Pakistan has become the first country in South Asia to host the full national Training of Trainers programme of the UN Women Gender-Responsive AI School, marking a significant step toward inclusive and ethical artificial intelligence.
The initiative was launched in Islamabad by the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication (MoITT) in collaboration with UN Women Pakistan, with support from the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA).
The AI School aims to strengthen the ability of policymakers, government officials, parliamentarians, academics, civil society representatives and private-sector leaders to understand and use AI responsibly. A key focus is ensuring that women and girls participate equally in Pakistan’s rapidly expanding digital economy.
Its curriculum covers AI fundamentals, ethical and gender-responsive AI, AI governance, prompt engineering, AI agents and practical applications in public administration and inclusive development.
The programme also addresses concerns over gender bias in AI policymaking. According to UN Women, only around two dozen of nearly 140 national AI policies worldwide make specific references to gender, highlighting the need for more inclusive approaches.
During the launch, MoITT and UN Women Pakistan signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to institutionalize the AI School and strengthen its long-term national ownership.
UN Women Pakistan Country Representative Jamshed M. Kazi described Pakistan’s initiative as a new benchmark for the Asia-Pacific region. Since 2024, the wider regional programme has trained more than 5,000 policymakers, UN personnel, civil society leaders and young innovators across Asia and the Pacific.
The launch positions Pakistan at the forefront of efforts to make AI development more ethical, inclusive and gender-responsive, while building local expertise for the country’s digital future.
