Aydın Doğan Foundation Hosts “Girls and Artificial Intelligence” Conference on International Day of the Girl Child

On 11th October, in celebration of the International Day of the Girl Child, the Aydın Doğan Foundation hosted the “Girls and Artificial Intelligence: Opportunities & Responsibilities” conference at the newly opened Sema Doğan Concert and Exhibition Hall, located within the Aydın Doğan Fine Arts High School. The event, organized with the institutional support of UNICEF, UNFPA, and UN Women, aimed to explore how girls can thrive in the age of artificial intelligence (AI) and digitalization, and to discuss the responsibilities required to ensure equal opportunities for them in this domain.

The conference drew a large audience, including youth, public and private sector representatives, and civil society organizations. A youth-led committee was instrumental in planning the event, working voluntarily for three months to design interactive games and activities and to prepare thought-provoking questions for the panel discussions.

Arzuhan Doğan Yalçındağ: “AI Offers Great Opportunities For Girls To Realize Their Potential, But Also Carries Risk”

In her opening speech, Aydın Doğan Foundation Board Chair Arzuhan Doğan Yalçındağ highlighted the importance of ensuring equal educational opportunities for girls. She emphasized that AI and digitalization present tremendous opportunities for girls to realize their potential but also warned of the risks if gender inequality in these areas is not addressed.

“AI offers great opportunities for girls to unlock their potential. However, if these technologies are to be inclusive and equitable, we have a responsibility to eliminate gender inequality in this field”, Yalçındağ said. “We must ensure that girls are not just users of AI but also developers. Together, we can help girls become powerful actors in the digital future, but above all, we owe them a safe world. In light of recent violent incidents, we must unite to guarantee the right to a safe life, the most fundamental right of all, for all women, children, and living beings.”

Insights from the Panel Discussion

After Yalçındağ's speech, a panel discussion took place featuring Aydın Doğan Foundation Board Chair Arzuhan Doğan Yalçındağ, UNICEF Türkiye Representative Paolo Marchi, UN Women Türkiye Country Director Asya Varbanova, and UNFPA Türkiye Deputy Representative Zeynep Başarankut Kan. The panelists discussed the challenges and opportunities for girls in the digital world, and how to create a more inclusive ecosystem, while answering questions raised by the young people in the room.

Key messages from the speakers included:

• Arzuhan Doğan Yalçındağ: “Our goal is not only to see girls participate in the digital world, but to help them become active agents shaping it. Today, we’ve seen firsthand the immense potential our youth have in this area. We are committed to supporting efforts that foster equality and help unlock their capabilities.”


• Paolo Marchi (UNICEF): “AI is revolutionizing many sectors, and like any revolution, it can have positive and negative effects. We need the leadership of girls to ensure this transformation brings positive change.”


• Asya Varbanova (UN Women): “Too many girls worldwide are still deprived of basic rights, limiting their life choices and potential. Gender stereotypes and harassment and violence threaten to perpetuate inequality in the digital realm, leaving girls with a negative experience of the digital world and unable to equally benefit from this technology. If we are not cautious these societal gender stereotypes we work strongly to break in the physical realm will continue to be reproduced in the digital one, again and again. In this online world, women and girls are exposed to violence, harassment that they already face in offline world, and are forced to remain silent. AI-assisted systems may even worsen this. We must act decisively to prevent AI from reinforcing these biases. UN Women is fully aware of all the opportunities offered by the AI, but also the significant societal gender stereotype risks it brings along. UN Women will continue advocating for policies to protect women’s digital rights and to introduce safety mechanisms. Digital safety is an inseparable part of gender equality”.


• Zeynep Başarankut Kan (UNFPA): "AI can play a major role in girls discover their own potential and empower girls by enhancing access to education, healthcare, and social rights. It can offer individual learning programs. It can support fighting gender inequality and risks of violence against women through effective case management and risk detection. UNFPA is ready to commit making AI used for equal opportunities and gender equality as our principle ‘Leave No-one Behind’ suggests. By using AI responsibly and ethically, we can truly transform the lives of girls.”

Youth Declaration and Interactive Sessions

A highlight of the conference was the “Youth Declaration”, delivered by eight young participants. The declaration underscored the importance of making AI opportunities accessible to all girls, ensuring they become key players in the digital age. Thirty-five young participants supported this message with banners on stage, advocating for equality and inclusion.

Panel: “AI and Arts”

YouTube content creator Beyza Doğuç led an engaging session on the intersection of AI and art, offering young attendees an opportunity to explore AI's creative potential. Beyza Doğuç is well known for her creative work on YouTube. The panel elaborated how AI affects art, and ended with questions and answers on innovative approaches. This panel offered a great opportunity for the young participants to discover the creative potential of the AI. 

Panel: “AI: Ethics, Education, and Innovation”

In the second half of the event, a panel featuring Prof. Ayşe Bilge Selçuk and Prof. Şule Gündüz Öğüdücü delved into the ethical considerations of AI and the role of education in fostering gender equality. Opportunities for girls and requirements we need to fulfill in order to make sure girls can use those opportunities became the focus of the discussions. Moderated by Özge Uzun, the panel explored how AI impacts education, employment, and social life, while speakers addressed questions prepared by youth volunteers who actively helped organize this conference. The panel was concluded with recommendations on how to strengthen the position of the new generation in the digital realm.

Closing with Strong Messages and Performances

The conference marked active participation of the youth and striking messages on how to empower girls in the age of AI. The event concluded with a mini concert by students from Aydın Doğan Fine Arts High School, leaving a lasting impression on the audience.

Additionally, the “Women Who Shape Life” exhibition, which opened on 11th October, featured artwork by students, celebrating the roles and struggles of women in society. The exhibition symbolizes women’s enduring strength and determination while highlighting the importance of gender equality.

The International Day of the Girl Child Conference was recognized as a significant step towards advancing gender equality, particularly in the realm of AI, by emphasizing the need for equal access to the opportunities it presents.

The full event will be broadcasted on TikTok LIVE (@tiktoklive_tr) at 20:00h on October 11.