The South Asian Chapter of Women4Ethical AI —A Year Later

On January 19, 2025, at the International Conference on Gender and Technology in Amritapuri, Kerala, the South Asian Chapter of Women4Ethical AI (W4EAI) was officially launched, marking a pivotal moment for gender justice in the artificial intelligence space. This chapter helped bring together women across South Asia, from India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, and the Maldives to collaborate on ethical AI policies, research, mentorship, and capacity building. 

But why do we need this chapter? The answer is obvious. Despite AI’s explosive growth in recent years, women remain significantly underrepresented in the AI workforce, accounting for about 30% of the field, with even fewer in leadership and research positions. This imbalance has real consequences, such as when AI is built mostly by men, it can unintentionally reinforce gender biases. For example, algorithms could associate female names with domestic roles, or systems can be built where women’s needs in healthcare or employment are overlooked. With the establishment of this chapter, it can finally change that narrative by ensuring women have a voice in how AI is built, governed, and deployed so that this technology benefits everyone, leaving nobody behind in the dust. 

While this chapter is still young, they have already made some important strides. For instance, in mid-2025, the chapter convened in Bengaluru to continue its work on regional strategies for inclusive AI design by bringing together experts and advocates to focus on cultural sensitivity and locally relevant AI solutions. Institutions like Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, which hosts the chapter’s secretariat, have been involved in broader national discussions, including white papers on “safe and inclusive AI for the Global South”, including guidelines for healthcare, education, finance, and public services. 

Overall, this initiative can reflect a larger shift in how technology is understood by creating role models and pathways for women to lead in the AI fields and comfortably hold positions in ethics boards or tech policy councils. Furthermore, it brings representation to South Asian women for their deep linguistic, economic, and cultural diversity.  And by tying into UNESCO’s “Ethics of AI Recommendation”, the chapter helps ensure that gender equality is embedded into global AI standards, not just national. Now this AI ecosystem can not just be recognized by technical skills but also by diversity and equality of thought.

Photo Citation: https://amma.org/news/women-for-ethical-ai-unescos-south-asia-chapter-launched-at-amritapuri/

Works Cited

Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham. AI Safety Conclave at Amrita Releases White Paper on Ethical and Safe AI for the Global South. Amrita University, 2025,www.amrita.edu/news/ai-safety-conclave-at-amrita-releases-white-paper-on-ethical-and-safe-ai-for-the-global-south. Accessed 15 Jan. 2026.

Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham. Women for Ethical AI South Asia Chapter Convenes at Amrita Bengaluru Campus. Amrita University, 2025,ammachilabs.org/women-for-ethical-ai-south-asia-chapter-convenes-at-amrita-bengaluru-campus. Accessed 15 Jan. 2026.

UNESCO. Women4Ethical AI Calls for Concerted Efforts for Inclusive, Trustworthy and Ethical AI Systems. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, 2025,www.unesco.org/en/articles/women4ethical-ai-calls-concerted-efforts-inclusive-trustworthy-and-ethical-ai-systems. Accessed 15 Jan. 2026.

UNESCO. Women4Ethical AI. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization,

www.unesco.org/en/artificial-intelligence/women4ethical-ai. Accessed 15 Jan. 2026.