Cybercrime has gendered impacts in several ways. Examples include, ransomware attacks on healthcare systems that could expose data and information that render women and other marginalized groups vulnerable because of societal discrimination.
Potential disruptions to online systems governing public services can have a negative impact on access to vital services – such as sexual and reproductive health services – for those who already face existing barriers. The possible hacking of social media accounts and the unlawful accessing of personal information could put marginalized individuals at risk in their communities.
The negative impacts are extensive and non-exhaustive: they undermine progress on gender equality and contribute to global insecurity.
Strong cybercrime defences must be gender-sensitive to ensure appropriate and proportionate protection for women, non-binary and gender-nonconforming people and other vulnerable groups. At the same time, those tasked with delivering cybercrime defences must be gender-aware. Integrating gender in ongoing and adaptable anti-cybercrime efforts – such as capacity-building – is one way to aid that.
This roundtable has been designed to provide capacity-builders with the tools to integrate gender considerations into cybercrime capacity-building programmes and activities. Built around four of the five pillars of Chatham House’s Strategic Approach to Countering Cybercrime (SACC) framework, this toolkit sets out proactive and actionable steps designed to ensure the gender-sensitive design and implementation of a wide range of cybercrime capacity-building activities.
Bringing together experts to discuss the importance of gender perspectives in understanding cybercrime and the value of gender sensitivity in cybercrime capacity building, this session will also launch Chatham House’s integrating gender in cybercrime capacity-building toolkit.
This toolkit has been produced as part of a project funded by Global Affairs Canada.
