Council of Europe adopts recommendations on AI equality and technology-facilitated violence against women

The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, representing 46 European countries, has adopted two recommendations addressing the impact of emerging technologies on gender equality and violence against women and girls.

One recommendation focuses on equality in AI, calling on governments to prevent and combat discrimination throughout the lifecycle of AI systems. The guidance highlights the risk that AI models trained on discriminatory data may reproduce or amplify existing social biases. It encourages transparency, stronger safeguards, and mechanisms that allow people to understand and challenge automated decisions.

The recommendation also identifies key areas where AI systems can influence equality, including discrimination related to gender, race, and sexual orientation or gender identity.

The second recommendation addresses technology-facilitated violence against women and girls, establishing what the Council of Europe describes as the first international legal standard on this issue. The guidance responds to growing concerns that online harassment, digital surveillance, and other forms of technology-enabled abuse often occur in environments where accountability is limited.

Member states are encouraged to strengthen legal frameworks, improve access to justice for victims, and adopt regulatory and institutional measures that address abuse across criminal, civil, and administrative systems. The recommendations also emphasise cooperation with civil society, the private sector, and educational institutions, and promote a safety-by-design approach for digital platforms and technologies.

The new guidelines will be formally presented in June 2026 at the Council of Europe headquarters in Strasbourg.

Consult the  Recommendation on Equality and Artificial Intelligence.

Consult the  Recommendation on Accountability for Technology-Facilitated Violence against Women and Girls.