Opening Remarks by UNFPA Executive Director Dr. Natalia Kanem at the CSW69 Side Event on the Transformative Role of Technology in Advancing Gender Equality and Women’s Development

Excellencies,
Madam Minister Huang Xiaowei,
Under-Secretary-General Sima Bahous, my dear sister,
Second Secretary Sonia Lopez of Cuba,
Madam Angela Kawandami of Zambia,
Civil society leaders,
Dear partners,
Dear young people.

Greetings of peace – the desire of women everywhere in this world.

I am happy to here with you. I thank the Governments of China, Cuba, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Zambia, and my UNFPA and UN Women colleagues, for the focus on technology at this important CSW event.  

May I also thank the All China Women’s Federation for its longstanding partnership with the UN and UNFPA. UNFPA has a history of collaboration with China spanning four decades. Together, we are improving access to sexual and reproductive health services and contributing to national and global progress.

As we collectively push to accelerate progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), it is an honour to join this timely conversation. Here’s the question: How can technology advance gender equality?

At UNFPA, we are effectively using technology to reshape sexual and reproductive healthcare and create new opportunities for women and girls. The technological tools we are developing with partners are overcoming barriers to care. These tools are giving women greater agency over their bodies — a cornerstone of gender equality. 

Mobile health platforms help rural women access contraception and counselling services. Safe delivery apps help midwives identify and manage childbirth complications. These and many other innovations we are deploying are saving and transforming lives.

Yet even as we expand our horizons and push the boundaries of what we can do in our space with technology, let’s be clear: the digital divide remains a challenge.

Too often, marginalized women and girls – including rural women, women with disabilities, and those who are displaced – are excluded from the digital revolution.

2.6 billion people in the world are without connectivity. Most are women. They live mostly in poor countries and lack access to the Internet and other vital resources that could improve their lives and the prospects of their communities.

Technology can also exacerbate existing inequalities. We see this with biases in algorithms. We see this in the increasing prevalence of shocking disrespect and technology-facilitated gender-based violence, which threatens the safety and wellbeing of women and girls. 

2 in 5 women say they have experienced online violence. It’s even higher for women at the intersection of multiple forms of discrimination, including women in politics and media.

UNFPA’s #Bodyright campaign brings greater visibility to online violence as young women mobilize actions to address it. The campaign has reached 1.2 billion people.

I would like you to know and join the Equity 2030 Alliance, a global multi-stakeholder effort to accelerate gender equity in science and technology.

The Alliance was launched by UNFPA to call for women's safety and wellbeing to be integrated into the design and governance of digital and AI-driven solutions. The Equity 2030 Alliance wants to promote technologies that advance equality and do no harm. 

Let us remember that even at its best, technology is not neutral. It reflects and amplifies all of the biases that we see in our societies. It is so important that we shape technology to the world that we want to see. A world where every woman and girl can claim her right to health, safety and opportunity.

As a young doctor advocating for reproductive health, I attended both the landmark Cairo ICPD and Beijing Women’s Conference, and can attest to the huge progress Member States ushered into being in the subsequent years.

30 years after the ICPD Programme of Action and the Beijing Declaration, let us reaffirm our commitment to unlock the potential of women and of entire societies. Let us accelerate our efforts to implement the ICPD and Beijing agendas, in line with the SDGs. 

As the Chinese proverb tell us: Without small streams, there’s no river, there’s no sea. 

We all have a role to play. So let’s start with these three key actions:

First, let’s bridge the digital divide. We need to invest in equitable infrastructure, enhance digital skills training and promote inclusive policies that leave no one behind.

Second, let’s prioritize online safety and privacy. We need nimble and adaptive governance and regulatory frameworks to protect women’s digital rights.

Finally, let’s foster multi-sector partnerships. Governments, tech leaders, and civil society can co-develop innovative, equitable solutions that are sustainable and far-reaching.

Let’s not miss our chance at shaping the future. Let’s work together to build an inclusive technology ecosystem that benefits all. Let’s make the digital age an era of equality!

I applaud each of you for all the decisive actions you are taking every day to bring about the sea change we need for a more equitable future for women, and for all.