Information Campaigns of the CSO DDC on the Approval of the Model of Equality and Overcoming Violence against Women – Центр

On November-December, 2024, a cycle of webinars was organized by the CSO “Democracy Development Center”, the Public Council of IFU “Equal Opportunities”, and the Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine within the framework of the “16 days against gender-based violence” campaign.

Challenges to safety and security of women and girls in digital environment were discussed during the webinar “AI’s Risks to Women’s Rights: Addressing Challenges and Seeking Solutions” on November 27, 2024.

Experts were involved to the following topics to discuss:

Challenges to Safety and Security of Women and girls in Digital Environment – Tatiana Kotlyarenko, international expert, the US, former OSCE ODIHR Advisor on Anti-Human Trafficking Issues;
Combatting Tech-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence: Championing Global Responses for Local Impact – Tsitsi Matekaire, the Global Lead for Ending Sexual Exploitation at Equality Now, UK;
Deepfake Technology and Sexual Exploitation – Shandra Woworuntu, Founder and CEO, NGO Mentari Human Trafficking Survivor Empowerment Program, the US;
Identifying the challenges and solutions for tackling online Violence Against Women and Girls in Ukraine – Mandy Sanghera, international human rights activist, UK;
AI in Surveillance and Privacy: Threats to Women’s Safety – Yorke Rhodes III, Ethical Tech Colab at NYU SPS Center for Global Affairs;
Social Media Algorithms and Online Harassment – Dr. Eirliani Abdul Rahman, Senior Fellow, Georgetown University; Research Affiliate, Minderoo Centre for Tech & Democracy, University of Cambridge;
Responsible Generative AI for Good: Leveraging Generative AI to Address Severe Social Issues Such as Violence Against Women – Shiran Melamdovsky – Somech, Generative AI for Good, AI Impact Leader, Israel;
The Ukrainian Context: AI’s Impact on Women, Girls, and Boys in Conflict and Reconstruction – Anastasia Dyakova, NGO “Center for Internet Safety ‘Stop Sexting’”.

On December 2, 2024, a webinar “Prostitution as Violence against Women and Best Global Practices for Counteraction” was held. The discussion focused on combating involvement in prostitution during the wartime, as well as the threats of increasing involvement of refugee women in prostitution due to the lack of support after leaving abroad (using the example of Bulgaria). The issues of changing legislation, the importance of introducing a model of equality (the Nordic model), and working with victims of involvement in human trafficking were mentioned.

The event was held with the participation of:

• Olena Zaitseva, Ukrainian expert, NGO “Women in Defense”

• Yulia Dorokhova, Head of the Charitable Organization “All-Ukrainian League “Legalife””

• Ivanna Khodos, Bulgarian branch of the Charitable Organization “All-Ukrainian League “Legalife””, Ukraine

• Hema Sibi, Advocacy Coordination, CAP, France

• Drisha Fernandez, NGO Beehive, Colombia

• Luba Fein, organization “Voices of Israeli Sex Trade Survivers”, Israel,

• National Police of Ukraine.

On December 5, 2024, the webinar “Pornography: A Danger for Women and Children” was held. At the beginning of the discussion, the head of the Public Council on Gender Issues at the “Equal Opportunities” IFU, Larysa Kobelyanska, noted that about 1,000 people had registered for the event, and no topic had gathered such a large number of people before, because the topics chosen for the events of this year’s campaign against gender-based violence are extremely important and painful.

Experts were commenting the following topics to discuss:

Tatiana Kotlyarenko, international expert, the US, former OSCE ODIHR Advisor on Anti-Human Trafficking Issues;
Yurii Hanushchak, Police Colonel, Head of the 3rd Department (Coordination of Activities) of the Department of International Police Cooperation (DIPC), National Police of Ukraine;
Anna Zobnina, European Network of Migrant Women;
Olena Zaitseva, expert, lawyer in international law, Ukraine;
“Pornography as torture”, Linda McDonald and Jeanne Searson, women’s rights activists, Canada
“OnlyFans and its dangers”, Julie Bindel, journalist, the UK
“Pornography is prostitution with a camera”, Melissa Farley, Ph.D., Executive Director, Prostitution Research & Education, US

On December 11, 2024, the webinar “Youth Advocacy Campaigns. We are implementing the resolutions of the UN Security Council “Youth, peace and security” and “Women, peace and security” was held. The event was organized to summarize the work of young people during the year and within the framework of the “16 days against gender-based violence” campaign, their participation in the decision-making process to defend the rights and opportunities of children and young people at the level of cities and villages of their communities.

On December 13, 2024, the webinar ”Surrogacy: Ethical Challenges” was held. Opening the webinar, the head of the Public Council, Larysa Kobelyanska, stated that surrogacy is a complex and very urgent ethical, medical, and legal problem. It is very sensitive and painful, as well as harassment of women, sexual exploitation in general. International and national experts were invited to the webinar to discuss the problem of surrogacy.

At the invitation of the organizers, the following experts took part in the webinar:

Marie-Josèphe Devillers, ICASM International Coalition for the Abolition of Surrogate Motherhood;
Taina Bien Aime, Executive Director of the Coalition Against Trafficking in Women and a founding member of Equality Now;
‘Physical and Social Harms of surrogacy on Women and Children in India’ – Dr. Sheela Suryanarayanan, Associate Professor, Centre for Women’s Studies, University of Hyderabad, India;
Lindita Pano, activist for children’s rights, Albania;
Zoryana Skaletska, Kyiv City Council member, Minister of Health of Ukraine in 2019-2020.

The CSO “Center for Democracy Development” implemented an information campaign “What is an Equality Model” (materials are available at links: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6).

The CSO “Democracy Development Center” in Х: https://x.com/j0Kq7ZdrkxdJcQd

Video topics:

Webinar “Prostitution as Violence against Women and Best Global Practices for Counteraction”, 02.12.2024

Webinar “AI’s Risks to Women’s Rights: Addressing Challenges and Seeking Solutions”, 27.11.2024

Webinar “Prostitution as a Problem of Public Health”

Webinar “Legislation: best practices for implementing the Equality Model”

Webinar “Model of Equality, “Women. Peace. Security” Agenda”

Webinar “Expert Discussion “Equality Model and Law Enforcement Agencies””

Webinar “Breaking out of the Cycle of Violence: the Experience of Prostitution Survivors”