UN Human Rights Council calls for stronger protections for women and girls online

The UN Human Rights Council has adopted a resolution calling for stronger international cooperation to protect the rights of women and girls in the context of digital technologies. Adopted without a vote on 6 October 2026, Resolution 63/13 addresses risks ranging from technology-facilitated gender-based violence to discriminatory AI systems and unequal access to digital services.

The resolution recognises that digital technologies can help women and girls exercise their rights and participate in political, economic, social and cultural life. However, it warns that biased algorithms, underrepresentation in datasets and persistent gender inequalities can reinforce discrimination and stereotypes. Gaps in data collection and quality may also leave women and girls inadequately represented in systems that affect them.

States are urged to protect human rights throughout the research, design, development, deployment and use of digital technologies, including through relevant policies, legislation and regulation. The resolution also calls for measures to prevent and address technology-facilitated gender-based violence, ensure accountability and provide effective remedies.

Access and participation are another focus. The Council calls on states to expand affordable and meaningful connectivity, digital and media literacy, data literacy, inclusive education and skills development. It also encourages the full and equal participation of women and girls in national, regional and international discussions on AI governance, including debates about its human rights implications.

The resolution addresses the responsibilities of technology companies as well. Businesses involved in developing and deploying digital technologies are expected to respect human rights in line with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. This includes conducting human rights due diligence, considering the different impacts of technologies on women and girls, and providing or cooperating in remedies when they have caused or contributed to adverse impacts.

International cooperation is central to the resolution. It encourages states, UN bodies and other stakeholders to exchange expertise and good practices, strengthen capacity-building and support technical assistance and research cooperation. States are also invited to designate focal points on gender equality and digital technologies, where appropriate, to facilitate coordination.

The Human Rights Council has further decided to dedicate its annual panel discussion at its sixty-eighth session to the human rights of women and girls in the context of digital technologies. The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights is tasked with preparing a report based on the discussion, including practical recommendations for states and other stakeholders, for presentation at the Council’s seventy-first session.

The resolution links digital inclusion and technology governance with the broader obligation to protect human rights both online and offline. Its implementation will depend on how states translate these commitments into measures addressing unequal access, discriminatory systems and technology-facilitated abuse.