A framework for developing gender-responsive cybersecurity policy: Norms, standards and guidelines

While great strides have been made in recognising the applicability of human rights frameworks to gender-based threats and abuses in digital contexts, the gendered impact of international cyber operations and incidents, as well as gender inequality, has been a largely unexplored part of the discourse in more securitised cyber processes and forums.

In this context, there are relevant tools, agendas and frameworks that cybersecurity policy makers can draw upon when seeking to promote a gender perspective within local or multilateral cybersecurity. These can be used as a source of information or to establish policy coherence with states’ existing commitments to gender equality.

This paper, which forms part of a framework developed by the Association for Progressive Communications to promote gender-responsive cybersecurity policy, presents an overview of the most relevant of these instruments. It specifically considers:

• The Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW)

• The Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action

• The Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Agenda

• The outcome documents of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS)

• The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals

• UN Human Rights Council (HRC) reports and resolutions

• International Telecommunication Union (ITU) initiatives

• UN General Assembly cybersecurity processes

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