Launched in Geneva in 2024, the Digital and New Emerging Technologies Impact Group is co-chaired by Ms. Doreen Bogdan-Martin, Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), Ambassador Usha Chandnee Dwarka-Canabady, Permanent Representative of Mauritius to the United Nations and other International Organisations in Geneva, Ms. Caitlin Kraft-Buchman, Co-Founder and CEO, Women at the Table / <A+> Alliance for Inclusive Algorithm and Ambassador Simon Manley, Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom to the UN Office and other International Organisations in Geneva. 

CONTEXT

The internet, digital platforms, information and communications technology (ICT) and artificial intelligence (AI) offer unprecedented pathways to increase women’s participation across all spheres of life, enhance gender disaggregated data collection, advance gender-responsive standards, develop gender responsive public procurement policies and promote global collaboration in gender equality efforts.

Yet where there is opportunity, there is also risk. While the digital transformation bears vast potential to leapfrog progress towards SDG 5, the digital gender divide, persistent gender stereotypes, the under-representation of women in tech and decision making, significant gaps in digital literacy and a rise in technology-facilitated GBV also threaten to exacerbate existing inequalities.

The Global Board of the International Gender Champions made ‘leveraging the potential of digital and new emerging technologies for gender equality’ a strategic objective for the network in November 2023, building on the positive resonance of the IGC’s ‘I Say No To Sexism Online’ Campaign and recent developments in the multilateral sphere.

 

OBJECTIVES

 

The Impact Group will focus on ensuring that gender perspectives and the goal of gender equality are a central component of the newly adopted Global Digital Compact, as well as explore how this can be translated into concrete, impactful actions at the national and regional level. More generally it will strive to integrate digital and new emerging technologies in all gender equality conversations ahead of CSW69 / Beijing +30 and beyond, as well as align WSIS Action Lines and Beijing +30 Objectives in context to the WSIS+20 Review.