Parliament, Sunday, 13 October 2024 – The leader of Parliament’s delegation to the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), Ms Refilwe Mtshweni-Tsipane, has called on Parliaments to use legislation to prioritise the prevention, elimination and responses to all forms of technology-facilitated gender-based violence and discrimination.
Ms Mtshweni-Tsipane, the Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces, made the call in Geneva, Switzerland, this morning during the IPU Forum for Women Parliamentarians’ discussion on a draft resolution for the IPU Standing Committee on Democracy and Human Rights titled “The impact of artificial intelligence on democracy, human rights and the rule of law.”
“The world continues to grapple with a significant gender equality problem, and the emergence of artificial intelligence systems holds the potential to perpetrate and exacerbate this issue. Of particular concern is technology-facilitated gender-based violence, a rapidly spreading problem that evolves with each new technological advancement. This poses serious challenges to digital governance and creates a persistent lag in adopting laws and policies to tackle this issue effectively,” said Ms Mtshweni-Tsipane.
She said the legislation should include guidelines on enhanced content moderation, accessible and effective reporting systems and the establishment of content removal processes compliant with international human rights laws.
A 2024 United Nations report based on a survey encompassing women journalists from 125 countries revealed that 73 per cent of those women had fallen victim to online violence in the course of their work.
“This serves as a reminder that the impact of technology-facilitated gender-based violence is pervasive and affects individuals across diverse professions and regions. As legislatures, it is our responsibility to confront this pressing issue,” she said. “We must take proactive measures to address the use of artificial intelligence in perpetuating gender-based violence and ensure that our laws and policies effectively keep pace with these evolving challenges.”
Ms Mtshweni-Tsipane urged Parliaments “to enact legislation prohibiting the distribution of non-consensual, explicit images and providing the cost to the victims”.
The 149th IPU Assembly is held under the theme “Harnessing science, technology, and innovation (STI) for a more peaceful and sustainable future.” This is the first time a delegation of the 7th Parliament has attended the IPU Assembly, a decision-making body where parliamentarians from 180 national member Parliaments adopt resolutions.
*The IPU is the global organization of national parliaments. What began in 1889 as a small group of parliamentarians, dedicated to promoting peace through parliamentary diplomacy and dialogue, has since grown into a truly global organisation with 180 members and 15 associate members.
The IPU facilitates parliamentary diplomacy and empowers parliaments and parliamentarians to promote peace, democracy and sustainable development around the world.
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