Women and technology : trends, challenges and opportunities by Sonia Bahri, Advisor to the President @French National Commission for UNESCO.

1. THE WOMEN IN MACHINE LEARNING & DATA SCIENCE (WIMLDS)
MEETUP
28 NOVEMBER 2019
Women and Technology :
Trends, challenges and opportunities
Sonia Bahri, Paris, 28 November 2019

2. LOW PARTICIPATION OF WOMEN IN SCIENCE
•Only 28,8 % of researchers in the world are women
Low participation with very little recognition
•3% of Nobel Prices in Science are women
Sonia Bahri, Paris, 28 November 2019

3. Source : UNESCO Institute for Statistics

4. GENDER DISPARITIES IN SCIENCE
28,8 % of researchers in the world are Women
• 48 % Central Asia
• 45 % LAC
• 40% Arab States
• 40% East and central Europe
• 32% Europe and North America
• 31 % Sub-Saharan Africa
• 23 % East Asia and Pacific
• 19 % South and West Asia
Source : UNESCO Institute for Statistics

6. WOMEN IN STEM
• More Women in life sciences and much less in physical sciences,
engineering sciences and especially in computer sciences
• Only 12 % of researchers in AI in the world are Women
Sonia Bahri, Paris, 28 November 2019

8. WOMEN IN THE DIGITAL SECTOR AND IN ARTICIFIAL
INTELLIGENCE
SOME FIGURES FOR FRANCE
• 27% female students in engineering schools
• Girls make up less than 10% of students in computer-related specialties
• Only 11% of computer science students are women in high school
• 33% of Women in the digital sector and only 12% for the technical part
• 14, 8% of researchers in AI
• Only 10% of start-ups are created by women
Sonia Bahri, Paris, 28 November 2019

9. WOMEN IN THE DIGITAL SECTOR AND IN ARTICIFIAL INTELLIGENCE
SOME FIGURES FOR THE US
• Google : 31% of female employees of which only 20% for programming jobs
• Facebook : 35% of female employees and 19% in programming jobs
Instead of a progression, trends show that the situation is getting
worst !
• In 2017, 22% of computer science degrees go to women, compared to 40% in
1984
• In 2017, 25% of IT jobs go to women compared to 36% in 1991
Sonia Bahri, Paris, 28 November 2019

10. WOMEN IN THE DIGITAL SECTOR AND IN ARTICIFIAL
INTELLIGENCE
Source: Girls who code

11. WHY THIS SITUATION IS NOT ACCEPTABLE ?
WHAT IS AT STAKE ?
• When AI and computer Sciences were not higly valued the
proportion of women was much higher
Sonia Bahri, Paris, 28 November 2019

12. WHY THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE ?
WHAT IS AT STAKE ?
• Women stay out of the digital revolution while the sector is expanding
very fast
- Highly value added sector
- Well payed jobs
With AI transforming societies
Every aspect of our lives is being transformed by artificial
intelligence and machine learning
Human rights issue
Sonia Bahri, Paris, 28 November 2019

13. WHY THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE ?
WHAT IS AT STAKE ?
• In terms of numbers : male engineers and computer scientists will not be
enough to meet the needs of the sector in the years to come
• It is estimated that to meet the needs in AI and in the digital sector (Cédric
Villani Report) it would be necessary to double or triple the number of
researchers and engineers working in the sector)
• Without women, it will be necessary to increase immigration, which creates
other societal problems, both for the country of departure and for the country
of arrival.
Sonia Bahri, Paris, 28 November 2019

14. WHY THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE ?
WHAT IS AT STAKE ?
• « Miss to win » for economic growth
Estimated at € 200 billions of additional GDP (Mc Kinsey study)
We cannot afford to deprive ourselves of 50% of the talents
of humanity
Sonia Bahri, Paris, 28 November 2019

