CSW67 NGO Forum - In-person parallel event: Reality check! Accelerating gender justice and SRHR in MENA through digital technologies

Oxfam Novib is hosting a Masarouna side event at the CSW67.

 

Digital technologies have the transformative potential to accelerate gender equality. However, for that to happen, the online environment needs to be conducive to dismantling entrenched power dynamics that undermine gender justice and equality. This session builds on the findings of the Masarouna program, which is a regional program in MENA that works with and for young people so they can claim their sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) both online and offline.

 

This session will bring together a panel of experts from the Masarouna program and UNICEF to explore how digital technologies accelerate their work on SRHR while rethinking new alternatives for influencing and resilience amid shrinking civic space.

Panel Highlights:·       

• Provide an understanding of SRHR from a digital perspective: what does today’s landscape look like in MENA and what are the challenges and opportunities amid the ongoing pandemic and economic crisis?
• Shed light on the role of media literacy against a backdrop of SRHR-related self-censorship, particularly in Arabic: how are media platforms balancing public outrage with advocacy and campaigning work?      
• Amplify the work of our partners and provide a safe space to share best practices and setbacks

• Abeera Akhtar is a gender-based violence technology products manager for UNICEF, where she leads the development of Virtual Safe Spaces (VSS) and the Referral Pathways Platform (eRPW), which are online resources for women experiencing gender-based violence    
• Chrystine Mhanna is a journalist, feminist and activist for human rights and mental health. She is an SRHR Project Coordinator for Raseef 22, an independent media platform contributing to building societies that are open to accept differences. She is experienced in advocacy, campaigning and digital communication for social change in the MENA region       
• Hayat Mirshad is a Lebanese feminist activist, journalist, trainer and communications and advocacy expert. She is a co-founder and executive director at Fe-Male, Editor in Chief of Sharika wa Laken feminist platform     

The panel will be moderated by Marwa Azelmat, a digital rights specialist at RNW Media, which is an international digital media organisation working for social change.