Council of European Union calls for targeted efforts to combat gender-based discrimination in artificial intelligence; conclusions stress need for dual approach to equality in digital age

June 19, 2025 (press release) –

The Council is calling for targeted efforts to advance gender equality in the digital age, with a focus on the risks and opportunities presented by AI. In today’s conclusions, the Council proposes several measures aimed at addressing continued gender inequalities, with specific emphasis on discrimination, bias, and violence towards women and girls in the digital world.

Advancing on gender equality, particularly within the context of a modern digital society, has been a key priority for the Polish presidency. Technology-facilitated gender-based inequalities must be tackled. We must take measures specifically addressing the risks and dangers posed by AI and the digital world, as well as seize the opportunities. All stakeholders must be engaged in building support systems that will make our lives free from all forms of violence, including digital violence.

Katarzyna Kotula, Polish Minister for Equality

A dual approach to gender equality

A 2025 report from the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) 2025 stressed that institutional mechanisms are vital for achieving gender equality in all spheres. Accordingly, the Council’s conclusions push for member states to pursue a dual approach to gender equality, including both the integration of a gender equality perspective in all policies, as well as specific targeted gender equality measures. This includes strengthening the autonomy and effectiveness of governmental gender equality structures by providing them with a strong, clear mandate.

The impact of technology

The conclusions pay specific attention to the matter of technology-facilitated gender-based violence, calling on member states to make sure that national action plans against gender-based violence incorporate targeted measures for tackling this form of violence. Online violence disproportionately affects women in positions of power, particularly young women and women belonging to groups that face discrimination, which has the effect of further limiting their representation and participation in public life.

Tackling gender bias in AI systems

As gender bias in AI systems is known to result in discriminatory outputs, the Council urges member states to take measures to combat this problem through the use of clear, representative, high-quality data, as well as to install human oversight and ensure the systems’ compliance with non-discrimination rules and AI sectoral legislation. On the other hand, the Council also acknowledges the potential of AI systems and encourages their positive use. When clear, non-biased rules and high-quality data are used, AI may in fact be less prone to bias than human decision-making. Indeed, it can also facilitate the detection of bias through its capacity to collect and analyse large quantities of data.

Combatting online misogyny

The Council further seeks to counter the growing divide between young women’s and men’s views on gender equality, and the prevalence of online misogyny, and to this end advocates for research on misogynistic and masculinist online content and networks and calls for the full involvement of men and boys in addressing the causes of gender inequality.

Prioritising gender equality

Finally, the Council calls on the European Commission to continue with gender equality as a priority in its current term (2024-2029) and to follow-up on the momentum from the Gender Equality Strategy, most importantly by facilitating a framework for internet platforms to cooperate in protecting women’s and girls’ safety online. The conclusions ask for the mainstreaming of a gender perspective into all future EU policies, legislation, and funding, and in the implementation of the DSA and AI Act, and in the upcoming Apply AI Strategy and STEM Education Strategic Plan. They also recommend a renewed focus on the digital transformation when pursuing gender equality in external relations.

Background

Enshrined in the Treaties and the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, equality between men and women is a fundamental principle of the EU. The European Commission’s Roadmap for Women’s Rights, presented in March 2025, “aims to drive forward and steer the gender equality policy agenda in the longer term, becoming the guiding EU policy framework towards greater gender equality in all aspects of society and the economy”.

The EU has introduced a number of regulations in the fields of digitalisation and gender equality that underpin today’s conclusions. Directive 2024/1385 is a comprehensive legal framework to combat violence against women and domestic violence; it sets standards and requires member states to implement a number of measures in this area. Regulation 2024/1689 (the ‘AI Act’) is the first-ever comprehensive legal framework on artificial intelligence. Regulation 2022/2065 (the ‘Digital Services Act’) was introduced to create a safer online environment for EU users, and to address illegal content and ensure transparency.

• Conclusions on advancing gender equality in the AI-driven digital age
• Impact driver: marking milestones and opportunities for gender equality in the EU (EIGE report)
• Directive on combating violence against women and domestic violence
• AI Act
• Digital Services Act
• Gender equality (background information)

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