Bodour Al Qasimi: Enhancing the role of women in policymaking is a necessity to avoid the harms of technology

Bodour Al Qasimi. From the source

Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, President of the American University of Sharjah and Chairperson of the Sharjah Research, Technology and Innovation Park, has called on governments and companies in the technology sector to include women in the policy-making process to promote the benefits of modern technology and reduce its risks.

This came during her speech at the opening of the second edition of the "Global Women in Technology Summit" in the French capital, Paris. Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi stressed that providing leadership opportunities for women and benefiting from their visions and ideas in decision-making and policy-making processes for the technology sector will contribute to drawing a better roadmap for society.

Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi, a publishing entrepreneur and advocate for justice and equal employment opportunities, pointed to the underrepresentation of women in the technology sector, addressing more than 400 delegates and thought leaders from companies, civil society institutions, and governments participating in the annual summit, which seeks to catalyze action to build a more inclusive, sustainable and innovative science, technology, engineering and mathematics ecosystem, or STEM.

"Reality must change quickly, and we have to take the lead, when we see that government decision-making, policy frameworks and regulatory standards are still dominated by men so far, we realize that we need to launch a call to action," said Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi, reviewing UN Women data showing that women are severely underrepresented at all levels of decision-making and political life in general.

Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi added: "According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), 57 per cent of graduates of the STEM system are women, and this figure reaches 61 per cent in the UAE."

The President of the American University of Sharjah described women as social fabric makers who are able to provide effective policies that contribute to benefiting from modern technology, managing its risks and mitigating its damage to society.

Women are social fabric makers who are able to deliver effective policies that contribute to the utilization of modern technology.