Swedish Gender Equality Minister Nina Larsson has declared that gender equality is "under attack" as she attends the UN Commission on the Status of Women meeting in New York. According to Swedish media reports, Larsson criticized social media platforms for allowing hate and threats against women to proliferate online, stating that too little is being done by these platforms to address the issue.
Larsson, who leads Sweden's delegation of approximately 30 people from parliament, government offices, authorities, and civil society, plans to build connections with other countries at the UN meeting to increase pressure on social media companies. She emphasized that "the values we are flooded with online shape our behavior in the physical world."
the values we are flooded with online shape our behavior in the physical world
The UN Commission on the Status of Women, which meets annually, has primary responsibility for policy development on gender equality between women and men. It also monitors how women's rights are implemented in member states. This year's meeting comes at a time when Larsson says gender equality faces significant challenges, particularly in online spaces where harassment and threats against women have become widespread.