The Virtual Theoretical/Practical Workshop "Digital Security for Women Journalists" provides virtual gender-responsive training to women journalists in order to expand their knowledge around the basics of digital security, support them to maintain and adopt best practices of online self-care, as well as preventive measures/strategies against digital risks and threats in journalism and digital activism contexts.

When? 19 and 26 June and 3 July 2024

10:00 am - 12:00pm EST

Platform: Zoom

Background:

Over the past few years, there has been an increase in risks to the digital security and privacy of journalists throughout the Americas. In this context, according to the Office of the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression (RELE) of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), women journalists and media workers are more exposed to online attacks than their male colleagues and are one of the groups of women particularly affected by gender-based violence online.

The online attacks faced by female journalists have gender-specific characteristics, generally being sexist and misogynistic in nature. According to UNESCO and civil society organizations working in the region, the most frequent forms of online attacks on women journalists include monitoring and stalking, publishing personal data, trolling, smearing, defamation or disqualification, viral hatred, and acts of electronic espionage. In addition, these online assaults have been documented as leading to self-censorship and “a direct attack on women’s visibility and full participation in public life.”

The vulnerability of women journalists is also related to their level of knowledge in digital security. In the region, journalists lack knowledge about the risks of technologies – especially the internet and mobile phones – as well as unsafe communications practices and the absence of strategies to protect sensitive information.

Topics and training modules:

The topics will be adjusted and prioritized according to the results of a basic questionnaire previously distributed among the participating journalists. During the workshop, digital risks that have been identified as critical for journalists in the Americas will be addressed, including issues related to password security, safe use of electronic devices and social networks, communications surveillance and encryption mechanisms, secure communication tools, and response to acts of online gender-based violence.

The training will take place in 3 virtual sessions of two hours each:

• Module 1. General awareness. Exchange of questions and answers with the aim of raising the knowledge of all participants about strategies, practices and technologies to improve the culture of security and digital privacy
• Module 2. In-depth workshop focused on topics of interest among participants.
• Module 3. In-depth workshop focused on topics of interest among participants.

At the end of the workshop, participants will be given the PPT presentation used in the sessions and a best practice guide.

Contact details:

For more information, contact Katya Vera or Mabel Amaya of the CICTE/OAS Cybersecurity Program, through the following e-mails: [email protected] and/or [email protected]