Discover the latest updates on digital and civic rights violations and gender disinformation.
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Digital and civic space can be understood as the broad environment—shaped by legal frameworks, policies, institutions, and everyday practices—that determines how individuals and non-governmental actors interact within society. It encompasses the conditions that allow people and organizations to seek and share information, freely express opinions, form associations, and mobilize around shared interests.
According to Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, gender(ed) disinformation refers to the dissemination of false or misleading information that specifically targets or affects individuals or groups based on their sexual orientation, biological sex or gender identity. It can include deliberate falsehoods, stereotypes, or harmful narratives that perpetuate gender-based discrimination, bias, or violence.
This project titled ‘Collaborative Actions for Promoting Digital and Civic Space and Combating Gender Disinformation‘ aligns with UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 16.10: “Ensure public access to information and protect fundamental freedoms, by national legislation and international agreements”, while documenting violations related to press freedom, suppression of cultural expression, extrajudicial injustices, arbitrary detention, safety of journalists, freedom of assembly and association, freedom of thought and speech, access to information, as well as gender-based disinformation in both digital and offline spheres.
Currently, the Digital and Civic Space faces disruptions that impinge upon people’s rights to express themselves freely online, assemble peacefully, and associate with others. Simultaneously, there’s a notable rise in targeted propaganda campaigns against women on social media, termed gender-based disinformation, which has become a pervasive issue. This phenomenon breeds division, chaos, and spreads hatred, disturbing societal peace and harmony. Furthermore, these critical cases are not properly documented and made available as an authentic source of reference. As a result, they are often lost due to inadequate efforts in preserving them for future activism.
The project aims to safeguard Digital and Civic Space and counter Gender Disinformation by disseminating monitoring reports of violation cases, offering swift responses through a task force, implementing a tech-based mechanism, i.e., ‘online information tool’, for basic information related legal support, and conducting digital campaigns. These efforts are designed to complement a comprehensive approach to addressing the underlying issues. Additionally, the project will stress upon the importance of shaping public opinion on the integrated issue by fostering collaborations and building networks among Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and media.
