The National Commission for the Promotion of Equality tackling gender bias perpetuated by digital automation

Illustration by Maqué Studio

Equality Bodies are at the forefront of tackling discrimination through digital automation, playing a crucial role in ensuring equal treatment in access to goods and services and addressing gender bias.

Sarah filed a complaint with the National Commission for the Promotion of Equality (NCPE) after encountering issues accessing a joint home insurance policy shared with her male partner. When she provided her ID card number, her details were not found as the IT system defaulted to storing only one person’s information per policy and selecting her male partner’s over hers, despite Sarah having made it a point to enter her information first on the policy. The NCPE found this practice discriminatory, breaching the regulations on Equal Treatment in Access to Goods and Services and their Supply, which mandate equal access regardless of gender.
While the insurance company denied intentional discrimination, they acknowledged shortcomings in their IT system, and promptly updated it to address the issue.

Are you interested in knowing more about how Equinet and Equality Bodies work to address biased digital automation systems and promote gender equality?

• In 2024 Equinet held a Joint meeting of National Equality Bodies’ gender equality and AI experts to discuss  the multiple ways in which digital automation system, specifically AI systems, may impact gender equality, including intersectional forms of gender-related discrimination. The Joint Meeting resources are available online.
• This Joint Meeting was followed by a series of webinars on AI and Gender Equality, aimed at strengthening the capacity of Equality Bodies to monitor and address the impact of digital automation systems, and particularly AI systems, on gender equality. Consult the webinars resources online! 
• Equinet is at forefront of exploring the influence of diverse digital automation methods, notably AI systems, on the realms of equality and non-discrimination, as well as examining the pivotal role played by Equality Bodies. For  instance, Equinet participates in the project ” Equality by Design, Deliberation and Oversight”, and held the High-Level Conference “Coding Equality in the EU AI Act: Equality Bodies rising to the Challenge”.