Mathias Wullum Nielsen, Elena Gissi, Shirin Heidari, Richard Horton, Kari C. Nadeau, Dorothy Ngila, Safiya Umoja Noble, Hee Young Paik, Girmaw Abebe Tadesse, Eddy Y. Zeng, James Zou, Londa Schiebinger
Nature – April 9, 2025
Intersectionality describes interdependent systems of inequality related to sex, gender, race, age, class and other socio-political dimensions. By focusing on the compounded effects of social categories, intersectional analysis can enhance the accuracy and experimental efficiency of science. Here we extend intersectional approaches that were predominantly developed in the humanities, social sciences and public health to the fields of natural science and technology, where this type of analysis is less established. Informed by diverse global and disciplinary examples—from enhancing facial recognition for diverse user bases to mitigating the disproportionate impact of climate change on marginalized populations—we extract methods to demonstrate how quantitative intersectional analysis functions throughout the research process, from strategic considerations for establishing research priorities to formulating research questions, collecting and analysing data and interpreting results. Our goal is to offer a set of guidelines for researchers, peer-reviewed journals and funding agencies that facilitate systematic integration of intersectional analysis into relevant domains of science and technology. Precision in research best guides effective social and environmental policy aimed at achieving global equity and sustainability.
8 April 2025 | Organizer: The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), Team of Specialists on Gender-Responsive Standards
As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to expand rapidly, it is crucial to ensure that the most vulnerable populations are not neglected or rendered further invisible. AI systems, which are increasingly used in decision-making across various sectors such as healthcare, finance, recruitment, and public services, often inherit and amplify historical gender biases present in training data, model design, and algorithmic assumptions. These biases perpetuate systemic disadvantages for women and marginalized gender groups, reinforcing structural inequalities, limiting economic and professional opportunities, and restricting access to essential services.
Welcome
Lance Thompson, Head of Regulatory Cooperation Unit, ECTD, ECE [Bio & PPT]
Michelle Parkouda, Chair Team of Specialists on Gender-Responsive Standards (ToS-GRS) [Bio & PPT]
Keynote
Katrin J. Yuan, CEO Swiss Future Institute and Chair AI Future Council [Bio & PPT]
Panel discussions
Impact of Gender Bias in AI
Sergio Scandizzo, Head of Internal Modelling, European Investment Bank (financial services perspective) [Bio & PPT]
Shirin Heidari, President GENDRO (healthcare perspective) [Bio & PPT]
Costanza Bonadonna, Dean of the Faculty of Science, University of Geneva (hiring process perspective) [Bio & PPT]
Claire Somerville, Geneva Graduate Institute, EQUALS-EU Project (digital environment)
How to address gender bias in standards for AI
Caitlin Kraft-Buchnan, Women @ the Table [Bio & PPT]
Cristina Finch, Head Gender and Security Division, Geneva Center for Security Sector Governance (DCAF) [Bio & PPT]
Over three days, 50 leading public health experts and decision-makers came together to develop actionable solutions for closing gender health data gaps and building more equitable health systems by 2030.
Key participants include: – Government officials from the Global South, including India, Fiji, Bangladesh, Mozambique, and Zambia; – Representatives from the United Nations; – Experts from top universities; – Leaders of grassroots organizations.
“By working together across disciplines and borders, we can accelerate transformative change that ensures health data fully reflects and advances gender equity by 2030,” said Dr. Michelle Kaufman, Director of the Gender Equity Unit and Associate Professor at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Shirin Heidari, the Executive Director of GENDRO and Senior Researcher at the Gender Centre, Geneva Graduate Institute in Switzerland, was born in Tehran 6 years before the 1979 Iranian revolution. Coming from a family with “many strong women as role models, and always a sense of activism”, the revolution, which “resulted in a regime oppressing women, men, as well as any dissidents, followed by political oppression and war”, left her with “a very strong distaste for injustice”, and a profound awareness, “very early on”, of the devastating impacts of “a lack of rights, and the lack of a justice system”.
Pain & Prejudice: Inside The Rise (And Rise) Of Medical Misogyny
We’re thrilled to share that GENDRO was recently featured in ELLE UK in an article on medical misogyny and the urgent need for equity in health research. Shirin Heidari, GENDRO’s founding president, spoke about the systemic exclusion of women from medical studies and the lasting consequences for women’s health. As the article highlights, gender-aware research isn’t just necessary—it’s long overdue.
Read the full article here and explore our upcoming events to learn how we’re pushing this conversation forward.
