Union Comm Supports APEC Workshop on Women-Friendly AI

Union Communications Hong Kong Limited (“Union Comm”), a leading policy advocacy company, was honored to support the APEC Digital Capacity Building Workshop on Women-Friendly Artificial Intelligence. The workshop was held at the China Institute for Innovation and Development Strategy (CIIDS) in Beijing, China, on 20 April 2026.

Sam Han, Partner of Union Comm, was invited to moderate the afternoon thematic forum.

The workshop is an important component of the APEC project Digital Empowerment of Women: Towards a More Women-Friendly Artificial Intelligence (APEC Website), implemented by the Women’s Leadership and Innovation Committee of CIIDS. The initiative aims to promote regional cooperation and explore how AI technologies can better support women’s development.

The event brought together representatives from more than 10 APEC economies, including Brunei Darussalam, Canada, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Russia, the United States, and Viet Nam. Participants included government representatives, experts from international organizations, business leaders, and academics, who engaged in in-depth discussions on key issues such as gender equality in the AI sector, trusted product development, and women’s economic empowerment.

This initiative comes at a pivotal moment as AI continues to reshape global innovation ecosystems and industrial structures. According to GSMA’s Mobile Gender Gap Report (Link), women in low- and middle-income economies are 14% less likely than men to use mobile internet. Additional data shows that women account for less than 30% of the global AI workforce, while the proportion of women at the research level is as low as 12%. Enhancing digital literacy and promoting equal participation for women in AI development have become important issues across the Asia-Pacific region.

Participation in this APEC workshop is an important reflection of Union Comm’s commitment to the UN Women HeForShe initiative and its mission to advance Digital Inclusion and Gender Equality. Union Comm has long supported projects related to tech innovation, youth development, and policy advocacy. Moving forward, the company will continue to promote more inclusive and sustainable social innovation.