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 and 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.
Dr. Claire Somerville, Executive Director of the Gender Centre and Professor of Gender at the Geneva Graduate Institute, gave the opening remarks of the debate, highlighting the difficulties presented for gender equality in 2025, including the additional complication of new technologies. Dr. Somerville also cited the risks posed by online gender-based violence as an example of patriarchy and misogyny in action in the digital sphere, while acknowledging the simultaneous opportunity provided by technology to advance gender equality.
ITU Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin provided virtual opening remarks. She focused on the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on women, noting that only 22% of workers in AI and less than 14% of senior leadership in AI firms are women. She urged participants to ensure that “technology serves as a bridge, not a barrier, to a safe, inclusive and equitable future.”
The debate was moderated by Geneva Graduate Institute’s Naomi Samake-Bäckert, a PhD student in the International History and Politics Department. Sameer Chauhan, Director, United Nations International Computing Centre,and Caitlin Kraft-Buchman, CEO / Founder, Women@TheTable, Co-Founder of International Gender Champions, debated in favour of the motion, that digital and new emerging technologies are catalysts for accelerating gender equality. Itonde Kakoma, President/CEO, Interpeace, and Rita French, Executive Fellow, Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP), and former UK Human Rights Ambassador debated against the motion.
In a remarkable moment of unity among the panelists followed the presentations of the teams, the motion of the debate was amended to read that emerging technologies could be catalysts for accelerating gender equality. The panelists joined together in urging for stronger governance guardrails and more inclusive design and operation by technology firms in their products, while cautioning that there was still much work to be done to make women safe, included and empowered by digital and new emerging technologies.
The ultimately unifying debate was closed off by Chair of the IGC Global Board and Secretary General of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, Mr. Martin Chungong, who thanked both teams for their participation and reaffirmed the need for constructive dialogue in order to leverage the potential of new technologies to empower women, and build a safer and more inclusive world “both online and offline.”
This article is adapted from the summary produced by the International Gender Champions.