The digital frontier of inequality
The HinduIndia stands at a pivotal moment in its digital revolution, underpinned by an internationally recognised model of digital public infrastructure. In response, the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development, Government of India, recently launched ‘Ab Koi Bahana Nahi ’, a national campaign aligned with the global ‘16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence’. Already constrained by societal norms, many women and girls lack the digital literacy and skills to navigate online spaces safely. India also actively engages in international negotiations and agreements, including the 67th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women where UN member states, including India, signed off on agreed conclusions that called for “adequate safeguards in order to promote an open, secure, stable, accessible and affordable information and communications technology environment for all women and girls”. The Global Digital Compact, adopted by world leaders including India, at the UN Summit of the Future earlier this year, further strengthens legal and policy frameworks “to counter and eliminate all forms of violence, including sexual and gender-based violence that occurs through or is amplified by the use of technology”.