Faculty Member from College of Information Technology Participates in the 10th General Conference of the International Women Organization in Cairo
Duhaa Fadill Abbas
Assistant Professor Dr. Mai Abdul-Munem Saleh, a faculty member in the Software Department at the College of Information Technology – University of Babylon, participated in the 10th General Conference of the International Women Organization held in Cairo, Egypt, from May 1st to May 6th, 2025. The conference was convened under the theme: "Connection, Empowerment, and Protection for Women and Girls from Cyber Violence and Violence Associated with Technology and Artificial Intelligence."
Dr. Mai s participation came through an official assignment from the General Secretariat of the Council of Ministers to represent Iraq by presenting the national paper, which was selected from among 18 research papers submitted by various institutions. The paper was entitled:
"The Impact of Online Violence Against Iraqi Women and Girls on Their Opportunities for Growth and Empowerment."
The conference witnessed high-level attendance, including ministers, ambassadors, academics, and representatives from Arab and international organizations. Distinguished figures such as Dr. Badr Abdel Aaty, Dr. Maya Morsi, Dr. Amr Talaat, and Dr. Fadia Kiwan were present, alongside delegations from the League of Arab States and notable personalities from across the region.
In the opening session, Counselor Amal Ammar, President of the National Council for Women, highlighted the importance of the conference in addressing the growing challenges of cyber violence. She emphasized Egypt’s efforts in enacting legislation and developing national strategies to protect women, including the National Cybersecurity Strategy (2023–2027) and awareness campaigns in collaboration with social media platforms.
Dr. Mai Abdul-Munem Saleh presented her research during the third session of the conference, which addressed various issues, most notably the impact of cyber violence on the educational and academic environment in Iraq. Her study also discussed the alarming increase in officially recorded cases of electronic blackmail, which exceeded 2,400 cases within a single year—representing a significant obstacle to the digital empowerment of Iraqi women.
The research further explored how the advancement of technological tools is increasingly being used as a new means of perpetrating violence against Iraqi women, expanding harm into the digital sphere and threatening women s psychological and social security even online.
The scientific session drew considerable engagement from attendees, who raised critical questions regarding the harmful strategies used by perpetrators of violence against women, preventive and intervention mechanisms, as well as the intersection between cybercrime and technology-driven violence.
The conference concluded with final sessions summarizing the key outcomes and recommendations from the presented research papers. These emphasized the importance of strengthening Arab efforts to protect women from cyber violence and enhancing community awareness of its risks and consequences.