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Indigenous Women demand effective implementation of CEDAW General Recommendation 39 and the advent of a culturally relevant digital age where gender equality is a reality

To ensure that the principles of inclusion and intersectionality guide technological innovation and reduce gender discrimination and inequalities, the International Indigenous Women's Forum (FIMI) organized an Indigenous Women's Coordination Meeting alongside the 67th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW67).

The CSW67 is the principal international body devoted exclusively to promoting gender equality and developing international standards that promote the empowerment of women. This year it will also be a fundamental space to amplify our voices and our fight for the effective implementation of General Recommendation number 39 (RG39) of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. (CEDAW), a binding international instrument for the protection of the individual and collective rights of Indigenous Women and Girls around the world.

At the event, women leaders from different regions came together to reflect on our goals, achievements, gaps and challenges in promoting and protecting our rights. We discussed the obligation assumed by States parties to develop and implement comprehensive policies that effectively protect the rights and the principles of substantive equality and non-discrimination. We agreed on the critical importance of the participation of Indigenous Women and Girls in building a digital age that can reduce gender gaps and foster inclusive technological innovation ecosystems for the elimination of violence.

The participants recognized that governments must assume their responsibilities and commitments in the fight against violence, formulating certain demands and actions to be taken to move forward with civil society and other key actors in the establishment of technological solutions for the empowerment and transformation of traditional social roles and norms: promoting Indigenous Women's access to digital technologies in rural and non-rural areas to reduce inequalities; strengthen, through digital education, our identity as women belonging to Indigenous Peoples; eliminate technological inequalities to guarantee the rights of indigenous women and girls with disabilities by allowing them to know the international instruments that protect them; understand that the installation of digital infrastructure, especially in rural areas, is not the solution to ensure connectivity for all, because it is necessary to understand the other barriers that limit the use of technologies by women and generate adoption and use strategies close to users and their communities; Generate and promote access to information on digital violence or cyber crimes against Indigenous youth and women.

Activities carried out on March 6, 2023