CALL FOR PAPERS

Our conference topics are not limited to the following: You can submit your research in the fields of women and business, technology, law, management, and sustainability.

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​BUSINESS LIFE

• Access to funding for Women in Business: Studies show women entrepreneurs get less venture capital and loans compared to men, even with similar business plans.

• Representation Problem for Women in Business: Women are still underrepresented in leadership positions, such as CEO, board members, and partners, especially in industries like technology and finance.

• Gender bias and stereotypes: There's often an unconscious (or conscious) assumption that women are less competent, less ambitious, or too "emotional" for high-stress leadership roles.

• Work-life balance pressure: Society often places more family and caregiving responsibilities on women, making entrepreneurship or leadership roles even more challenging.

• Networking barriers for Women: Many big business deals happen through networks or clubs that have historically excluded women.

• Pay gap for Women: Even women in leadership often earn less than their male counterparts.

• Lack of mentorship for Women: There are fewer female mentors and role models, which can make it harder for younger women to see a path forward.

• Recent developments on Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW, 1979): Often called the "international bill of rights for women," it commits countries to eliminate discrimination.

• Recent developments on Violence Against Women Act (USA, 1994): Funds and protects victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking.

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LAW ​

• Recent developments on the Equal Pay Act for women in different countries,

• Recent developments on ILO Conventions for women,

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DIGITALIZATION 

1. Digital Divide (Access and Affordability):

• Women, especially those in low-income and rural areas, often have less access to the internet and digital devices than men.

• They may also face higher costs relative to their income, making technology even less accessible.

2. Skills Gap:

• Fewer women are trained in digital skills, particularly in areas such as coding, AI, cybersecurity, or data science.

• This limits women's opportunities in the fastest-growing tech job sectors.

3. Online Safety and Harassment:

• Women are more likely to face online harassment, cyberbullying, doxxing, and even threats of violence.

• Lack of strong digital protection policies can silence women’s voices online.

4. Representation in Tech Design:

• Technologies (like apps, AI, and health devices) are often designed by teams dominated by men, leading to gender-biased products.

• Example: Early voice recognition systems often struggled to recognize women’s voices.

5. Employment and Automation:

• Digitalization and AI are changing the job market, and sectors where women are overrepresented, such as administrative support, are more vulnerable to automation.

6. Stereotypes and Bias in Algorithms:

• AI and machine learning models can reinforce gender stereotypes if trained on biased data.

• Example: recruitment algorithms that prefer male candidates because of historical hiring data.

7. Participation and Leadership:

• Women are underrepresented in leadership roles and decision-making bodies that shape digital policies in tech companies.

8. Privacy Concerns:

• Women’s data, especially related to health, safety, and location, can be exploited more easily without strong privacy protections.

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WOMEN AND INTEGRATED REPORTING

1. Representation in Leadership

• Many integrated reports still fail to disclose enough about gender diversity in boards and executive leadership.

• There is a growing expectation that companies disclose the number of women in decision-making roles, but in many sectors, this is often underreported or downplayed.

2. Pay Equity

• Gender pay gap reporting is often vague or missing.

• Investors and stakeholders increasingly demand transparency on equal pay for equal work and gender salary ratios.

3. Workplace Diversity Policies

• Companies are expected to report on policies or programs for promoting women’s inclusion.

• Some reports highlight initiatives, such as mentoring programs and leadership training for women, but many are more box-ticking than serious.

4. Social and Human Capital Disclosures

• "Human capital" is a key pillar in international relations (IR). Women’s issues fall under this, but many companies generalize without detailing specific strategies for women’s empowerment, safety, and professional growth.

5. Sustainability and SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals)

• IR encourages linking to the UN Sustainable Development Goals — particularly Goal 5: Gender Equality.

• Yet, few companies meaningfully show how their business supports or harms gender equality.

6. Risk Management

• Companies rarely identify gender inequality as a risk, even though it is tied to talent retention, public reputation, and regulatory risks.

• Ignoring women's issues can create reputational and operational risks that go unreported.

7. Tokenism vs. Genuine Impact

• Some reports superficially mention women’s issues to meet compliance.

• The real challenge is to show genuine integration, not just isolated stats, but how gender equality drives business strategy and value.