MERL Tech DC 2019

In 2018, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the American Bar Association Rule of Law Initiative (ABA ROLI), and RIWI Corp. entered into a unique private-public partnership to conduct the first ever global study on perceptions of gender-based violence (GBV) perpetrated online (i.e., through social media, email, messaging, knowledge-sharing, dating, and other online platforms) in developing countries. To gather this invaluable data, the partners built an online survey with 17 questions about the nature, prevalence, impacts, and responses to GBV online. Using RIWI’s global trend-tracking and predictive technology, the survey was administered to over 30,000 citizens from 15 developing countries across the globe, making it the largest and most unique study on the subject of GBV online. This session will begin with an overview of the study by the three project partners, who will describe the methodology, highlight key findings, and examine the ways through which the study can be used by a range of governmental and non-governmental actors to reduce the incidence and impact of GBV online. Following this, the panelists and the audience will discuss the necessity of using innovative data collection methods to engage and gather information from populations who are typically not heard from on a human rights topic that touches many people around the globe.

RIWI is a global survey technology and sentiment analysis firm that gathers citizen opinion data and accelerates engagement initiatives in every country in the world using its patented technology. The technology works by inviting randomized Web users, in any and every geo-targeted area in the world, to safely and anonymously participate in a language appropriate survey or specific citizen engagement initiative. USAID is the world's premier international development agency and a catalytic actor driving development results. USAID's work advances U.S. national security and economic prosperity, and promotes a path to recipient self-reliance and resilience. ABA ROLI is a development organization with a mission to promote justice, economic opportunity, and human dignity through the rule of law. ABA ROLI works with local partners in over 50 countries to build sustainable institutions and prosperous societies.