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Can AI Help Close the Gender Gap in GCC Countries?

By Tatiana Caldas-Löttiger

Introduction

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The United Nations (UN) recognises cultural biases and inequality as obstacles significant barriers to advancing global gender equality.(1) Closing the gender gap can promise numerous benefits to society and the global economy. However, biased gender social norms prove to be a major obstacle to achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls.(2) Thus, the world is unlikely to achieve the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal No.5, which refers to gender equality by 2030. According to the latest World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report this goal might not be realised until the year 2154.(3)

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With forecasts as long as nearly a century and a half to achieve such a goal, the realisation of gender parity as soon as 2030 could be in arm’s reach using the tools of Artificial Intelligence (AI). AI is reshaping the status quo and changing and influencing social norms, thereby impacting how we work, live, and interact. Unfortunately, access to education depends on where women are born and their access to technology. To effectively narrow the gender gap, women must be adequately represented to ensure diversity and fairness in data collection, algorithm design, and decision-making. In recent years, reports such as IBM’s ‘Female Leadership in the Age of AI’ have highlighted the pivotal role women play in AI. However, despite this recognition, only a third of the businesses surveyed have a female leader in charge of making decisions on AI strategy.(4)

 

This article aims to delve into one of the predominant ethical dilemmas in AI development: Biases, particularly cultural bias, remain a risk in AI ethics, and is key in understanding the challenges and urgent need for increasing female leadership in the AI sector, also in the GCC countries.(5)

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Cultural Bias as a Risk in AI Ethics

 

Culture encompasses the beliefs, behaviours, norms, traditions, arts, customs, and habits shared by a group. The term does not necessarily refer to an individual’s country of origin as much as the societies or communities they are a part of. Culture is important because it influences behaviour and determines moral and ethical values. 

On the other hand, AI Ethics refers to the principles and guidelines governing the ethical development and deployment of AI systems. This domain addresses crucial concerns such as transparency, fairness, accountability, privacy, and bias mitigation. Implementing ethical practices in AI is essential to maintain public trust, protect individuals' rights, and promote responsible innovation.

Globally, there are more than 400 ethical frameworks on AI, with inclusion of the principles of fairness and non-discrimination. AI algorithms should be designed and implemented in a way that prevents discrimination or bias based on personal characteristics such as gender, race, or age.  For instance, The EU Ethics Guidelines for Trustworthy AI, emphasises that: 

 

“AI shall be based on an approach founded on fundamental rights, and identifies the ethical principles and their correlated values that must be respected in the development, deployment, and use of AI systems in a way that adheres to the ethical principles of: a) respect for human autonomy, b) prevention of harm, c) fairness and explicability.”

 

Relevant to mitigating biases is the principle of fairness. This ensures that the AI model is fair towards everybody — in particularly vulnerable groups that have historically been disadvantaged such as women and children, people of colour, neurodiverse persons and/or with disabilities as well as others who are at risk of exclusion. Societal situations,  characterised by power, control of information, such as between employers and employees, or between businesses and consumers, are also relevant. The principle of explicability ensures AI models are explainable. 

 

AI Ethics and Women in GCC 

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According to McKinsey research, AI has the potential to deliver real value in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries—reaching up to $150 billion (USD).(6) Despite comprising approximately 38.3% of the GCC population, women remain underrepresented in the labour force, holding less than a quarter of all positions and managerial roles and only 7% of board seats, this compared to 20% globally. In a study by Bain & Company Middle East, 70% mentioned gender bias and stereotypes as the primary challenge, along with inadequate hiring processes, lack of training, and support for work- life balance.(7)


GCC governments are taking initiatives to ensure gender equity across sectors which has resulted in increased representation of women in the workforce over the years. Female participation has risen to 60% in Qatar and 53% in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). In March 2024, Qatar was the first GCC country to give women the opportunity to work as judges, and now hold 69% of senior positions in the judiciary administration. This is a strong trajectory, compared to women holding 61% of judicial positions in the European Union (EU) countries in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)-EU. IBM found the majority of business leaders in the UAE believe that increased female leadership in the sector is essential for mitigating gender bias in AI. Despite the consensus that women will be integral to the success of AI, only a third of business leaders surveyed have a female leader in charge of making decisions on AI strategy in their organisation. At a country level, this figure drops to 23% in France, while in the UAE, the 41% of AI decision-makers are women.(8)

