The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family is holding a virtual forum on Nov. 2-3 to address the rise of discrimination and hate speech on the internet during the pandemic.

The ministry said the forum would discuss the challenges brought upon by the digital transformation by the pandemic in sectors across the society, especially with regards to the increase in online abuse against minorities and women.

Gender Minister Chung Young-ai said the pandemic has forced people, young people in particular, to change the ways they communicate. Online communication came to replace in-person interactions, she said, bringing about a rise in hate speech on virtual platforms.

“I hope that this year’s Korea Gender Equality Forum will serve as a meaningful opportunity for debating the fresh challenges of pandemic-driven digital transformation and its implications on our progress toward a more equal society,” she said.

The forum will kick off with a keynote speech from Delphine O, the secretary-general for the UN Women’s Global Forum. Also speaking at the forum are Nahla Valji, a senior gender adviser at the UN; Lilly Irani, a critical gender studies professor at the University of California, San Diego; and Linda Wong, the executive director of the Association Concerning Sexual Violence Against Women in Hong Kong.

The forum will be broadcast live on its website www.kgef2021.kr.

By Kim Arin (arin@heraldcorp.com)