With growth slowing and families struggling to make ends meet, it is an appalling injustice when money ends up in the hands of criminals – money that could be spent on much-needed global growth and development” // CATHERINE LADOUSSE Catherine Ladousse is co-chair of the Parity Commission of the Haut Conseil à l’Égalité entre les femmes et les hommes. She is co-founder and honourary president of Cercle InterL, and a member of the G7 Gender Equality Advisory Council in 2024–2026. She is a communications and corporate social responsibility expert who has led global initiatives to advance gender equality in technology and leadership. She co-founded Cercle InterL in 2001, created women’s networks at IBM and Lenovo, and co-leads the HCE’s work on parity in politics, digital and sports. She was awarded the Légion d’Honneur and Ordre National du Mérite for her commitment to women’s rights.
X-TWITTER @CatLadousse haut-conseil-egalite.gouv.fr/le-hce
TECHNOLOGY AND AI: A CRITICAL TURNING POINT AI produces both risks and opportu- nities. Today, 88% of AI systems are developed by predominantly male teams, increasing the likelihood of biased outcomes: 44% of AI solutions showed gender bias. Digital spaces have also become new arenas for gender- based violence, further limiting women’s participation: 96% of deepfakes are por- nographic, targeting women. Yet these transformations offer a unique opportunity to correct historical imbalances. Ensuring women’s full par- ticipation in the design and governance of emerging technologies would foster more inclusive innovation and unlock significant economic potential. STRENGTHENING G7 ACTION In this context, the experience of the Gender Equality Advisory Council, established in 2018, provides a valuable model for strengthening gender equal- ity within global governance. The 2025 impact assessment conducted under Canada’s G7 presidency confirmed that GEAC has contributed to maintaining gender equality as a consistent prior- ity within the G7 and to enhancing the coherence of its commitments. It high- lights a strong alignment between GEAC recommendations and G7 out- comes, including initiatives such as the G7 Dashboard on Gender Gaps and commitments on education, STEM par- ticipation and gender-based violence. More broadly, the assessment under- scores that structured advisory mechanisms – combined with access to decision-makers and alignment with presidency priorities – can improve both the ambition and the implementa- tion of policies. Strengthening GEAC’s integration into decision-making pro- cesses, linking recommendations to measurable targets and financing, and
larly online, are reshaping attitudes, especially among younger generations. At the same time, education systems continue to reproduce gender stereo- types, limiting girls’ participation in STEM and access to future-oriented sectors such as AI. LEGISLATIVE PROGRESS: NECESSARY BUT NOT SUFFICIENT Over the past decade, legislative action has been effective. In France, for example, women now hold nearly 47% of corporate board positions fol- lowing the Copé-Zimmermann law, and their representation in executive leadership has increased under the Rixain law. However, these advances remain partial. Laws alone cannot disman- tle deeply rooted norms, unconscious biases or structural barriers. Nor can they fully address emerging challenges such as digital violence, algorithmic biases or inequalities in fast-growing technological sectors. Without a systemic approach based on education, current trans- formations, particularly in AI, might increase existing inequalities.
reinforcing accountability frameworks would further enhance its impact. PLACE GENDER EQUALITY AT THE TOP OF THE G7’S AGENDA In a context of global uncertainty and backlash on women’s rights, gender equality must be recognised as a strate- gic imperative. To accelerate progress, G7 leaders should act on four key levers: • Transform education systems by embedding gender equality early and promoting inclusive STEM pathways. • Strengthen regulation and public policies by addressing digital vio- lence, ensuring transparency in AI systems and linking public funding to equality outcomes. • Invest in women’s economic empow- erment through gender-responsive budgeting and targeted financing. • Ensure the full, equal and effective participation of women at all levels of political, economic and social decision-making. These actions must be infused across all G7 priorities, from technology to eco- nomic and social policies. TOWARDS A MORE INCLUSIVE FUTURE At a time when global imbalances threaten stability and resilience, gender equality offers a powerful lever for trans- formation. More inclusive societies are not only fairer but are also more innova- tive and more sustainable. The G7 Évian Summit represents a pivotal moment. Faced with accelerating transformations, leaders have a choice: allow inequalities to persist or seize this opportunity to build a more inclusive and forward-looking world. The path forward is clear. What is needed now is the political will to act decisively and collectively in order to build a more democratic world.
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