Annex 1: Options to Mainstream Gender Considerations at the 2021-25 OEWG Objectives of this paper Canada sees this annex to our position paper as an opportunity to present some options about how gender considerations could be mainstreamed and addressed by the OEWG. This paper will present a menu of options, some of which we hope might eventually get retained. Addressing gender considerations at the OEWG could be a means to reduce and prevent technologyfacilitated and online gender-based violence. Doing so would add value to the OEWG’s work, while building on the work of the 2019-21 OEWG on this issue. While this annex focuses on the OEWG, the options presented below might also be relevant as we seek to address gender issues at an eventual UN cyber Programme of Action (PoA). Options for addressing gender considerations at the OEWG Broadening the acquis of past UN cyber processes on gender While gender has not featured prominently in UN cyber GGEs, this issue was raised by over 20 States at the 2019-21 OEWG. The 2021 OEWG report included several mentions of gender issues: The OEWG welcomes the high level of participation of women delegates in its sessions and the prominence of gender perspectives in its discussions. The OEWG underscores the importance of narrowing the “gender digital divide” and of promoting the effective and meaningful participation and leadership of women in decision-making processes related to the use of ICTs in the context of international security. (page 3) Capacity-building should respect human rights and fundamental freedoms, be gender sensitive and inclusive, universal and non-discriminatory. (page 8) The Chair’s summary that was attached to the 2021 OEWG report included several other proposals with regards to gender text, notably in summaries of discussions made by the Chair (pages 5 and 8), as well as in text proposals made by Canada (pages 11 and 13) and Ecuador (page 17). Canada had also made previous gender text proposals in November 2020 that were reflected in the final OEWG report or Chair’s summary. We hope that at the 2021-25 OEWG and at an eventual PoA, States will outline the importance of gender in their written submissions and verbal interventions and will explain why they think gender issues are important. States could indicate what they perceive as the most relevant ways to advance this issue, perhaps drawing from some of the options laid out in this paper. States may wish to make additional gender text proposals, or support gender text proposals made by others. Previous UN cyber reports offer limited views on the gender aspects of cyber security. Canada hopes that this acquis will grow as more and more States recognize the importance of this issue.