MYA HEROD

UPPER SIX ARTS

CARIBBEAN STUDIES
MS. WILLIAMS
The claim that "Gender inequality and discrimination against women and minority groups
are a thing of the past with the advent of technological advancement in our world" is a strong
one. It is true that technology has fundamentally altered our global society, and there is no
denying that it has the ability to eradicate prejudice against minorities and gender equality. To
fully comprehend the amount of technology's influence on these engrained societal problems, it
is imperative to examine this claim through a nuanced lens, supported by statistics and examples
from the actual world.

There is little doubt that technological development has significantly reduced gender
inequality. A crucial component of this development is access to education. Digital platforms and
online learning have democratized education in many regions of the world, reducing the
knowledge gap between men and women. as an example. According to UNESCO, online
learning tools have made it possible for girls and women to attend education in areas where there
are few options for traditional schooling. In addition, the workplace is changing as a result of
technology, which is opening opportunities in previously male-dominated professions. Women
are now more frequently represented in the tech sector, which was historically a hotbed of gender
bias. Companies like IBM have led diversity programs that have dramatically increased the
number of female leaders. However, there are still gender inequalities. As shown by the pay
difference between men and women in the technology industry.

While technology development has helped progress gender equality, it has also had a
significant impact on minority rights. Social media sites like Twitter and Facebook have given
voice to underrepresented groups. The social media-born #BlackLivesMatter campaign has
sparked a global conversation on racial inequality and police brutality that has resulted in real
legislative changes in some places. Technology has also given indigenous groups the power to
protect their cultural legacy. For instance, the Maasai in Kenya use smartphones to capture and
share their customs, preserving their distinctive way of life. But it's important to understand that
technology cannot eliminate discrimination against women and people of color. There is still a
digital divide across and within nations. According to the World Economic Forum's Global
Gender Gap Report 2020, just 48% of the world's population has access to the internet. Women
and minority groups are frequently disproportionately impacted by this access problem.

Technology can also reinforce prejudices that already exist. For instance, artificial
intelligence systems can pick up biases from the data they are trained on. This may result in
unfair consequences, such as recruiting algorithms that are biased against women. Data and
smartphone apps have been used by technology-driven projects like "Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao"
in India to combat gender-based discrimination and advance the education of girls. Similar to
this, mobile technology has facilitated financial inclusion in Africa, which has benefited
marginalized groups. Millions of people now have access to banking and financial services
thanks to mobile money services like M-Pesa. Marginalized people are still impacted by
infrastructure inequities and issues with digital literacy, nevertheless.

Finally, it is undeniable that the emergence of technological progress has resulted in

improvements in the ways that gender disparity and minority discrimination are addressed.
Notable accomplishments include expanded access to education, increased representation in
numerous industries, and social advocacy through technology. It is crucial to understand,
nevertheless, that these problems are far from being resolved.