Cybercrime and Online Violence Against Women, Girls and Children

Event date: 25 October 2022, 9:00 - 14:30
women on laptop

The Commonwealth Secretariat is hosting a hybrid Seminar on 25 October 2022 to discuss the issue of “Online Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) in the Commonwealth” and hereby invites you to register to attend the seminar online.

The seminar is taking place on Tuesday, 25 October 2022, from 10.00 am to 3.30 pm GMT. 

Despite much progress made in addressing cyberstalking, sextortion, cyber hacking, cyberbullying, cyber harassment, phishing, online child pornography, cybersex trafficking, sexual abuse, and online child grooming, many Commonwealth member countries’ policy, legal, and institutional frameworks still inadequately protect women, girls and children against these crimes.

Panellists will discuss the impact of Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) in the Cyberspace and how Commonwealth countries can raise awareness on the issue to strengthen their skills and capacity to better investigate, prosecute and adjudicate cases involving electronic evidence, and strengthen their policy, legal and institutional frameworks.

The event will be moderated by the Commonwealth Secretariat. The panel will include the No More Foundation, United Nations Women, Get Safe Online, the United Kingdom Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and the Commonwealth Secretariat.

Speakers

  • Professor Luis Franceschi, Assistant Secretary-General of the Commonwealth
  • Pamela Zaballa, CEO, NO MORE 
  • Neelam Sarkaria, United Nations Women
  • Professor Rob McCusker, Transnational Crime Consultant
  • Sarah Sawrey-Cookson, Director of Communications, Get Safe Online
  • Sebastian Mhatre, Senior Digital Development Adviser, United Kingdom Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office