UNICRIHQ 8d ago

Organized by UNICRI in partnership with the Permanent Mission of Italy to the International Organizations in Vienna, the side event “Emerging Evidence on Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence (TFGBV) in Conflict Settings: Advancing the Digital Dimension of the Women, Peace and Security Agenda” was held on the margins of the 35th session of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ). The event brought together representatives of Member States, United Nations entities, international organizations, experts and civil society organizations. It provided a platform to discuss emerging evidence on technology-facilitated gender-based violence in fragile and conflict-affected settings and its implications for peace, security and women's participation in public life. Opening remarks were delivered by H.E. Ambassador Debora Lepre, Permanent Representative of Italy to the International Organizations in Vienna, and Leif Villadsen, Acting Director of UNICRI. The discussion was informed by findings from UNICRI’s report The Digital Frontline: Emerging Evidence on Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence in Fragile and Conflict Settings. Moderated by Manuela Brunero, Programme Officer at UNICRI, the expert panel featured Margherita Sofia Zambelli, Gender Expert at UNICRI, Elmaja Bavcic, Gender Advisor at the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), Nadia Al-Sakkaf, Independent Researcher, and Francesca Bosco, Independent Senior Expert. Participants examined emerging trends, including gendered disinformation, coordinated online harassment, doxxing, surveillance and AI-generated manipulated content, while also exploring policy and operational responses to address these challenges. The event contributed to advancing dialogue on the digital dimension of the Women, Peace and Security Agenda and highlighted the importance of strengthening evidence-based approaches to prevent and respond to TFGBV in fragile and conflict-affected settings.