WASHHINGTON, D.C., April 21, 2022 — The Organization of American States (OAS) announces the launch of a free online course on digital security with a gender perspective, to contribute to a better understanding of the disproportionate impact of cyber threats on women and provide tools for digital self-care.
The course “Our Networks, Our Security” is offered through the Cybersecurity Program of the Inter-American Committee against Terrorism (CICTE) and the Educational Portal of the Americas.
The objective of the course is to provide a better understanding of the online environment and current cyber threats, so that students adopt new digital security practices as part of their daily lives. It also provides easy and simple information to identify what online gender-based violence is, what forms it can take, and offers a series of strategies for protection and response to this cyber threat that disproportionately affects women of all ages. The content is divided into five modules:
- Our Internet, Our Rights: basic concepts
- Demystifying digital security
- Identifying common threats: online gender-based violence against women and girls
- Basic digital safety and self-care practices
- What to do if you are a victim of online gender-based violence? (optional)
Those who complete all modules and pass all evaluations will receive a certification validating their knowledge and skills from the Educational Portal of the Americas and CICTE. Enrollment is free of charge through this link: https://bit.ly/3O8UZSS
“Educating on cybersecurity is a key component of the work of CICTE’s Cybersecurity Program,” said Alison August Treppel, Executive Secretary of CICTE. “At the same time, doing so with a gender perspective through which we recognize that cyber threats do not impact all people equally and expanding this knowledge is imperative. Through this course, we hope that more people can expand their knowledge of digital security and contribute to the creation of a safer and more inclusive hemisphere,” she added.
The course is part of a partnership between CICTE’s Cybersecurity Program and the Inter-American Commission of Women (CIM), which seeks to disseminate information on online security with a gender perspective and increase awareness of these issues among governments, civil society and the private sector. The course is currently available in Spanish and will be translated into other official OAS languages. The OAS gratefully acknowledges the financial support of the Governments of Canada and the United States to make this training possible.
