Have you already been victim of violence while using the internet like insults, false information and sharing of private pictures without your authorization?
Young Haitians have answered in a poll conducted by Haiti International Plan, UNICEF and UNFPA to mark the International Girls in Information, Communication and Technologies (ICT) Day celebrated every year on April 22. The results of this poll are available on the U-report https://haiti.ureport.in/oinion/5009/ international platform.
From 1,154 people who were interrogated, 990 answered. 29 % declared that they had been victim of cyber-harassment while 71 % estimated the opposite.
Who is more likely to be victim of violence on the internet?
From 990 people who were asked this question, 954 answered. In general, 62 % of the people can be victim. More specifically, the distribution could be expressed as follow: 30 % of young girls, 3 % 0f boys, 3 % of LGBTQI and 2 % (None).
Do you use the internet to access to key information?
From 954 people who were asked, 889 answered. 24 % inquire about sexual health and family planning, 11 % about violence against women, 15 % women rights on their body and 50 % don’t inquire about anyone of these answers.
Do you connect to the internet with your ICT equipment without any fear?
From 1,258 who were asked, 1,154 answered. 44 % answered yes, while 56 % answered no.
From the 1, 258 answers collected through this poll, 48 % were from men and 50% from women. The biggest part of the answers are from the 20-24 years old which represents 62 %, followed by the 15-10 years old which represents 36 %.
The survey took into account the academic level with a higher percentage of the answers from the high school level (49 %), followed by the university level (22 %), the professional level (13 %), elementary level (9 %) and “Have never gone to school” (6%).
Haiti National Plan, UNICEF and UNFPA realized, besides this poll about online violence, several other activities for the International Girls in Information, Communication and Technologies (ICT) Day, on the topic “Young girls as creator of safer media”, says Nathalie Adam Carmant, in charge of sponsorship of Haiti National Plan. Among these activities, two debates in which participated students from several schools and youth organizations. The first was about career opportunities for young girls who are in the ICT in Haiti and the second on cybersecurity.
According to Rodelyne Jean Paul, head of (computer) system at an NGO, who was facilitating one of the debates, this celebration of the International Girls in Information, Communication and Technologies (ICT) Day shows the advantage of reminding the girls of their potential and of sticking to their objectives, without imitating others mechanically.
The International Girls in Information, Communication and Technologies (ICT) Day fits in the frame of the International Plan campaign “Equality to Girls” and aims at encouraging girls and young women to consider studies and careers in the Information and Communication Technologies.
UNFPA and UNICEF have seen themselves in this campaign given their respective mandates. UNFPA aims at realizing a world where every pregnancy is desired, every birth giving is safe and the potential of every young person is realized. UNICEF has the mission to defend children rights, to help meet their essential needs and to facilitate their complete fulfillment.
Writers: Vario Sérant and Nathalie Carmant
Pictures: Haiti International Plan
