29th September 2020

Taking an Intersectional Approach to Fully Autonomous Weapons

  • Disarmament
  • Stopping Killer Robots

In August 2020, the Campaign to Stop Killer Robots’ Working Group on Intersectionality (WGI), which was established by the Campaign’s Steering Committee, conducted its first official meeting. The group was formed earlier this year, in recognition of the consequences and challenges posed by systemic and structural inequalities that exist within civil society. The primary objective of the group is to improve the diversity and inclusion of the Campaign itself and to help the Campaign adopt an intersectional approach to its work. It will do so by making recommendations to the Steering Committee on issues pertaining to systemic and structural inequality.

Due to their prior work on these issues, three Campaign members were invited to become the founding members of the WGI: Hayley Ramsay-Jones of SGI, Thompson Chengeta of the International Committee for Robot Arms Control, and Wanda Muñoz of Seguridad Humana en Latinoamérica y el Caribe (SEHLAC). The WGI’s terms and conditions are available on the Campaign’s website.

On 15 September, Hayley Ramsay-Jones featured in the Campaign’s Instagram Live and spoke about killer robots, racism, and intersectionality. This was part of an interview series by the Campaign to Stop Killer Robots called “Killer Robots Q&A” which was launched in May. At least once a month experts, campaigners, AI specialists, and academics are interviewed on Instagram Live to hear their views on fully autonomous weapons and how it relates to their specific area of expertise.

In her remarks, Ramsay-Jones spoke about the interconnectedness of all forms of violence, including social violence in the form of structural, social, political, and economic discriminations; and how weapons systems have throughout history been used to uphold power disparities and discriminations. She also pointed out that we all must reflect on where we are upholding and perpetuating violent discriminations (in ourselves, our organizations and campaigns), and to do the work necessary to transform as it is the only way to help create safer, more just, and equitable societies.

The recording can be viewed on Instagram and Facebook.