As the WiDEF managing consortium, CARE, Global Digital Inclusion Partnership (GDIP), and the GSMA Foundation will identify, directly fund, and accelerate investment in proven solutions to close the gender digital divide – including women-led solutions, products, and tools – thereby improving women’s livelihoods, economic security, and resilience.
The consortium partners bring to their implementation role deep experience in women’s empowerment and in digital rights and inclusion, a history of supporting innovation, and networks with key public and private sector stakeholders. Employing a strong localization approach, the consortium will lead WiDEF in creating opportunities for organizations and businesses at the forefront of equitable digital inclusion to receive financial, technical, and operational support to advance their work in one or more of the five focus areas of the fund: (i) access and affordability, (ii) products and tools, (iii) literacy and skills, (iv) safety and security, and (v) data and insights. The first application round will be announced in early 2024.
Working together, CARE, GDIP, and the GSMA will collaborate with industry-leading organizations to effectively engage local and global private sector actors and funders to advance a shared set of commitments to closing the gender digital divide. Beyond direct delivery, they will ensure that WiDEF facilitates partnerships with diverse stakeholders, shares insights through a community of practice and incorporates a substantial policy and advocacy component to inform and influence action at every level of the development system.
Advancing access to digital technology for all women and girls is critical to ensuring everyone has access to economic opportunities and advancement, government services, education, healthcare, and the platforms and tools needed to participate in our increasingly digital world.
About CARE
Founded in 1945, CARE is a leading organization working around the globe to save lives, defeat poverty, and achieve social justice. CARE puts women and girls at the center of our work because poverty cannot be overcome until all people have equal rights and opportunities. This year, CARE and partners worked in 111 countries implementing 1,600 poverty-fighting development and humanitarian response projects and initiatives that reached more than 174 million people.
About GDIP
The Global Digital Inclusion Partnership is a coalition of public, private, and civil society organizations working to bring internet connectivity to the global majority and ensure everyone is meaningfully connected by 2030. Founded by a global team of experts who successfully championed affordable and meaningful connectivity around the world, GDIP advances digital opportunities to empower and support people’s lives and agency, leading to inclusive digital societies.
About GSMA
The GSMA is a global organization unifying the mobile ecosystem to discover, develop and deliver innovation foundational to positive business environments and societal change. Our vision is to unlock the full power of connectivity so that people, industry, and society thrive. Representing mobile operators and organizations across the mobile ecosystem and adjacent industries, the GSMA delivers for its members across three broad pillars: Connectivity for Good, Industry Services and Solutions, and Outreach. This activity includes advancing policy, tackling today’s biggest societal challenges, underpinning the technology and interoperability that make mobile work, and providing the world’s largest platform to convene the mobile ecosystem at the MWC and M360 series of events.
For more information on USAID’s work on these issues, please visit the Women in the Digital Economy Fund websiteand the Women and the Digital Economy Initiative Fact Sheet.
For more information about the consortium, please contact:
CARE: Lucie Cregeur, Lucie.Cregeur@care.org
GDIP: Kenneth Dimalibot, Kenneth@globaldigitalinclusion.org
GSMA: Rosie Leary, rleary@gsma.com
