Hevi Salah

Sulaymaniyah _ The world is moving at an unprecedented pace toward the horizons of artificial intelligence and computer science, and empowering women is no longer merely a social slogan, but has become a technological and intellectual necessity.

The history of computer science shows that women have played a fundamental role from the very beginning, such as Ada Lovelace, who was the first to realizethat computers could go beyond mere numbers, and who wrote the first algorithm designed to be executed by a machine. However, over the past decades, a gender gap has emerged in this field.Today, with the ad vent of artificial intelligence and remote work, a new environment has emerged that allows women to overcome geographical and temporal constraints.

Women Have Always Been Behind the Greatest Digital Transformations

In the history of technological innovation, women have always been behind the greatest digital transformations, but what is happening today represents a different phase—a phase of removing the gender gap in access to knowledge. In Kurdistan as well, where society is undergoing an economic transition, technology becomes that strategic bridge connecting young women and entrepreneurs to the world.

When a woman in a city like Sulaymaniyah, Erbil, or Duhok acquires skills in computer science and programming languages, she is no longer bound by local geographical boundaries. Through remote work and global platforms, she can achieve financial independence, which also strengthens the foundations of the family and society.

The power of AI’s impact lies in being an “added force” to women’s capabilities. Smart tools can help women with everything—from managing small projects to analyzing complex data and modern marketing—enabling them to achieve the greatest impact with the least time and cost. In Kurdistan, where some women may have fewer opportunities to enter the traditional job market due to family responsibilities, computer science and the digital space emerge as a means of liberation, because they do not recognize gender or location, but only creativity and competence.

“Artificial Intelligence Has Opened a New Path for Women to Discover Their Abilities”

Regarding the evolution of technology, university professor in the Kurdistan Region, Nahla Mohammed Saeed, said that technology and artificial intelligence are modern topics and are very important for members of society. “Because we are facing a revolution known as the technological revolution, we must have sufficient knowledge about artificial intelligence in order to benefit from it, and to understand to what extent it can be useful to us. Naturally, any new topic has positive and negative aspects, and it often begins with negative aspects due to a lack of knowledge and experience in how to use this technology. This poses a fundamental challenge for women, as there may be a natural fear among women of being unable to keep up with this modern field.”

Nevertheless, she affirmed that artificial intelligence has opened a new path for women to discover their capabilities and benefit from them. “To benefit from this field in our small projects, we only need a smartphone, an iPad, or a laptop. Through these tools, we can take advantage of AI technologies.”

Here, as she explains, the importance of small projects emerges, in which women can play a role—especially in the Kurdistan Region—in a way that aligns with our culture and contributes to the development of our society, without being hindered by restrictions.

Currently, according to our speaker, there are two main points hindering women’s progress: “a lack of awareness about how to use AI tools, and the fact that this field has not yet been given its due attention.” Therefore, she stressed that relevant authorities should work on organizing training courses and workshops, or establishing specialized centers, particularly for women, to educate them about AI tools and empower them to use them as a source of income.

She added, “Some institutes have begun organizing training courses and spreading knowledge, but from what I have observed, participation—especially among young people and women—remains somewhat limited. The majority of participants are students specializing in information technology or those who already have an interest and desire to learn. In my view, the most important thing in this matter is to start from within the family. If we start with family members and schools in spreading awareness, we can build a very strong foundation for society without discrimination between women and men.”

She explained, “I have had many experiences, especially with schools. I have made numerous visits to various primary and middle school levels. What I noticed during these visits is that some teachers still lack sufficient knowledge about AI tools. This is a problem in how they interact with their students, especially female students.”

Therefore, it is necessary to organize seminars and training courses for these teachers on how to use AI tools in their fields, while simultaneously raising their awareness about proper usage so that they realize that misuse could lead to many problems in society, she said.

“Seminars and Panel Discussions on Technology and Artificial Intelligence”

Nahla Mohammed emphasized that technology today, especially artificial intelligence, has become part of all professions, and we must keep up with the revolution and benefit from it. “One important thing for me, as a woman who started this path, is that I have given over 200 seminars and panel discussions on technology and artificial intelligence. I always emphasize several key points, most notably that learning technology and AI is not tied to age—age cannot be an obstacle to learning new things. As a woman, I can use these technologies easily and benefit from them. Technology is not just to serve men, but to serve humanity without discrimination.”

She pointed out, “My specialization is not in information technology or computer science, yet despite that, I have given many seminars and sessions in the field of artificial intelligence. As for women’s work in the Kurdistan Region in the technical field and information technology, it focuses on two aspects: the first is companies, and the second is the skills and competence of the women themselves. Today we have many companies directly linked to technology and artificial intelligence, and women play an important and prominent role in them.”

“Women’s Awareness Is Important for the Progress of Society”

In conclusion, Professor Nahla Mohammed addressed two messages. The first was to the relevant authorities, especially the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Higher Education: “Artificial intelligence is a modern subject, and we must keep up with this revolution. It is essential to prepare a generation that possesses complete knowledge of information technology and artificial intelligence to develop our work, create new job opportunities, and help our youth advance in their professional careers.”

She directed a message to women, saying: “Do not be afraid, because fear prevents women from achieving anything. I have dealt with many women, and we have very strong women, but some of them are still behind the scenes, with obstacles preventing them from showcasing their abilities. I tell them that your presence and awareness are extremely important for the progress of society.”