Digital and New Emerging Technologies

Launched in Geneva in 2024, the Digital and New Emerging Technologies Impact Group is co-chaired by Ms. Caitlin Kraft-Buchman, Co-Founder and CEO, Women at the Table / <A+> Alliance for Inclusive Algorithms and Ms. Doreen Bogdan-Martin, Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). 

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.

The Global Digital Compact, whose goal is to establish an inclusive global framework, is considered essential for the multi-stakeholder action required to overcome digital, data and innovation divides and widely accepted to be a once in a generation opportunity to address these issues. It is expected to be adopted at the Summit of the Future in September 2024.

 

The Geneva-based Impact Group on Digital and New Emerging Technologies will focus on ensuring that gender perspectives and the goal of gender equality are a central component of this new digital governance framework, as well as explore how this can be implemented 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. 

 

OBJECTIVES

 

The Geneva-based Impact Group on Digital and New Emerging Technologies will focus on:

  • Ensuring that gender perspectives and the goal of gender equality are a central component of this new digital governance framework, as well as explore how this can be implemented 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.