The consequences are devastating. The tasks that shape daily life—harvesting crops, kneading dough, sewing embroidery—suddenly become impossible. Thousands of women are left with reduced independence, loss of livelihood and, all too often, social exclusion.
Until recently, advanced prosthetics were far beyond reach. Now, homegrown AI tools are opening the door to the same types of sophisticated devices available in wealthier countries.
Karachi-based Bioniks Technologies has partnered with UN Women to design and deliver specifically designed prosthetics for affected workers in Pakistan’s Sindh province. The initiative leveraged cutting-edge technologies (3D modeling, digital scanning and artificial intelligence) to create lightweight, durable and intuitive bionic arms capable of transforming daily life.
A rural Pakistani woman injured by a forage cutter.
“Through this collaboration, we provide advanced prosthetic arms, hands-on training, psychological support and awareness sessions to help communities understand safety practices and prevent these types of injuries in the future,” says Ayesha Zulfiqar, co-founder of Bioniks.
“Watching these incredible women regain their mobility, dignity, independence and return to hand embroidery, their main source of income, has been deeply inspiring. This is more than technology, it is restoring hope, confidence and opportunity.”
The India AI Impact Summit: a first for the Global South
This initiative is a powerful example of what can be achieved when AI is available to innovators in the Global South.
Democratizing AI is a major priority for the United Nations, which is working to ensure that this rapidly evolving technology is developed ethically and benefits people around the world.
At the India Summit on the Impact of AI, which will take place from February 16 to 20 in New Delhi, several UN agencies will showcase the initiatives they support in the country and in developing countries.
The Summit is the first major event of its kind in the Global South. Building on momentum from the 2023 AI Security Summit convened by the UK and the 2025 AI Action Summit in France, it will also feature UN Secretary-General António Guterres and Amandeep Gill, his Special Envoy for Digital and Emerging Technologies.
Speaking to author and podcast host Anirudh Suri in the run-up to the conference, Gill said the UN is focused on closing the growing ‘AI gap’ (between rich and developing economies, as well as between the rich and the poor within countries) and making AI more accessible to people everywhere.
“The concentration of economic and technological power is our greatest concern at the United Nations,” Gill said. “We’ve seen this story before, during previous industrial revolutions, when those who missed steam power found themselves 50 years behind in terms of development. We can’t afford to let that happen again.”
Despite the fears he expressed, Gill pointed to regions that have put plans in place to capitalize on AI and avoid being left behind. “I see this in Southeast Asia, in many parts of Africa and in India, where the government is taking the lead, subsidizing access to AI for researchers, developers and smaller companies.”
Although the AI Impact Summit is not a UN event, Gill has been involved in shaping the agenda and sees it as an important moment on the path to international governance. “It’s exciting to see the focus on closing the AI gap, building capabilities and engaging citizens in a democratic approach to technology.”