Safety Showcase open call for tech products that ground gender equality and inclusion to prevent and respond to tech-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV)
- mikkelson0
- Jan 14
- 4 min read
Updated: Jan 24
On 11 March 2024, during the UN Commission on the Status of Women, supporters announced a Safety Showcase to everyone who shares a passion for safe and ethical technology which puts women’s and girls’ lived experiences at the heart of the design process to help the world reimagine the future of technology as a place of joy for all. Supporters comprising the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Numun Fund, the United Kingdom’s Foreign Commonwealth Development Office(FCDO), with contribution from Australia's eSafety Commissioner are currently driving this work and invite additional contributors to join.
This first Safety Showcase is designed to demonstrate the ways in which products and tools have been designed with gender at their centre, as a key strategy to prevent and respond to technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV).
Results and learnings of this process will be brought to global high-level events during the first quarter of 2025, with the aim to inspire further engagement from communities to place safety by design as the core of their principles.
This Open Call will have three rounds:
Round 1: Expressions of Interest
Round 2: Self-Assessment with UNFPA Assessment Tool
Round 3: Interviews between finalists and Coalition Partners
Expression of Interest Application
Please complete the form here to submit the answers below:
Organization Name:
Name of the Product (if different):
Problem: State the problem the tech product is seeking to address (25 words):
Process: Describe how you addressed the problem using the below guide: (800 words total)
(Feel free to use bullet points)
How are you designing and iterating your product to include those who are most directly affected and harmed by TFGBV? (Consideration will be given to products that demonstrate the use of participatory approaches to design) (100 words)
Adding to learning: How does your work build on what has come before and add to the current knowledge in the field? (100 words)
How has your work taken a feminist framework into account? (100 words)
Fair use for data practices: What are your data privacy practices and how are you ensuring freedom from surveillance? (100 words)
How are you taking responsibility for user safety in the design and use of your platforms and services? (100 words)
How do your users have control over their online experiences and tools to protect themselves? How easy to find and effective are these tools? (100 words)
Which practices do you have in place to ensure transparency and accountability? (100 words)
Based on your problem statement, how have you ensured that the product meets the needs and demonstrates impact? (100 words)
Guidance on Applications
Who Should Apply?
We want to hear and learn from anyone who is working to build a safer and more empowering online space for women in all their diversity. If you have a product that you would like us to learn more about and to connect with others in the field, please apply.
What kinds of products should be sent?
For this flagship Safety Showcase we are seeking demonstrations of technology products that prevent, respond to, or otherwise address TFGBV. It is our intention for the Safety Showcase and Open Call to recur on an annual basis and to expand to other products, including but not limited to: tech policies, products, features, models and algorithms, audit frameworks, reporting mechanisms, mitigative strategies. Please ensure you have signed up to stay abreast of announcements of forthcoming Open Calls. Blueprints and prototypes are welcomed but the Safety Showcase will only demonstrate working products.
Stages: This Open Call will have three rounds:
Expressions of Interest
Selected completion of UNFPA Assessment Tool
Interviews with Coalition Partners
Timing:
January 14 - 3 Feb at noon UTC Open Call for Expressions of Interest
10 February: Finalists notified and invited to review the updated Self-Assessment Tool
12 February - 18 February: One hour interviews with Flagship Partners
11 March: Inaugural Safety Showcase
What is meant by “Participatory Design?”
Use a participatory/inclusive approach by safely incorporating knowledge and feedback from victims/survivors, NGOs and others working directly with victim/survivors and perpetrators including the most marginalized.
I need to add in more information, can I share additional resources?
In your responses to the application you are welcome to include links to additional information, however we are committing to review the text responses in the application and encourage you to be brief and clear with your description. This is helpful for our reviewers and for the work in the field overall!
Who is reviewing these applications?
The review team is comprised of feminist tech leaders, government representatives, the United Nations, and civil society from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Numun Fund, the United Kingdom’s Foreign Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO), with contributions from the Australia’s eSafety Commissioner.
What criteria will be used to evaluate the submissions?
All submissions will be considered according the Assessment Tool for TFGBV Safety Showcase developed through UNFPA and based on the work of Feminist Principles of the Internet, Safety by Design Principles, TFGBV Industry Guide, Guidance on the Safe and Ethical Use of Technology to Address Gender-based Violence and Harmful Practices, Orbits, and The Feminist Tech Principles for guidance on building better tech.
What support is given to those products that receive recognition?
Supplemental support will be given to participate in CSW 2025, and those receiving recognition will be part of the Safety Showcase to share their product. Partners are pursuing additional rewards to be announced.
Further Questions?
We held a webinar for applicants 22 January, recording with transcript is here
Questions can be sent to info@tfgbvsafetyshowcase.org
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The eSafety Commissioner, Australia's online safety regulator, is contributing to this initiative, in collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Numun Fund, and the UK Foreign Commonwealth Development Office(FCDO)
