In response to the persistence and expansion of various forms of digital violence against women and girls, the Committee of Experts of the Follow-up Mechanism to the Belém do Pará Convention (MESECVI) of the Organization of American States (OAS) held a high-level meeting this week to promote coordinated responses among states, technology companies, civil society, and regional and international organizations.
During the event, the Inter-American Model Law to Prevent, Punish, and Eradicate Gender-Based Digital Violence against Women, developed and approved by the MESECVI Committee of Experts, was presented. This tool is intended to guide states in considering and adapting legal frameworks and public policies to prevent, investigate, punish, and provide redress for this form of violence from a human rights perspective.
"Digital violence is a human rights issue, not merely a content moderation issue. The Model Law establishes a framework of shared responsibility and co-regulation between states and internet intermediaries while maintaining human rights safeguards," said Miriam Roache, Chair of the MESECVI Committee of Experts, during the meeting held at an OAS building in Washington, DC.
The event also provided an opportunity to present progress in developing a Practical Guide for Internet Intermediaries, aimed at translating the standards of the Model Law into recommendations that can be applied to the policies, internal processes, and operations of digital platforms.
Representatives of Google, TikTok, and Meta participated in a dialogue on the role and responsibilities of internet intermediaries, as well as the challenges involved in incorporating standards on human rights, freedom of expression, transparency, and due process into their policies and procedures.
Across four panels, ministers, government representatives, and parliamentarians, together with specialists from regional and international organizations and civil society organizations, examined state leadership in addressing digital violence; the possibilities for using or adapting the Model Law in accordance with their respective legal frameworks; evolving debates on digital governance and artificial intelligence; and the measures needed to strengthen the prevention of and response to digital violence against women.
The event was organized by MESECVI, with the support of ACT to End Violence against Women, an alliance between UN Women and the European Union. Through the Model Law and the Practical Guide, MESECVI promotes regional dialogue and cooperation among states, technology companies, civil society, academia, and international organizations to support the consideration and implementation of these instruments in accordance with their respective national frameworks.
Reference: E-100/26
