Artificial Intelligence and the
Women, Peace and Security Agenda
Shimona Mohan
• In 2000, the United Nations Security
Council (UNSC) adopted the landmark
Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and
Security (WPS). Resolution 1325 and a
number of subsequent WPS resolutions
make up the WPS Agenda.
• These resolutions rearm the role of
women in the prevention and resolution
ofconictsandpeace-building,andurge
States to ensure the equal participation
and full involvement of women in all
areas of international peace and security.
The WPS Agenda
is structured around
FOUR
inter-connected
pillars
What is the Women, Peace and Security Agenda?
AI and the WPS Agenda
As the WPS Agenda turns 25, it is important to take stock of its implementation and ensure it is t to address obstacles
and opportunities posed by new technologies like AI.
• AI can be used in military and conict forecasting
systems, including unveiling trends and patterns to
predict escalating tensions. This could help prevent
conictsandmitigategender-basedviolence.
• AI can be integrated into satellite imagery to
accelerate the remote monitoring of conict zones
to identify violations of humanitarian law and violence
against women and girls.
• In dicult-to-navigate conict and post-conict
environments, AI-powered drones can be used to
deliver aid packages, including food, medical aid
and supplies specic to women and girls which
may otherwise be deprioritised.
• AI can support educational and training programmes
forwomenandgirlsasapartofpost-conictrecovery.
• AI can help provide digital tools compliant with
local cultures and languages that amplify the work
of grassroots organisations and women’s groups.
• AI can support humanitarian actors in mediation and
negotiation through simulations and technical aids.
• Learning about AI can build capacity of previously
underrepresented groups such as women, and enhance
theirparticipationinpeaceandsecurityeorts.
•
Early warning systems have been documented to be
misleading,andAI-basedtoolscanincorrectly infer sensitive
and complex geopolitical situations due to limited context.
• The lack of disaggregated data in datasets powering AI can
result in biases that invisiblise or deprioritise several groups,
who may be left out of essential post-conict recovery
measures using AI systems, like identication and aid
disbursement.
• Medical aid is critical in relief measures, but medical
algorithms have been known to deny appropriate care to
individuals based on
gender, race and age.
• The gender digital divide, i.e. the signicant disparity in
women’s access to and use of digital technologies as
compared to men, is a major barrier to women and girls’
meaningful engagement with AI.
• Grassroots organisations and women human rights
defenders have been targeted online for their work, including
through AI-assisted technologies like deepfakes, which
deters their meaningful participation in peacebuilding.
• AI-basedtoolsforengagementinconictresolutioncanbe
prone to bias,oversimplicationandlossofculturalnuance.
• AI-basedrecruitmenttoolshavebeenknowntonot shortlist
women for jobs due to biased AI systems.
AI as an Opportunity AI as an Obstacle
Participation
of women and
girls in peace
and security
eorts
Relief and
Recoveryeorts
that take into
account the
needs of women
and girls
Protection of
women and girls
from all forms of
violence and the
protection of
their rights
Prevention
of all forms of
violence against
women and
girls
