This report is the first report in the 27 years’ history of the mandate to be devoted exclusively to the challenges that women face in exercising their freedom of opinion and expression. Recalling that the Human Rights Council adopted resolution 23/2, adopted in June 2013, in which it called on the mandate to report on the role of freedom of opinion and expression in empowering women, the Special Rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression analyses the challenges that women face, offline and online. Adopting a gender lens, she finds that despite the impressive gains made by women, gender equality in freedom of expression remains a distant goal. She reaffirms the mutually reinforcing nature of gender equality and the right to freedom of opinion and expression, and underlines the vital importance of their inclusive realization for the achievement of peace, democracy and sustainable development. The Special Rapporteur makes specific recommendations to States, the international community and companies to create an enabling environment and safe digital space for women’s equal enjoyment of freedom of opinion and expression.