Digital Justice and Artificial Intelligence: Embedding Gender Equality in Turbulent Times
Location: Geneva Centre for Security Policy (7th floor library)
Date: 29 April 2026 | Time: 9:15 – 10:00 am | Protocol: In-person participation only; conducted under Chatham House Rule.
Context: A Global Crossroads
On 9 March 2026, the 70th Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70) marked a defining moment in multilateral diplomacy when a recorded vote was requested on its draft conclusions. While the conclusions passed resoundingly, the deliberations exposed deep-seated global tensions regarding the integration of digital justice and Artificial Intelligence (AI) regulation within gender equality frameworks—and, crucially, the integration of gender within AI and data governance regulation.
These developments reveal a systemic challenge: in the architecture of our digital future, gender is often entirely absent or relegated to a vague, secondary “add-on” that lacks transformative value. This is a moment for generational transformation. As we invent the tools of the future, we must move beyond defensive diplomacy to ensure that gender equality is not just “included,” but is a core, functional requirement of digital governance.
Purpose of this Briefing: From “Add-on” to Architecture.
This session continues Espresso for Equality, a short, focused briefing format designed to keep IGC focal points informed on key developments at the intersection of gender equality and multilateral policy.
The second edition provides Geneva-based focal points with a strategic diagnostic and an action-oriented toolkit:
- The Diagnostic (Briefing): A concise analysis of why gender remains a peripheral consideration in digital governance and how inclusive design can dismantle systemic biases.
- The Strategy (Global Policy Shifts): Moving beyond specific diplomatic critiques toward a broader, strategic call for multi-stakeholder action.
- The Action (Interactive Discussion): Identifying the specific “leverage points” within International Geneva to operationalize digital justice.
Leverage Points: Operationalizing Digital Justice
To move from observation to action, this briefing identifies entry points within the WSIS+20 Review and the Global Digital Compact (GDC):
- Mainstreaming via Indicators: Strategies to embed gender-specific targets and reporting obligations across all WSIS Action Lines, moving past siloed approaches.
- GDC Mechanisms: Utilizing emerging frameworks, such as the Independent International Scientific Panel on AI, to champion gender-transformative technical standards.
- International Geneva’s Role: Identifying how to platform successful, pro-equality uses of emerging digital technologies to influence broader policy.
Agenda:
- Welcome
- Strategic Input: CSW70 outcomes, the A+ Alliance for Inclusive Algorithms, and the “Architecture of Equality” with Caitlin Kraft-Buchman (CEO/Founder, Women@TheTable)
- Interactive Discussion: Mapping the leverage points—how Missions and IOs can move from “vague” language to functional requirements.