While artificial intelligence (AI) is closely associated with algorithms and data, its effective deployment also depends on connectivity over the radio‑frequency spectrum that enables wireless digital services worldwide.
As the importance of spectrum‑based technologies keeps growing, women remain underrepresented in radiocommunications and spectrum-related decision‑making processes. At the most recent World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC) organized by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), women still accounted for fewer than a quarter of the delegates.
ITU Member States are committed to promoting gender equality, equity and parity across the work of the Radiocommunication Sector (ITU-R), including in study groups, conference preparatory activities and leadership roles.
Countries around the world adopted a Gender Resolution at the Radiocommunication Assembly 2023 (RA‑23). This resolution calls for strengthening, accelerating and scaling up women’s participation across all ITU‑R activities and recognizes the need for balanced representation in leadership positions to drive lasting change. It states that all ITU policies, work programmes, information dissemination, publications, study groups, seminars, courses, assemblies, and conferences on radiocommunications should reflect the sector’s commitment to gender equality.
The Radio Regulations, the international treaty governing the use of radio resources and satellite orbits, are adopted and revised by ITU Member States every three to four years at WRC, with the support of the ITU Radiocommunication Sector. Decisions taken at each WRC shape how spectrum is shared among services and reliably used by technologies that increasingly support AI‑enabled applications.
Turning commitment into action
The Network of Women for WRC, launched in 2016, promotes women’s representation and engagement in successive conferences, including WRC-19 (Sharm El Sheikh , 2019) and WRC-23 (Dubai, 2023). It is now focused on putting ITU gender commitments into practice at WRC-27, set to take place in Shanghai, China, between 18 October and 12 November 2027.
The network – known as “NOW4WRC” – supports capacity early in the WRC preparatory cycle, encouraging women’s engagement in ITU‑R study groups, regional preparatory processes and conference leadership.
Through mentoring, peer support and increased visibility, the network facilitates broader participation of women as delegates, chairs and vice‑chairs, providing meaningful contributions to technical and regulatory discussions.
Empowerment that delivers results
The impact is already visible. At WRC‑23, women accounted for 22 per cent of all delegates, up from 18 per cent at WRC‑19. While overall delegate representation is not changing fast enough, women have gained more ground in leadership positions, whether chairing key WRC agenda items in working parties, WRC Committees, or as regional coordinators for conference preparations – a progression reflecting the engagement and dedication of every individual committed to the Network of Women for WRC.
We expect further results to emerge over the medium term, as what is being pursued is a fundamental shift in mindset. In the meantime, sustained efforts must continue.
The empowerment of women, the development of leadership and technical skills required for high-impact roles, and the raising of awareness across the entire membership take time. But if efforts continue, the results will become increasingly visible as women’s participation in the radiocommunication sector evolves from a new paradigm to the everyday norm.
Mario Maniewicz, Director of the ITU Radiocommunication Bureau, emphasized the network’s importance on the road to WRC-27, saying: “At every level, women have played and continue to play key roles in World Radiocommunication Conferences. These achievements are in no small measure the result of the work of the Network of Women for WRC. Supporting the Network for WRC‑27 will help ensure that women are empowered to shape the Radio Regulations that underpin our digital future.”
A clear path forward
This year, International Girls in ICT Day spotlights “AI for development: Girls shaping the digital future.”
Celebrated annually on the fourth Thursday of April, the day — marked by ITU and its partners — aims to inspire girls and young women to pursue studies and careers in information and communication technologies (ICTs).
But International Girls in ICT Day is more than a moment of inspiration. It is a call to action — focused on building concrete pathways to skills, leadership, and opportunity for women and girls in a fast‑evolving digital and AI‑driven world.
How girls can influence the future
Girls are contributing to the development of AI, and through the Network of Women for WRC‑27 (NOW4WRC27), are also helping to shape the regulatory frameworks and support the implementation of the Radio Regulations that enable connectivity everywhere.
Decisions at WRC‑27 will influence innovation, inclusion, and access to radiocommunication networks and services for years to come.
As AI becomes more deeply embedded in national development strategies, it is equally important to ensure its alignment with global spectrum management and coordination processes led by ITU.
Learn more about the Network of Women for WRC-27.
Learn more about International Girls in ICT Day 2026.
Source: https://www.itu.int/hub/2026/04/getting-women-and-girls-involved-in-ai-era-spectrum-management/
