Back Women as equal partners in the AI revolution: a call for gender equality in the digital age

Women as equal partners in the AI revolution: a call for gender equality in the digital age

“The AI and digital revolution must also be a revolution for gender equality,” says Council of Europe Secretary General Alain Berset ahead of International Women’s Day. “Together, we can break down barriers to build a future where women and girls lead, innovate, and drive the digital world forward,” he continues, calling for greater gender equality in the AI and digital world.

Despite progress, women remain underrepresented in critical digital sectors and decision-making roles. Currently, only 22% of AI professionals worldwide are women (World Economic Forum, 2022). In Europe, the latest data reveals a persistent gender gap in research and innovation: women hold just 20% of top academic positions in Science and Engineering (EU report ‘She Figures’, 2022). Women’s equal involvement in digital developments is crucial to make sure technological advancements benefit society. With women making a full contribution to these fields, we can drive more inclusive, innovative, and impactful progress for everyone.

Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to advance gender equality by identifying and addressing disparities in treatment and by amplifying women’s voices in decision-making. If developed and deployed responsibly, AI can play a transformative role in disrupting the cycle of gender-based violence. But if it is left unchecked, AI and related technologies are likely to be misused, perpetuating harm, reinforcing gender stereotypes, and entrenching the very biases we strive to eliminate.

To address these risks, the Council of Europe is developing a Recommendation on equality and AI, offering specific guidance on integrating equality and non-discrimination principles into AI systems. The aim is to ensure that AI fosters and enhances gender equality rather than exacerbates discrimination or infringes women’s rights.

Technology-facilitated violence against women and girls remains a formidable challenge. The harmful effects of such violence extend far beyond personal safety, impeding women's and girls' participation in political and public life. In response, the Council of Europe is preparing a Recommendation on technology-facilitated violence against women and girls, focused on strengthening accountability, enhancing victim support, and protecting against AI-powered threats, such as deepfakes and algorithmic abuse.

Gender equality and promoting the rights of all women and girls lie at the heart of the Council of Europe’s work and are central to the new Framework Convention on Artificial Intelligence — the world’s first legally binding international treaty in this field.

SECRETARY GENERAL STRASBOURG 5 March 2025
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What is the goal and objective of the project?

This project continues the critical work achieved in Phase I of the Council of Europe project Ending Violence against Women and Promoting Gender Equality in Armenia (2023-2024) on preventing and combating violence against women (VAW) and domestic violence (DV), while promoting gender equality.

The overall goal of this project is to enhance the protection and promotion of women's rights in Armenia, with a specific focus on preventing and combating VAW and DV, including its digital dimension, and promoting gender equality.      

 Start date: 01 January 2025

 Duration: 24 months

 Funding: 700,000 EUR, Donors contributing to the Council of Europe Action Plan for Armenia 2023–2026

Contact person: Ms Liana Amirbekyan, Senior Project Officer

 

Who benefits from the project?
How does the project work?

The project is implemented across two key complementary areas:
Preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence: with a focus on the Istanbul Convention and on the GREVIO General Recommendation No.1 on the digital dimension of violence against women.
Promoting gender equality and women's empowerment: This area supports the integration of gender equality into educational curricula, enhance gender-responsive practices, and empower women, particularly refugee women and girls, to facilitate their active participation in political, public, and social life.

  • Strengthening policy and institutional frameworks:  to align Armenian legislation/ regulations with Council of Europe standards on gender equality and VAW/DV, including the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence known as the Istanbul Convention.
  • Improving practices, capacities, and awareness: to enhance the knowledge and skills of authorities, legal professionals, public officials, educators, media, and civil society to effectively address VAW/DV, promote gender equality, and combat stereotypes.
  • Supporting women's empowerment particularly refugee women and girls: to facilitate their active participation in political, public, and social life and to ensure their protection from violence.
What do we expect to achieve?

By combining legislative support, capacity building, and awareness-raising efforts, the project aims to create sustainable and impactful change, ensuring alignment with international standards and local ownership.

The project will be implemented in close co-operation with Armenian national authorities, civil society organisations, and other key stakeholders, with the Council of Europe’s local office to ensure that activities are tailored to the Armenian context.

Reference documents
 Watch the film about the achievements of of phase I of the project