A/HRC/35/9 United Nations General Assembly Distr.: General 5 May 2017 Original: English Human Rights Council Thirty-fifth session 6-23 June 2017 Agenda items 2 and 3 Annual report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and reports of the Office of the High Commissioner and the Secretary-General Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to development Promotion, protection and enjoyment of human rights on the Internet: ways to bridge the gender digital divide from a human rights perspective Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Summary The present report is submitted pursuant to Human Rights Council resolution 32/13, in which the Council requested the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to prepare a report on ways to bridge the gender digital divide from a human rights perspective, and submit it to the Council at its thirty-fifth session. In the report, the gender digital divide is considered as both a consequence and cause of human rights violations, some of the complex factors acting as barriers to women’s online access and participation are outlined and the reasons why overcoming those barriers is important for women’s human rights are discussed. The report also contains a set of proposed recommendations to ensure that information and communications technologies are accessible to women on an equal basis without discrimination, and to promote women’s equal, effective and meaningful participation online. GE.17-07210(E) 