March 13th – 10. 00 to 11.15 EST
UNGIS is the United Nations system-wide inter-agency mechanism for digital cooperation, jointly bringing together 31 Member Entities and 17 Observers. The proposed side event aims to showcase UNGIS and its partners’ ongoing and strengthened efforts to advance gender mainstreaming. The side-event responds to the mandate outlined in the newly adopted World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) resolution, which stresses the importance of ensuring that women and girls are able to participate in and contribute to society on equal terms and without discrimination. It reaffirms that the full, equal, and meaningful participation of women and girls in the digital age is critical to achieving gender equality and the empowerment of women. The resolution also calls for the urgent need to counter and address all forms of violence, including gender-based violence, that occur through or are amplified by the use of technology. These efforts are fully aligned with the priority theme of CSW70 and with UNGIS mandate to advance policy coherence and coordination on digital development across the United Nations system. In response, UNGIS members are initiating a coordinated process to develop a WSIS Action Plan on Women and Girls, working with the WSIS Women and Girls Trendsetters, Action Line Facilitators, and stakeholders. Objectives- Present the WSIS+20 mandates related to Women and Girls
- Highlight the WSIS Women and Girls Trendsetter initiative
- Engage UNGIS members and WSIS Action Lines Facilitators on integrating Women and Girls across their domains
- Gather stakeholder input for the WSIS Action Plan on Women and Girls
H.E. Ms. Suela Janina H.E. Ms. Suela Janina, Ambassador & Permanent RepresentativePermanent Mission of the Republic of Albania to the United Nations
Ms. Janina serves as the Co-Facilitator of the WSIS+20 Review and Permanent Representative of Albania to the United Nations. She brings extensive experience in multilateral diplomacy to this role, having served as Ambassador to the European Union (2014–2024) and General Director for Multilateral Relations at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2012–2014). She holds a doctorate in international law from the University of Tirana.
Ms. Gitanjali Sah Ms. Gitanjali Sah, Strategy and Policy Coordinator, ITU (UNGIS Secretariat), Moderator
Gitanjali Sah is Strategy and Policy Coordinator at the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and is responsible for the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) process. She has more than 15 years of work experience in ICT policy issues at the national, regional and international level. She is an experienced International Civil Servant having worked at several UN Agencies. She holds M.Phil. Development Studies, University of Cambridge, UK and a Masters in Political Science, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi, India.
Joining: UNESCO, UNDP, UNCTAD, and UNESCWA Representatives.
Last modified: January 29, 2026