NEWYORK, 19th March, 2023 (WAM) — The 67th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW67) – the UN’s largest annual gathering on gender equality, the empowerment of all women and girls and their human rights – successfully closed its two-week-long session with the acknowledgment of the critical role of technology and innovation in achieving gender equality.

The agreed conclusions adopted by Member States provide a blueprint for all stakeholders, including governments, the private sector, civil society and youth to promote the full and equal participation and leadership of women and girls in the design, transformation and integration of digital technologies and innovation processes that fulfil the human rights and needs of women and girls.

CSW67 reaffirmed the importance of women and girls’ full, equal and meaningful participation and leadership in science, technology and innovation, and expressed concern on the limited progress in closing the gender gap in access to and use of technologies, connectivity, digital literacy and education. It also expressed grave concern about the continuity and interrelation between offline and online violence, harassment and discrimination against women and girls and condemned the increase of such acts.

The Commission called for significantly increased public and private sector investments to bridge the gender digital divide, more inclusive innovation eco-systems, and the promotion of safe and gender-responsive technology and innovation. It also called for inclusive and equitable quality education in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, information and communications technology and digital literacy to ensure that all women and girls can thrive in a rapidly changing world.