NAIROBI, Kenya – The rapid growth of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies is set to transform sectors like manufacturing, healthcare, and agriculture.
However, these advancements may come at a significant cost to the labor market, particularly for women.
According to the Gender Snapshot 2024 report, women are disproportionately at risk of job displacement due to AI, with 3.7% of female-held jobs vulnerable to automation, compared to just 1.4% of male-held positions.
The findings underscore how AI could reshape the future of work, enhancing productivity and creating new job opportunities, but also threatening certain roles traditionally filled by humans.
UN Women warns that unless gender-responsive measures are adopted, the digital revolution could widen existing inequalities, leaving women behind in critical sectors.
The report calls for targeted policies to close the gender digital divide and promote women’s inclusion in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields.
Currently, women hold just one in five STEM jobs and make up only a third of the global research workforce.
This underrepresentation not only affects women’s access to new job opportunities but also leads to bias in AI systems, which are predominantly designed by men.
“Women are two times less likely than men to know a computer programming language,” the report states, based on data from 62 countries.
This lack of skills and representation has far-reaching implications for how AI technologies are developed and how well they address women’s needs.
The Gender Snapshot 2024 also highlights broader concerns about the impact of AI on gender equality.
Bias in the design of AI tools has already shown adverse effects, from reinforcing stereotypes to excluding women from key roles in the digital economy.
To counter these challenges, the report advocates for integrating social, economic, and environmental factors into the design and deployment of emerging technologies.
Inclusive, gender-responsive digital ecosystems could accelerate women’s entry into the digital economy and help them retain jobs in this rapidly evolving landscape.
In response to these risks, the United Nations has made gender inclusion in technology a global priority.
On September 22, 2024, during the Summit of the Future, UN member states adopted a “Pact for the Future,” which commits to addressing gender-related challenges and ensuring that women and other vulnerable groups benefit from advancements in science, technology, and innovation.
The pact emphasizes the need for robust regulatory frameworks that incorporate human rights considerations into the development and adoption of new technologies.
It also calls for action against technology-driven risks, including online harassment, bias, and discrimination that disproportionately affect women and girls.
With AI poised to reshape the labor market and other key sectors, the future of work for women is at a critical juncture.
Without proactive measures, the gender divide in technology may continue to grow, sidelining women in the global digital economy.
However, these advancements may come at a significant cost to the labor market, particularly for women.
According to the Gender Snapshot 2024 report, women are disproportionately at risk of job displacement due to AI, with 3.7% of female-held jobs vulnerable to automation, compared to just 1.4% of male-held positions.
The findings underscore how AI could reshape the future of work, enhancing productivity and creating new job opportunities, but also threatening certain roles traditionally filled by humans.
UN Women warns that unless gender-responsive measures are adopted, the digital revolution could widen existing inequalities, leaving women behind in critical sectors.
The report calls for targeted policies to close the gender digital divide and promote women’s inclusion in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields.
Currently, women hold just one in five STEM jobs and make up only a third of the global research workforce.
This underrepresentation not only affects women’s access to new job opportunities but also leads to bias in AI systems, which are predominantly designed by men.
“Women are two times less likely than men to know a computer programming language,” the report states, based on data from 62 countries.
This lack of skills and representation has far-reaching implications for how AI technologies are developed and how well they address women’s needs.
The Gender Snapshot 2024 also highlights broader concerns about the impact of AI on gender equality.
Bias in the design of AI tools has already shown adverse effects, from reinforcing stereotypes to excluding women from key roles in the digital economy.
To counter these challenges, the report advocates for integrating social, economic, and environmental factors into the design and deployment of emerging technologies.
Inclusive, gender-responsive digital ecosystems could accelerate women’s entry into the digital economy and help them retain jobs in this rapidly evolving landscape.
In response to these risks, the United Nations has made gender inclusion in technology a global priority.
On September 22, 2024, during the Summit of the Future, UN member states adopted a “Pact for the Future,” which commits to addressing gender-related challenges and ensuring that women and other vulnerable groups benefit from advancements in science, technology, and innovation.
The pact emphasizes the need for robust regulatory frameworks that incorporate human rights considerations into the development and adoption of new technologies.
It also calls for action against technology-driven risks, including online harassment, bias, and discrimination that disproportionately affect women and girls.
With AI poised to reshape the labor market and other key sectors, the future of work for women is at a critical juncture.
Without proactive measures, the gender divide in technology may continue to grow, sidelining women in the global digital economy.
