UN Women Tunisia and Nokia convene stakeholders to advocate for technology-driven solutions to combat violence against women

Tunis, September 26th, 2024 - UN Women Tunisia and Nokia organized a roundtable on technological solutions to address violence against women, including online violence, in collaboration with representatives of government, civil society and the private and the Embassy of Finland. The roundtable continues the work initiated in 2021 through a partnership between UN Women and Finland that brought together national stakeholders to develop a comprehensive set of recommendations, including to the private sector, to address violence against women.

This roundtable links progress made in Tunisia with the global partnerships between UN Women and Nokia that aims at increasing women’s participation and leadership in the online sphere. Together, UN Women and Nokia are leveraging digital solutions to empower women, enhance their employability, and promote gender equality. The discussion focused on harnessing technologies such as conversational Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), Progressive Web Apps (PWA), and integrated chat and text-based support to address violence against women, with an emphasis on online violence. It also highlighted the importance of basing such interventions on solid data and information from service-providers, including civil society, and ensuring that women without access to the internet are included in technical solutions.

The roundtable provided an opportunity for stakeholders to present and discuss innovative solutions, receive feedback, and agree on the next steps to implement these solutions in Tunisia. Such multi-stakeholder efforts are in alignment with the Pact for the Future, adopted by global leaders at the United Nations on 23 September, and the Global Digital Compact, which calls on all actors to ensure that the digital world is safe and accessible to all.

Tackling Online Violence

Tunisia has made significant strides in combating violence against women, particularly with the adoption of the landmark Law 58 in 2017, which addresses all forms of violence against women. However, research by UN Women shows that nearly 19% of women in Tunisia have faced online violence, with 41% experiencing repeated incidents. The roundtable underscores the need for collaboration among the government, civil society organizations, and the private sector to eliminate violence against women and girls.

Florence Basty, UN Women Tunisia and Libya Country Representative, highlighted the innovative partnership with Nokia, noting that "this collaboration leverages technology and private sector commitment to combat violence against women in new ways."

Finnish Ambassador to Tunisia and Libya, His Excellency Teemu Sepponen, expressed pride in Finland’s role, stating, "It’s encouraging to see Finnish tech companies leading the development of ethical AI solutions to advance gender equality and end violence against women."

Karim Dridi, Nokia's country director for Tunisia, emphasized, "We are thrilled to collaborate with UN Women in Tunisia as part of our global partnership, using technology and AI to empower women, improve lives, and promote gender equality."

Neuvo Inc. Global also expressed pride in the recognition of its ethical AI ecosystem. "We are confident that, alongside UN Women and Nokia, we can provide effective solutions to help national partners in government, the private sector, and civil society address the challenges facing Tunisia," the company stated.