adversity

Today is International Women’s Day. I have much to share, but I must start by expressing my wholehearted solidarity with the many women affected by tragic events and unprecedented times in recent months.

Over the last year, tens of thousands of women and girls have been killed or forced from their homes by the horrible consequences of Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified war against Ukraine. More recently, thousands of women lost their lives and loved ones in the devastating earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria. The worrisome deterioration of the situation of women in Afghanistan has continued to radiate throughout the country, depriving them of their most basic rights and opportunities, including the very basic right to education. The deep gender inequalities and economic disparities left in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic are a plague in their own right.

I remain in awe of the resilience and courage shown by women in the face of this year of adversity. They have been at the forefront as leaders, fighters, activists, humanitarians and peacebuilders — whether at the international, regional, national, or local level. Their contributions cannot be overstated. They are too often ignored.

Alongside the work of these extraordinary women is the harsh reality that women and girls too often face as the victims of gender inequalities driven by crises and conflict. These catastrophes — natural or human-made — compound women and girl’s vulnerabilities by increasing the risk of abuse, trafficking, and violence, and by upending their lives and stealing their livelihoods.

We cannot ignore this reality. We refuse.

We must continue to actively engage. We must do our utmost to put women and men on equal footing.

This year’s International Women’s Day celebrates the potential of innovation and technology to advance gender equality. The digital age represents an unprecedented opportunity to eliminate all forms of disparity and inequality and create a better future. The OSCE has joined efforts to explore the impact of digitalization on widening gender inequalities, how digital technology can be used to support women facing adversity, and how it can open new doors for the global empowerment of women and girls.

Today, I addressed an event in the margins of the 67th United Nations Commission on the Status of Women. I stressed how we must mobilize technology to empower women and address their needs. We discussed how digital tools can support policies and legislation to protect women from online violence, carry out information campaigns against human trafficking, and provide capacity building opportunities. We also looked at ways to actively challenge stereotypes and create inclusive environments related to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

Discussions like this are not just about exchanging words, but they provide impetus for action. They are an important way to identify challenges and align our work to ensure we are maximizing our collective efforts toward gender equality.

The Action Coalition on Technology and Innovation for Gender Equality is a great example of this. Through the coalition, we engage regularly across organizations so that together we can close the digital gender gap, including by supporting countries as they strengthen legal and policy frameworks to combat violence faced by women and girls through digital technologies.

Leveraging the power of partnerships, last year we joined with Thomson Reuters to launch the digital “Be Safe” campaign to help inform women and girls fleeing from Ukraine about the risks of human trafficking. Women and children make up 90% of the people fleeing the war. As they seek refuge in transit and destination countries, they are often targeted by traffickers, and they continue to face the risk of exploitation. Our online campaign provides critical information and advice on identifying warning signs of traffickers, minimizing risks and getting assistance.

It is not just exploitation through digital means that has a concerning effect of this mass movement of women due to war; the digital gender gap adversely affects female job seekers needing income during these turbulent times. But the digital world can be an important tool for women’s empowerment. We recently hosted a series of meetings dedicated to addressing the needs of women in Ukraine for support and access to the digital economy in the face of joblessness due to the war. We are now translating those meeting outcomes into concrete action.

We are also empowering women across the region through the OSCE Networking Platform for Women Leaders, including peacebuilders and mediators, which I launched in December 2021. The Network is connecting women online and in-person to help them share ideas, collaborate, and learn from one another. The Network also promotes the work of these women on social media and other online channels to amplify their voices and raise their visibility.

This is especially important when it comes to young women. Today I launched the OSCE Young Women for Peace Initiative. This new pillar of the Networking Platform will help bring young women’s perspectives in peace and security to the forefront. It will provide an important channel for ensuring that the rights of young women are included and respected.

These examples are just a snapshot of the many ways we are working to improve the lives of women and girl by being innovative and embracing the digital world. Whether it is online or offline, in times of crisis or calm, I remain deeply committed to making gender equality a reality. There is so much more to be done, and we cannot take our progress for granted. The OSCE will continue to lead by example and to leverage opportunities for peace and security. This is a matter of human rights; it is a matter of security for us all.