15. WHY THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE ?
WHAT IS AT STAKE ?
• On the qualitative side
There is evidence that diversity is beneficial to organisations and compagnies
• Quality, relevance, reliability of AI driven
applications
Equal participation of women will avoid algorithmic biases
Sonia Bahri, Paris, 28 November 2019

16. WHY THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE ?
WHAT IS AT STAKE ?
• Gender biases in algorithms
The low participation of women increases the risk of algorithmic biases discrimating women
Behind lines of code there are coders with their own cognitive biases
For example targeted and automated online advertising related to job opportunities in S&T would be more
frequently available to men than women
Creating an amplification of vicious cercle in gender inequalities
• If we want a responsible, ethical and equitable AI, without any algorithmic bias we need more women involved
Sonia Bahri, Paris, 28 November 2019

17. HOW TO CHANGE THE GAME AND CREATE OPPORTUNITIES ?
Tackle the root causes of inequality : The better we understand them, the better we can act !
Stereotypes, social norms, cognitive biases (conscious or non conscious) conveyed by society,
parents, teachers :
✓ Women would not have the same abilities as men in science ... girls are less good at maths…
✓Stereotypes in text books : absence of women scientists except Marie Curie
No mention of Ada Lovelace the first computer programmer
Sonia Bahri, Paris, 28 November 2019

18. TACKLE THE ROOT CAUSES OF INEQUALITY
• Toys : First computer for boys….
• Myth of the « geek »
Albert Einstein : It is harder to crack prejudice than an atom
Sonia Bahri, Paris, 28 November 2019

19. TACKLE THE ROOT CAUSES OF INEQUALITY
• Orientation of girls towards other disciplines than STEM and especially
computer science ...
✓ Role of teachers at primary and secondary level
✓Role of parents
• Sexual Harassment
• Glass ceiling to access higher positions
Sonia Bahri, Paris, 28 November 2019

20. HOW TO CHANGE THE GAME AND CREATE
OPPORTUNITIES ?
• Measuring : If you cant measure it, you can’t improve it !
UIS: need for more disaggregated data from the countries …
• Advocacy/awareness raising : decision-makers, the media and the public
• Studies & research (Universities, UNESCO, UNWomen, NGOs, think tanks … ) to better
understand & provide decision makers with evidence-based information
• Proactive policies for gender equality at all levels
Example of Ecole 42 : from 5% to 26% women enrolled today
Sonia Bahri, Paris, 28 November 2019

21. HOW TO CHANGE THE GAME AND CREATE
OPPORTUNITIES ?
• Specific training for teachers and for guidance counselors
• Role models
• Awards and Scholarships
• Mentoring, coaching programmes
Sonia Bahri, Paris, 28 November 2019

22. HOW TO CHANGE THE GAME AND CREATE
OPPORTUNITIES ?
• Quotas : controversial but it works !
• Participation of women in selection/ recruitment committees
• Normative instruments: - UNESCO Recommendation on science
and scientific researchers place of women clearly mentioned
- Recommandation on ethics of Artificial
intelligence, including the gender balance
• Special events/days : International Women and Girls Day in Science
(11 February)
Sonia Bahri, Paris, 28 November 2019

23. HOW TO CHANGE THE GAME AND CREATE
OPPORTUNITIES ?
• Role of associations & NGO’s, such as femmes@numérique, WiMLDS, and
many others…
• GAFAM ‘s programs and/or support of programs or associations on women
and technology to encourage more participation of girls and women in
technology
Sonia Bahri, Paris, 28 November 2019

24. HOW TO CHANGE THE GAME AND CREATE
OPPORTUNITIES ?
• Role of Women ‘s networks
We4Dev coding training in Tunisia : a pilot initiative

25. CONCLUSION
To change the numbers, reverse the trend that is not going in the right
direction to give women the place they should have in this digital
revolution, we need a mobilisation of all energies, of all stakeholders,
decision makers, the media, the education system, the public and private
sector, corporates and non-profit organisations, women and men…
There are too many issues at stake not to consider this problem as a real
economic and social priority

26. Thank you for your attention !
😊