Even today, statistics indicate that one in three women and one in four adolescent girls is likely to experience physical or sexual violence. The lives of girls and women are undermined by violence, harm, neglect, exploitation, and abuse. On the one hand, this is a serious violation of women’s rights, capabilities, and wellbeing and on the other hand, it also
severely undermines women’s freedom and agency. Researchers at UNU-MERIT, studying the role of technology adoption and diffusion, propose that digitalisation can serve both as an enabler of or barrier to violence against women and girls and therefore requires a deeper examination. The internet is an important tool for empowerment, but how powerful can it be
when it isn’t safe or inclusive? What opportunities and threats does
digital inclusion introduce? How can our efforts steer pathways towards safe online and offline spaces?

This International Women’s Day, experts from all over the world will
discuss the paradoxes of online violence and digital inclusion. We invite you to join our participatory webinar, organised by Friend in Need India Trust and SITE4Society at UNU-MERIT.
Please find more information here:https://www.friend-in-need.org/iwd_2021/

Organised by:       Friend in Need India Trust and SITE4Society at UNU-MERIT
Date & Time:       8th March 2021, 15:00 - 17:00 (CET), 19:30-21:30 (IST)
Speakers:              Praachi Kumar, Doctoral Research Fellow at UNU-MERIT,
                             Peace Oliver Amuge - Executive Director at
Women of      Uganda Network (WOUGNET),
                             Gabriel J.X. Dance - Deputy Investigations
Editor at The New York Times,

     Shyama V. Ramani - Professorial Fellow at UNU-MERIT,

                             Julieta Marotta - Academic Programme Director
at UNU-MERIT,

Location:             ZOOM, please register here:
https://forms.gle/wvLjcMn9s2ya4VBr6