“A technology that is unjust to women will not benefit humanity”
The “6th International Women and Justice Summit,” organized by the Women and Democracy Foundation (KADEM) with the theme “Artificial Intelligence and Women,” hosted experts and officials from around the world at Haliç University on November 8-9. In his opening speech on November 8, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan addressed the participants, stating, “A technology that treats women unjustly cannot benefit humanity.”
The sixth edition of the International Women and Justice Summit, organized by the Women and Democracy Foundation (KADEM) since 2014 under the principle of “Equality in Existence, Justice in Responsibility,” began with opening speeches by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, KADEM Board Chair Dr. Saliha Okur Gümrükçüoğlu, and Minister of Family and Social Services Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş.
President Erdoğan, who attended the summit with his wife, Emine Erdoğan, stated, “A technology that excludes women and injustices against women cannot benefit humanity.”
President Erdoğan, who stated that during KADEM’s International Women and Justice Summits, numerous decisions, proposals, and recommendations have been raised to remove the obstacles faced by women in their work, personal lives, and to build a fairer system, continued his remarks as follows: “We have benefited from this body of work, which serves as a guide for both our civil society and official institutions. I find it extremely accurate that the theme of today’s summit has been set as ‘Artificial Intelligence and Women.’ I believe that the discussions over the next two days with valuable participants from both domestic and international backgrounds will once again broaden our horizons.”
President Erdoğan, stating that Türkiye has become a country where equality of opportunity, freedom, and justice prevail, continued his remarks as follows: “A system where women’s labor is viewed as cheap labor, where women are commodified, where women only exist in name, where the female hand does not touch politics, the business world, education, or public administration, in short, where women are excluded from production, society, politics, and academia, is not only incomplete, but also unjust. It means disregarding half of the strength of society.”
President: “We will build the Century of Türkiye shoulder to shoulder with women”
President Erdoğan, emphasizing that the vision of the ‘Century of Türkiye’ focuses on strong women and men, strong families and societies, and a strong Türkiye, said: “Thanks to families where women and men are strong together, we will strengthen our society and our country even further. We will close any gaps where women’s lives do not align with human dignity, where they are not taking an active role in every field, and where they do not benefit fairly and equally from rights, opportunities, and resources. We will correct any mistakes, and take the necessary steps wherever they are needed. Just as we have done so far, we will accomplish this side by side with you, our women who are our partners in the journey and our shared destiny.”
“The brave women of Gaza are becoming towering symbols of pride for the Ummah.”
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan continued his speech by stating that two-thirds of the more than 50,000 innocent people killed in Gaza in the past 13 months were women and children: “Under the bombs and weapons, the brave women of Gaza and Palestine, who shield their children, families, homes, and cause, are becoming towering symbols of pride for the Ummah. Like our Nene Hatun, who carried arms during the War of Independence, the warrior women of Gaza are doing what the Islamic world has not been able to do. They are embracing and elevating the Palestinian cause with glory, honor, and pride.”
“We envision a future where women bring all their strength to society”
Minister of Family and Social Services, Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş, emphasized that when women’s power and potential are properly channeled, the prosperity of our country will grow, and groundbreaking innovations will be unlocked in various sectors, including digital technologies, healthcare, education, and agriculture.
Minister of Family and Social Services emphasized the importance of women’s participation in decision-making processes, as it reflects their needs and expectations, and continued: “We envision a future where women discover their potential, develop their skills, and carry this power to society as a whole. In the age of artificial intelligence, we want to see stronger women not only in the digital world but in every field. Every idea shared by our participants during the Summit will serve as a building block in constructing the future of a strong Türkiye.”
Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş, emphasizing that women’s active roles in artificial intelligence and technology will accelerate Türkiye’s development in the digitalizing world, stated, “This Summit will open new doors for all women on their digital transformation journey; it will contribute to enhancing their knowledge, skills, and self-confidence.”
“Israel is using artificial intelligence for perception management”
In her speech, KADEM Board of Directors Chairperson Assoc. Prof. Dr. Saliha Okur Gümrükçüoğlu highlighted the various activities KADEM is carrying out to ensure women have equal access to opportunities and resources and to promote their balanced participation in social life. She emphasized that they are fighting against all forms of human rights violations and violence. In this context, Gümrükçüoğlu opened a special discussion on the genocide in Gaza, stating: “We raise our voices on every platform against Israel, which has committed crimes against humanity in Gaza. We have filed a complaint with the International Criminal Court against Israeli government and military officials. With the event we organized at the United Nations, we brought the genocide and the suffering of Palestinian women to the world’s attention. On the other hand, we have seen that artificial intelligence has added a new dimension to warfare, most recently in Gaza and Lebanon. Powers like Israel, which disregard any moral values, are using artificial intelligence for the detriment of humanity. In fact, they are using AI to conduct a powerful global narrative management campaign.”
Gümrükçüoğlu, the technological revolution in artificial intelligence reshapes existing gender inequalities and injustices through algorithms, stating: “Many artificial intelligence applications used by international companies push women to the background in areas such as recruitment, promotion, executive positions, and access to credit, while at the same time, they prefer women in advertising, media, and voice assistant systems.”
Despite all challenges, Gümrükçüoğlu, the KADEM Board Chairwoman, emphasized that artificial intelligence also offers new opportunities and possibilities. She stated that turning these into real gains for women is possible with the right steps taken today. She further explained that with the “Artificial Intelligence and Women Summit,” they aim to identify the correct steps that can be taken for sustainable equality. Gümrükçüoğlu said: “We are working to identify biases in AI systems, revisit data sets with an egalitarian perspective, and ensure stronger representation of women. As KADEM, we want to not only secure a fair and equal ground for women today but also for tomorrow. Because we know that tomorrow will be shaped by today.”
“’Influencers’ from around the world in the “AI-Supported Genocide: Gaza” discussions…”
The summit continued with the “Women in the Age of Artificial Intelligence: Challenges and Emerging Opportunities” Leaders’ Session, organized by the Ministry of Family and Social Services, where ministers from different countries were hosted. In addition to the Minister of Family and Social Services, Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş, the session was attended by Mikheil Sarjveladze, Minister of Health of Georgia, Maimouna Dieye, Minister of Family and Solidarity of Senegal, Fatmir Limani, Minister of Social Policies, Demography, and Youth of North Macedonia, Tatjana Macura, Minister Responsible for the Prevention of Violence Against Women and Economic and Political Empowerment of Women in Serbia, and Maya Morsy, Minister of Social Solidarity of Egypt.
The summit also features experiential areas showcasing innovations like “digital twins with artificial intelligence,” alongside discussion points (media zones) exploring various applications of AI. One such area focuses on how artificial intelligence has been employed during the attacks on Gaza. On the second day of the summit, November 9, notable figures answering questions from the press in the media zone include Prof. Dr. Khaled A. Beydoun, a legal scholar, author, and activist known for his work on Islamophobia; documentary photographer and artist Belal Khaled; and Hatice Banu Acar, Digital Channel Coordinator for TRT International News Broadcasts.
Participants of KADEM’s 6th International Women and Justice Summit, themed Artificial Intelligence and Women, continued on November 9 to delve into topics such as “Artificial Intelligence and Knowledge Production,” “Socio-Cultural Codes,” “Ethical Debates and Policy Regulations on Artificial Intelligence,” and “The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Women’s Well-Being,” joined by AI experts and academics from around the world.
