Commissioner Brankica Janković participated in the conference “Under the watchful eye: Human rights, gender and surveillance” in Vienna, which was jointly organized by the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities, Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights ODIHR and Representative on Freedom of the Media RfoM, on the occasion of the International Women’s Day. The meeting was focused on the challenges that surveillance in the digital age brings, especially regarding women.

The conference discussed the importance of protecting privacy and human rights in light of ubiquitous surveillance technologies that can deepen gender inequalities and contribute to violence. Participants emphasized the necessity of developing and implementing practices that protect and empower women, especially those from marginalized communities. The focus was on investing in women and girls, taking especially into account women from minority groups and women journalists.

Commissioner Janković pointed out that women are significantly more exposed to possible abuses in the digital space and that their rights can easily be violated by unauthorized recording and sharing of content, which threatens their integrity and puts them at increased risk of discrimination and violence. She presented some of the Commissioner’s institution’s activities to protect women in the digital space, including the Bodyright campaign, which the Commissioner is implementing in cooperation with UNFPA in Serbia and emphasized the importance of legal regulation of revenge pornography.

The conference was opened by Natasha Meli Daudey, Chairperson of the OSCE Permanent Council, Teresa Ribeiro, OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Matteo Mecacci, Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, Roberto Montella, Secretary General of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, and Marek Szczygiel, from the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities.