AI and Gender Parity at the G20
Author(s): Scott Douglas Jacobsen
Publication (Outlet/Website): The Good Men Project
Publication Date (yyyy/mm/dd): 2025/04/25
Vanessa Frazier, Malta’s Permanent Representative to the UN since 2020, is a trailblazing diplomat. The first woman in her role, she has served in Washington, London, and Rome. Fraser champions gender parity in AI and credits Malta’s UN initiative, the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, for promoting women in STEM. She advances Malta’s priorities on equality and ethics.
Christian Veske serves as Estonia’s Gender Equality and Equal Treatment Commissioner, driving policies to advance equity across member states. Veske highlights ethical AI through transparency and accountability. Veske emphasizes its relevance to gender parity, advocating for inclusive technology governance. Veske represents Estonia’s commitment to fairness and innovation in various fora.
Rebecca Buttigieg is Malta’s Parliamentary Secretary for Reforms and Equality, shaping policies to promote social justice under the Prime Minister’s Minister’s Office. In 2025, she urges proactive digital safety measures for women, warning that AI risks regressing gender equality without intentional design. Buttigieg highlights threats to global equality gains since the Beijing Platform, advocating for robust advocacy spaces. She represents Malta as a G20 guest, pushing for inclusive, human-centered AI and equality frameworks.
Scott Douglas Jacobsen: One the topic of the European Union Artificial Intelligence Act. So, what is the framework that the European Union has developed? Specifically, could you describe the ethical framework guiding AI development?
Christian Veske: I serve as Estonia’s Gender Equality and Equal Treatment Commissioner.
Yes, it is a comprehensive policy framework designed to promote the development and use of ethical AI systems. The European Union’s Artificial Intelligence Act is based on a risk-based approach. AI systems are classified according to their risk level—from minimal to limited, high, and unacceptable risk. Depending on the category, there are corresponding regulatory requirements. For example, high-risk AI systems are subject to strict obligations around transparency, data governance, human oversight, and accountability. Each EU member state is also required to establish a national supervisory authority to oversee the implementation and enforcement of the Act. That is the framework’s core—though I should mention I am not a specialist in the AI Act itself—but it is undoubtedly relevant in discussions about ethics, equality, and emerging technologies.
Vanessa Frazier: I am the Permanent Representative of Malta to the United Nations.
Jacobsen: Regarding artificial intelligence and gender parity, specifically in this session, what were your main take-home messages from the panel and the audience’s responses?
Frazier: The key takeaway is that we need more women involved in AI. One of the panelists made the critical point that AI’s answers are generated from often biased datasets. For example, if you ask ChatGPT to describe what it dreamed of last night, and you first identify yourself as either a man or a woman, you will likely get a different response. That is because the programming and training data reflect pre-existing gender biases. The solution is to include more women’s experiences in AI development and programming processes. Malta anticipated this need over a decade ago. We introduced the International Day of Women and Girls in Science at the United Nations, which is now celebrated annually on February 11. It is a day that highlights how crucial it is to encourage girls to aspire to careers in STEM fields. The biggest takeaway from today’s session is that we were right to push for that initiative ten years ago—because we now see just how vital it is.
Rebecca Buttigieg: I am the Parliamentary Secretary for Reforms and Equality of Malta within the Office of the Prime Minister.
Jacobsen: When you came into the session, what did you expect the audience to ask about artificial intelligence and gender parity?
Buttigieg: We had such a diverse audience that it was difficult to predict their perspective on the topic. However, the size of the audience and the level of engagement showed just how timely this discussion is. It also highlighted how proactive we, as governments, need to be. The session was fascinating—there were so many intersectional perspectives on AI and gender equality. And it made clear just how much more work remains to be done.
Jacobsen: What was your biggest takeaway—from the panel, the responses, and the questions?
Buttigieg: That we need to do more. As governments—not only mine but across the board—we tend to be reactive regarding what is happening online. It was well established during the session that the digital world is not a safe place for women. We need urgent action. We need practical policy tools that ensure equality is something we talk about in the physical world and implement meaningfully in the digital world.
Jacobsen: How can artificial intelligence be used to further gender parity efforts?
Buttigieg: AI can absolutely play a role because it already shapes so much of our lives. We often interact with AI more than with people now, whether through chatbots like ChatGPT or other platforms. But if we are not intentional about using AI to enhance equality and promote fairness—values that humans have long fought for—then we risk AI contributing to regression instead of progress. That is why these conversations are so important. We must work together to ensure AI serves inclusive, human-centered goals.
Jacobsen: In your conversations with other experts and leaders in this space, do you think we are progressing or regressing in terms of achieving gender parity through the use of AI?
Buttigieg: Honestly, the political landscape at the moment is concerning. We are witnessing a questioning—even a rollback—of principles the global community had long agreed upon. Since adopting the Beijing Platform for Action 30 years ago, many of our gains are now under threat. We need to ensure that those who have fought for gender equality and human rights continue to have a voice. We must stand up for our progress and protect the space for those advocating for it.
Jacobsen: Thank you for your time.
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