Pakistan has taken a new step to encourage the responsible use of artificial intelligence with the launch of the UN Women Gender-Responsive AI School Pakistan. The initiative also makes Pakistan the first country in South Asia to host the UN Women AI School. It aims to help policymakers, government institutions, educators, businesses, and civil society understand how AI can be developed and used in a fair, ethical, and inclusive way.
The program is led by the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication (MoITT) in partnership with UN Women Pakistan and is supported by the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA). It also supports Pakistan’s efforts to ensure women and girls play a bigger role in the country’s growing digital economy.
AI Training Focuses on Practical Skills and Responsible Use
The AI School combines classroom learning with practical training. Participants will learn AI basics, prompt engineering, AI agents, ethical AI, gender-responsive AI, governance, public administration, and the use of AI for inclusive development.
The program is open to policymakers, parliamentarians, government departments, UN agencies, universities, civil society groups, businesses, and community leaders.
Training activities had already started before the official launch. Separate sessions were organized for government officials, parliamentarians, UN staff, academics, and civil society representatives. These sessions helped build a broader community with knowledge of responsible AI practices.
In addition, the regional AI School covers important topics such as privacy, bias, digital safety, and the responsible use of generative AI. Pakistan also hosted Training of Trainers sessions earlier in July to prepare local experts.
Pakistan Leads South Asia With National Trainer Program
Pakistan has become the first country in South Asia to complete the full national Training of Trainers track under the UN Women AI School. According to the organizers, the regional initiative has trained more than 5,000 policymakers, UN staff, civil society members, and young innovators across Asia and the Pacific since 2024.
UN Women Pakistan Country Representative Jamshed M. Kazi said Pakistan is also the first country in the region to introduce national training pathways for the executive, legislative, and judicial branches. The program also includes civil society organizations and the private sector.
Program Aims to Improve Gender Representation in AI
The initiative also addresses the lack of gender representation in AI policymaking. UN Women said its analysis found that only around two dozen out of nearly 140 national AI policies worldwide include gender-related provisions.
The AI School aims to make gender equality and inclusion part of AI policy, governance, and development. It also seeks to ensure women and girls actively contribute to Pakistan’s digital transformation.
Pakistan’s National AI Policy also supports this goal. It calls for a stronger gender perspective in AI development and specialized AI skills programs for marginalized women and persons with disabilities.
MoITT and UN Women Formalize Long-Term Partnership
During the launch ceremony, MoITT and UN Women Pakistan signed a Memorandum of Understanding to formally establish the AI School in Pakistan. The initiative was also symbolically handed over to the ministry as part of a plan for national ownership and long-term implementation.
Federal IT Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja said artificial intelligence is reshaping every sector. She added that Pakistan wants women and girls to participate, contribute, and lead in the country’s digital economy.
KOICA Pakistan Deputy Country Director Sodam Baek said the initiative will strengthen digital skills, promote responsible AI, and create more opportunities for women and girls. The event also presented the outcomes of the Training of Trainers program. Participants showcased practical AI applications in governance, parliamentary research, education, and community engagement.
