Sindh Province, Pakistan – In a quiet but significant development highlighting the potential of artificial intelligence to address challenges in the Global South, women in Pakistan’s Sindh province are regaining lost independence and livelihoods thanks to locally-developed bionic limbs. The initiative, a partnership between Karachi-based Bioniks Technologies and UN Women, is providing advanced prosthetic arms to women injured by fodder cutters – a common source of debilitating accidents in rural agricultural communities.
Fodder cutters, essential for processing animal feed, are notoriously dangerous machines. Powered by small generators and featuring rapidly spinning blades, they pose a constant threat to operators, particularly in regions like Pakistan, India and Kenya where they are widely used. Accidents often result in the amputation of hands or arms, leaving women – who frequently operate the machines – with life-altering injuries and limited access to support.
The consequences extend far beyond the immediate physical trauma. Everyday tasks such as harvesting crops, preparing food, and practicing traditional crafts like embroidery become impossible, leading to economic hardship, social exclusion, and a profound loss of dignity. Until recently, access to advanced prosthetic technology was largely unavailable to these women, both due to financial constraints and geographical limitations.
Bioniks Technologies, however, has begun to change that. Leveraging 3D modelling, digital scanning, and artificial intelligence, the company is creating lightweight, durable, and intuitive bionic arms specifically tailored to the needs of women in Sindh province. The prosthetics are designed not only to restore mobility but also to facilitate the resumption of income-generating activities.
UN Women
A rural Pakistani woman injured by a fodder cutter.
“Through this collaboration, we provided advanced prosthetic arms, hands-on training, psychological support and awareness sessions to help communities understand safety practices and prevent such injuries in the future,” explained 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 profoundly inspiring. This is more than technology, it’s restoring hope, confidence and opportunity.”
The initiative is gaining attention as a prime example of how AI can be harnessed to address specific challenges within the Global South, rather than simply replicating solutions developed in wealthier nations. It underscores a growing movement to democratize access to AI technology and ensure that its benefits are shared more equitably.
This focus on equitable access is a key priority for the United Nations, which is actively working to promote the ethical development and deployment of AI globally. The UN recognizes the potential of AI to accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals, but also acknowledges the risk of exacerbating existing inequalities if access to the technology remains concentrated in the hands of a few.
The momentum behind this effort will be further amplified at the India AI Impact Summit, taking place in New Delhi from to . Several UN agencies will showcase initiatives supporting AI-driven solutions in India and other developing nations. The summit, the first major event of its kind hosted in the Global South, builds on previous AI summits held in the UK () and France ().
Speaking ahead of the summit, UN Special Envoy for Digital and Emerging Technologies, Amandeep Gill, emphasized the importance of bridging the “AI divide” – the growing gap between countries and communities with access to AI and those without. “The concentration of economic and technological power is our biggest concern at the United Nations,” Gill stated. “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 cannot afford to let that happen again.”
Gill highlighted encouraging developments in Southeast Asia, Africa, and India, where governments are actively investing in AI infrastructure and providing support to researchers, developers, and smaller companies. He expressed optimism about the potential for these regions to capitalize on AI and avoid being left behind in the rapidly evolving technological landscape.
While not a UN-organized event, the India AI Impact Summit is seen as a crucial step towards establishing international governance frameworks for AI. Gill believes the summit’s focus on bridging the AI divide, building capacity, and fostering democratic participation in the development of the technology is particularly significant. The success of initiatives like the Bioniks Technologies and UN Women partnership in Pakistan demonstrates the tangible benefits that can be realized when AI is deployed strategically and inclusively in the Global South.
