Policing the Pixel: Gender, Tech, and Justice

A side-event to the seventieth session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70) organised by the Council of Europe within the framework of the Moldovan Presidency of the Committee of Ministers.

Co-organised with the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Moldova, and co-sponsored by the Permanent Missions of Monaco and Romania to the United Nations and UN Women

Wednesday 11 March 2026, 4:45 PM – 6:00 PM EST (9:45 – 11:00 PM CET)

Room 2 - General Assembly Building, United Nations, New York

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Technology-facilitated violence against women and girls (TFVAWG) is increasing in scale and severity. It reflects and reinforces systemic gender inequalities, silencing women in public, social, and political spaces, and ultimately threatening the core of democratic values.

It remains largely underreported and under-prosecuted, perpetuating impunity, and is likely to further intensify as technologies evolve. There is therefore an urgent need for responses that are rights-based, effective and proportionate to the scope and impact of this type of violence against women and girls.

Amid accelerating democratic backsliding, a collective response to defend and renew democratic foundations, affirming gender equality as a non-negotiable condition of democracy is essential. The discussion will contribute to the Council of Europe’s work towards a New Democratic Pact for Europe as technology-facilitated violence against women and girls constitutes a direct and systemic assault on democracy by silencing women, restricting their civic and political participation, and eroding the integrity of democratic values, institutions, and processes.

At the heart of an effective response to TFVAWG are front-line law enforcement officers trained on gender-sensitive and proactive approaches to identifying, investigating, and handling technology-facilitated violence. A coherent, victim-centred, gender-responsive policing response will prevent secondary victimisation, strengthen cross-agency collaboration, better safeguard and preserve electronic evidence, and disrupt TFVAWG offences.

This side-event will focus on gender-responsive policing practices, cooperation between law enforcement and technology companies, and the pathways from reporting to investigation, prosecution and disruption of online abuse. The event will also aim to identify key gaps and highlight promising practices for effective and coordinated responses. Bringing together political leaders, specialised police officers, international partners, tech industry representatives and civil society, it will examine the role of law enforcement agencies as first responders in ensuring access to justice for women and girls subjected to technology-facilitated violence. It will also explore how effective, victim-centred mechanisms for reporting violence to law enforcement and online platforms can enhance protection and accountability.

Speakers

Opening address:

  • Doina Gherman, Vice President of the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova
  • Silvia-Monica Dinică, State Secretary, Ministry of Labour, Family, Youth and Social Solidarity of Romania

Keynote speeches:

  • Alain Berset, Secretary General of the Council of Europe
  • Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda, Deputy Executive Director for Normative Support, System Coordination, Programme Results, UN Women

Panelists:

  • Mirian Roache, President of the Follow-Up Mechanism to the Belém do Pará Convention (MESECVI) of the Organization of American States (OAS) 
  • Colonel Emmanuel Houzé, Police and homeland security adviser, Permanent Mission of France to the United Nations
  • Alex Davies-Jones, Parliamentary Under‑Secretary of State for Victims and Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls, United Kingdom
  • José Campi Portaluppi, Director of Communications and Advocacy with Equimundo
  • Kathryn Falasca, Director, Domestic Violence Counsel, New York Police Department (NYPD)
  • Glen Wise, CEO of Cinder AI
  • Bahaa El-Taweal, Human Rights Policy Team, CoE, Google's Global Affairs Organization

Moderator:

  • Marja Ruotanen, Director General of Democracy and Human Dignity, Council of Europe