G-App, The AI Tool Empowering Gender Equality in Global Governance

The discussions about gender equality continue to evolve, the G-App aims to provide a clearer picture of representation in decision-making spaces. By examining factors such as speaking time and the subjects women engage with, the tool addresses the gap between visible gender diversity and actual influence. This data-driven approach highlights disparities in participation, offering insights that could inform efforts to create more balanced and inclusive environments at international conferences. 

Developed through the collaboration of Thoughtworks India and Women at the Table, the G-App addresses a critical gap in the way gender participation is assessed, going beyond the simplistic headcounts of women versus men to delve into the quality and influence of women’s participation in key global discussions.

In a candid conversation with Satish Vishwanathan, Head of Social Impact at Thoughtworks India, and Caitlin Kraft Buchman, Founder and CEO of Women at the Table, the pair shed light on the journey, purpose, and innovations behind G-App.

Breaking Down the G-App

At its core, G-App is an AI-powered application designed to capture demographic data and analyze gender representation in various international conferences and assemblies. Caitlin Kraft Buchman explains, "We are not just counting bodies. We look at active participation and influence. The idea is to analyze not only the quantity of women's participation but the quality of their involvement in the conversation. Through machine learning, we even analyze what participants are talking about."

In traditional conferences, the gap between men and women’s speaking time is stark. "Globally, we see that even when gender representation in the room is roughly 60-40, men speak 80% of the time," Caitlin noted. Furthermore, women are often assigned speaking roles on topics traditionally considered feminine, such as health or children’s issues, rather than on finance, cybersecurity, or climate change—topics that hold significant decision-making power.

Approach to Gender Representation

When asked how G-App stands out from other gender tracking tools, Caitlin emphasized the multi-layered analysis. While many tools simply count how many women are in the room, G-App goes deeper, examining how much women are speaking, in what roles, and on what subjects. This deeper insight is crucial for organizations seeking to not only increase women’s presence but also their influence.

Satish Vishwanathan added, “G-App is a web application providing visualizations based on AI and data analytics. It processes demographic data and blends it with video or audio recordings of conference sessions to create visual insights on gender participation.” This innovative combination of AI and machine learning enables G-App to track not just how much women are speaking but what topics they are speaking about, offering decision-makers a much more nuanced understanding of gender equity in participation.

"We are not just counting bodies. We look at active participation and influence. The idea is to analyze not only the quantity of women's participation but the quality of their involvement in the conversation. Through machine learning, we even analyze what participants are talking about."- Caitlin Kraft Buchman

Shock and Revelation: User Feedback

The insights provided by G-App have left many organizations and decision-makers stunned. “In terms of insights, people have been shocked. Men tend to think that if women are in the room, everything is equal. But when the data shows that women speak far less than men, the discrepancy is quite stark,” Caitlin shared. The tool’s ability to uncover such patterns has spurred organizations into action, leading them to rethink their approach to ensuring women’s voices are not just heard but actively involved in shaping conversations.

Satish highlighted a recent example: “The UN General Assembly this September saw only 10% of the speakers as women, despite women representing half of the world’s population. The Secretary-General expressed his disappointment, underscoring how far we still need to go in achieving equal participation.”

Technical Challenges and AI Innovation

Handling data from diverse regions and conferences is no small feat. Satish explained, “We use structured demographic data along with video and audio from conference sessions. The data is anonymized to protect individuals’ identities, and through AI, we can identify the themes spoken about during sessions.” This is where G-App’s AI capabilities shine—using techniques like topic modeling and transcription analysis, G-App maps out key themes of the discussion and breaks them down by gender.

“Imagine a session on environmental degradation,” Satish elaborated. “Through the AI processing, we can visualize that 65% of the time, women spoke on this topic, while men contributed the remaining 35%.” This kind of detailed, gender-disaggregated analysis gives conference organizers a clear picture of participation, which they can use to improve gender equity at future events.