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Conclusion
 

Some argue that AI will be the last great human invention, marking a watershed moment with potential for both immense benefit and peril. The main difference between these extremes lies in ethical considerations, delineating actions as either morally sound or objectionable. Therefore, AI Ethics is the critical enabler of ethical AI because it will safeguard the essence of humanity. However, women are largely absent from the AI ecosystem worldwide, and this needs to change because they are an integral part of society and the transfer of AI Western values to the East and other regions might be considered unethical depending on the culture and expectations about what role women play in society. Nevertheless, the pursuit of gender equality should transcend cultural boundaries. 

 

Empowering women to take on leadership roles in AI is also a strategic necessity.  International entities must actively integrate women into their leadership frameworks and AI strategies. By equipping women and girls from an early age with the skills, confidence, and opportunities they need, the future will be more inclusive and ethical but also innovative and empowering. While women's integration into the workforce across the GCC has greatly improved, more can still be done to achieve true economic gender integration. The tool of AI can help realise this by decade’s end.

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(23/04/2024)

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Endnotes:

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(1) 2023 GENDER SOCIAL NORMS INDEX. https://www.undp.org/sites/g/files/zskgke326/files/2023-06/2023_gender_social_norms_index_embargoed.pdf

(2)Women and girls, everywhere, must have equal rights and opportunity, and be able to live free of violence and discrimination. Women’s equality and empowerment is one of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, but also integral to all dimensions of inclusive and sustainable development. In short, all the SDGs depend on the achievement of Goal 5. SDG 5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls. 49 countries lack laws protecting women from domestic violence. Gender equality by 2030 requires urgent action to eliminate the many root causes of discrimination that still curtail women’s rights in private and public spheres. https://www.unwomen.org/en/node/36060

(3) World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report 2023. https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2023/06/most-gender-equal-countries-gender-gap/

(4) ‘Championing Female Leadership in the Age of AI’ written by Ana Paula Assis, Chair and General Manager IBM EMEA. https://www.ibm.com/blogs/think/uk-en/championing-female-leadership-in-the-age-of-ai-2/

(5) The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) was established by an agreement concluded on 25 May 1981 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia among Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and UAE in view of their special relations, geographic proximity, similar political systems based on Islamic beliefs, joint destiny and common objectives. http://www.gcc-sg.org/en-us/Pages/default.aspx

(6) The state of AI in GCC countries—and how to overcome adoption challenges. May 30/2023. This article is a collaborative effort by Vinay Chandran, Ankit Fadia, Tom Isherwood, Nikhil Shah, and Karan Soni, representing views from McKinsey Digital and QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey. 

https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/mckinsey-digital/our-insights/the-state-of-ai-in-gcc-countries-and-how-to-overcome-adoption-challenges

(7) https://www.bain.com/about/media-center/press-releases/middle-east/2023/bain--companys-report-reveals-significant-increase-and-integration-of-women-in-the-gcc-workforce

(8) Official statement by Ms. Amina J. Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations and Chair of the United Nations Sustainable Development Group at the Commission on the Status of Women event "Closing the Gap: Women's Empowerment in the GCC Region’. March 14, 2024. https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/deputy-secretary-general/statement/2024-03-14/deputy-secretary-generals-remarks-csw-side-event-closing-the-gap-womens-empowerment-the-gcc-region-deliveredOfficial statement by Ms. Amina J. Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations and Chair of the United Nations Sustainable Development Group at the Commission on the Status of Women event "Closing the Gap: Women's Empowerment in the GCC Region’. March 14, 2024. https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/deputy-secretary-general/statement/2024-03-14/deputy-secretary-generals-remarks-csw-side-event-closing-the-gap-womens-empowerment-the-gcc-region-delivered

 

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