WSIS+20 High Level Side-Event: Digital and New Emerging Technologies Impact Group: Advancing Equity in the Digital Era
(IGC, ITU)
7 July 15:00 – 15:45 CET
Open Space – Palexpo
Specific Topic: Gender and the WSIS process
Speakers
Caitlin Kraft Buchman (Founder, Women@TheTable / <A+> Alliance for Inclusive Algorithms) – Moderator
Gitanjali Sah. Strategy and Policy CoordinatorInternational Telecommunication Union – Moderator
Cynthia Lesufi (Permanent Mission of South Africa, Chairperson of ITU Council Working Group on WSIS and SDGs) – Panelist
Sebastian Kay (Permanent Mission of the United Kingdom, Second Secretary for Commercial Affairs and the WTO) – Panelist
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 and other marginalised communities in tech and decision making, significant gaps in digital literacy and a rise in technology-facilitated violence also threaten to exacerbate existing inequalities.
IGC Network: The International Gender Champions (IGC) is a global tripartite leadership network that brings together decision-makers to break down gender barriers in their spheres of influence. IGC currently has over 330 active Champions and 460 Alumni Champions who are the heads of International Organisations, Permanent Missions, and Civil Society Organisations. The IGC spans six multilateral Hubs in Geneva, New York, Vienna, The Hague, Paris and Nairobi.
Digital and New Emerging Technologies Impact Group: In 2024, several members of the IGC network established an Impact Group on Digital and New Emerging Technologies to accelerate progress towards gender-transformative implementation of digital governance mechanisms. The group is co-chaired by Ms. Doreen Bogdan-Martin, Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), Ms. Caitlin Kraft-Buchman, Co-Founder and CEO, Women at the Table / <A+> Alliance for Inclusive Algorithms, Ambassador Francisca Méndez Escobar, Permanent Representative of Mexico to the UN Office and other International Organisations in Geneva, and Ambassador Simon Manley, Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to the UN Office and other International Organisations in Geneva.
Impact Group Objectives
In 2025, the Impact Group will mobilise Champions across hubs to highlight and mainstream the digital and new emerging technologies and gender agenda across key multilateral fora. It will do so by working towards the following objectives:
1. Collaborate with and support Member States and International Organisations to effectively embed main stage digital and gender discussions into the agendas of key events;
2. Advocate to strengthen texts addressing gender, and include a focus on digital gender mainstreaming at WSIS beginning by using language from the Global Digital Compact and the Summit of the Future adopted text as a reference and supporting the adoption of a separate WSIS Gender Action Line.
3. Bridge organisational silos within and between organisations and teams working on digital, gender and related issues.