"We’ve built G-App to move beyond numbers and give decision-makers a clear, data-driven understanding of how much women are participating, and what roles they are playing. It's about creating a real picture of gender representation in global discussions."- Satish Vishwanathan

International Convenings and Beyond

Initially, G-App was developed for international convenings, particularly within the UN system. However, its potential applications are far broader. Caitlin shared, “Though the tool was conceived for international organizations, we see it being applicable in many settings—whether regional conferences, corporate boardrooms, or even parliamentary sessions. The possibilities are endless.”

The challenge, of course, lies in ensuring that the data from different countries and regions can be normalized. "Cultural and linguistic differences pose unique challenges," Satish admitted. “The app processes audio or video data from diverse regions, using machine learning to normalize and interpret it.” This ability to handle data from varying regions and cultural contexts gives G-App the flexibility needed to operate in a globalized world.

Building the G-App: ThoughtWorks Steps In

When Caitlin Kraft-Buchman approached ThoughtWorks with this idea, the organization's passion for diversity and inclusion in technology made it a natural partner. Satish emphasized the alignment of ThoughtWorks' values with the mission of the G-App. "Rebecca Parsons, our CPO, and the ThoughtWorks team in India were eager to collaborate, bringing the idea to life with our software architecture and expertise," he said.

A predominantly female-led team based in India developed the G-App, hosting it on the Google Cloud Platform. The team worked closely with Women at the Table to refine the app based on feedback from pilot runs at various UN conferences. These refinements reduced manual data processing and integrated advanced AI features, including potential future use of generative AI to enhance insights.

The beauty of the G-App lies in its flexibility. ThoughtWorks' open architecture allows for the measurement of various diversity indicators beyond gender. Satish noted, "The app can capture any registered data—whether it's race, disability, or socioeconomic factors—offering a powerful tool for broader inclusion metrics."

The G-App’s potential doesn’t stop at conferences. Kraft-Buchman sees it as a resource that could be used in corporate board meetings or general assemblies, helping organizations showcase their leadership in promoting diversity and inclusion.

Future Integrations and Plans

While G-App currently operates within the framework of conferences, both organizations envision a future where the tool is integrated with larger enterprise systems and academic research. The data collected over time offers a rich opportunity for analysis, not only of who is speaking but also how these discussions influence policy. Kraft-Buchman explained, "It's about understanding long-term trends—what are governments and NGOs talking about, and how is it shaping the world for all of us?"

Though still awaiting a major pilot integration at the UN level, talks have begun about linking the G-App to the UN’s open-source content registration systems. Mohan remarked, "We’re eager for the right opportunity to make this integration a reality, which would streamline the data collection process even further."

Training and Support

Rolling out a tool as sophisticated as G-App requires careful training and support. Caitlin noted that Women at the Table has been piloting the tool within various UN organizations, helping them pre-process the data and interpret the insights generated by G-App’s visualizations.

“Once the visualizations are ready, it’s pretty much plug-and-play,” Caitlin explained. “We offer support to decision-makers in interpreting the data, but the insights are straightforward and actionable.”

Satish added that organizations have responded positively to the tool’s ease of use. “We’ve made sure that users understand the importance of anonymity and data security, which has been a key concern. We also work with organizations on how to apply the insights—whether by ensuring women are given more speaking opportunities or creating environments that allow them to participate on a wider range of topics.”

Paving the Way for Gender Equity

As the G-App continues to evolve, the mission remains clear: to shine a light on disparities and encourage greater inclusion. With its ability to track gender and beyond, the G-App stands as a testament to the power of AI and data in driving social change.

Whether in boardrooms, governmental assemblies, or international conferences, the G-App is poised to play a critical role in transforming how we understand and achieve equality in global representation.

The story behind the G-App is deeply rooted in the perception-reality gap. Women at the Table Founder Caitlin Kraft-Buchman highlighted a key moment when an ambassador at a high-profile disarmament conference noted the increasing number of women present. However, those women were often interns, lacking the authority to speak, underscoring the limited impact of visible gender diversity. "The perception was different from the reality. It made us think about what we were really measuring," Kraft-Buchman explained.