Saniye Gulser Corat
Founder and CEO of No Bias AI?
Former Director for Gender Equality (2004-2020), UNESCO
Video presentation for Kobe University Forum
4 March 2024
Konichiwa
Warm greetings from Paris. I thank Kobe University for giving me the opportunity to address you
virtually at this important Forum, which marks the end of an important project entitled Initiativefor Realizing Diversity in the Research Environment. I am honored and proud to be involved inthis initiative since its beginning in 2018.
We have to remember that this project was implemented over a period of time that witnessed anunexpected global pandemic that required very drastic, strict and different measures on working
modalities, on travel (including within national borders but more so on an international level), on
our plans for life in general. These changes came in mid-cycle for the project. In many institutions,especially research that did not have urgency was put on hold. It would not have been viewed
negatively or considered a failure if project managers decided to take a break. But that is not what
happened. Work continued with some pivots and thoughtful changes. So, I want to congratulate
everybody involved for their commitment, adaptability and agility.
It is also rare in 5-year projects to have such a thoughtful process of constant assessment and readjustment of different methods. Hence, this is quite an exemplary effort that would benefit similar
efforts in the future if Kobe University carefully and succinctly documents all of the thoughtprocesses that went into planning, adjusting, and readjusting action plans and share them widely
within and outside Japan. Lessons learned from this project would be invaluable for diversity
efforts not only in universities but in other institutional settings and the corporate world.
I have been collaborating with Kobe University for almost 15 years now. I am very impressed withthe progress the University made in promoting gender equality, diversity and inclusion. Startingfrom very low participation of women in senior management, the project has achieved andsurpassed its target of 4 women and today it has 6 women in those senior positions.
We are going through an interesting period in our common history. While changes in technology
are outpacing our ability to absorb new developments, we were also forced to slow down due tothe pandemic. Both of these developments – i.e., technological shifts and the pandemic – brought
to light the fault lines in our efforts to promote gender equality and diversity.
According to the World Economic Forum 2023 report, we still need 131 years to close the gender
gap. That is beyond the lifetime of all of us at this Forum and it is not acceptable. In East Asia andPacific, the region Japan belongs to, progress on parity has been stagnating for over a decade.
Globally, data shows that while women account for almost 42 % of the labor force, the share ofwomen in senior leadership positions has only been increasing by 1% for the past 8 years.

Women in senior management positions is still a rarity in Japan. Despite a government led push
for women’s empowerment since 2013, only 8.2% of 1.2 million Japanese companies had femalepresidents according to a survey by Teikoku Databank. Of those, more than half, inherited theirposition via a family business.
While many firms now provide services and incentives for women, such as generous maternity
leaves, they lack post-maternity mentoring programs or services and incentives to keep them intheir work place. Around the world, there is still a cultural tendency to evaluate employees on thenumber of hours they work rather than actual output (this can be research papers in the case ofuniversities) with the result that some women get demoted after they return to work. In Japan, thegovernment supports a merit-based system but application of this system still needs to be supported.
The pipeline of female senior executives is another area that needs serious consideration and thiscould be an important goal as the project moves forward and some of the resources under theDiversity Fund can be allocated for this purpose.
In the area of diversity, the world is facing serious challenges with rising nationalist and populist
movements in many parts of the world, and with increasing conflict in and among countries. Oneof the common reactions of people who face challenging political and economic conditions is toturn inwards, to blame an external enemy and hence damage efforts for diversity. Diversity in allof its forms has been documented to be positive for moving forward, in the economy, in researchand innovation, in social development, etc.
It is important that leading higher education institutions, such as Kobe University, continue tospearhead efforts to promote gender equality and diversity and to advocate for it with its partners
and allies to expand it beyond the university. This is not the time to slow down but to strengthen
and accelerate our efforts to achieve gender equality and promote diversity and inclusion.
We already know that we will not reach the targets set by the Sustainable Development Goals
adopted by world leaders, including Japan, in 2015. This is all the more reason to double our efforts
and to strive to build our economies and societies struggling with the Pandemic with better results,
that is with the full participation and representation of women. After all, trying to build a future
without the full participation of women will be like trying to type with one hand.
My current work focuses on Artificial Intelligence, especially bias in AI, through a think tank I
founded in Canada and in France. So, I want to say a few things about women’s participation in
STEM areas and why it is important to keep our focus on STEM education for girls and STEM andtechnology careers for women.
Across the labor markets of today and of the future, STEM jobs are expected to grow in scope andsignificance. Yet, women remain severely underrepresented in this field with only about 30%
representation. In AI, although there has been a surge, women’s representation in technical teams
is still low and in senior management, it is under 10%.
In order to build a more equal future, we need more women seated at the table when discussions
about technology, AI, its development, regulation, governance take place at the national andinternational levels. Women need to be involved in deciding about and designing AI so that they

can play a role in steering them with a view to address bias. Technologies built without women’s
input are designed to fail in being inclusive – technology isn’t neutral, and biases are more likely
to be embedded in tech applications and systems that are built by men only.
We need to address this stark situation by attracting more women and girls to STEM and ICT
studies – and by supporting them to transition into the workplace, both in academia and in theprivate sector.
Hence, as I did in my last video clip a couple of years ago, I urge Kobe University and everyone
watching this clip to make a commitment to ensure quality STEM and ICT education for girls andmuch improved academic and career opportunities with the full and equal participation of women
technologists and scientists.
Congratulations to Kobe University’s senior management, leaders and managers of this project andall of the researchers who participated in this wonderful and successful initiative. I would like tosend my special regards and congratulations to the Gender Office at Kobe University and its
members over the years. I have had the pleasure to partner with them starting in 2010 as the Directorfor Gender Equality at UNESCO. They have surprised and impressed me with their enthusiasm,knowledge, willingness to learn and try new methods and their unwavering commitment to promote
gender equality, diversity and inclusion. They are many but I would be remiss if I do not mentiona few names: I met Professor Roumiana Tsenkova and Professor Junko Okada on my first visit toKobe University. They introduced me to the world of Kobe University, its Gender Office andguided me through the beautiful complexities of Japan. Among the many members of the senior
management team of Kobe University that I have had the pleasure to interact with, I have tomention Professor Uchida who stayed as a strong and unwavering ally of the Gender Office andvisited me at UNESCO with Professor Okada. Professor Ronni Alexander made sure I stayed
connected with the project and kept me informed about the achievements of both the Project andthe UNESCO Chair.
As this project comes to a close, I deeply appreciate my long-term association with Kobe University,
its management, faculty and staff over the years. I wish you all continued success with all yourprojects and endeavors.