The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has opened applications for the WomenConnect Challenge in an effort to curb gender discrimination in the use and access of technology by women.
We want to connect more women to the digital tools and solutions they need to be economically empowered. Do you have an idea? Enter the #WomenConnect Challenge by May 4. pic.twitter.com/cL1JIfFb3k
— USAID (@USAID) March 25, 2018
The WomenConnect Challenge will help to identify and accelerate solutions that will empower females to access and make use of digital technology to drive positive health, education, and livelihood outcomes for themselves and the people around them.
It also aims at moving beyond the traditional interventions to those that address the underlying causes that keep women and girls offline and unconnected. The first round of the WomenConnect Challenge will provide more than $1,000,000 in award money. Individual award amounts will depend on the scale of the innovative solutions proposed.
Worldwide @ITU says the % of women with access to the internet is 12% lower than that of men. In less developed countries the #DigitalGenderDivide widens to 32.9%! Combating this gap will empower women & contribute to global economic growth! #WomenConnect https://t.co/8UVXKiFekf
— Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) March 15, 2018
Technology is revolutionizing the world by providing tools for entrepreneurship, access to critical health and education, and life-enhancing information.
Today, 1.7 billion women in low- and middle-income countries still do not own mobile phones, and the gap between the number of men and women using the internet has grown steadily over the past three years, resulting in a digital gender divide -USAID.
Who Can Apply?
Without digital tech, women and their families have limited access to information and services for health, safety, and education. See how the #WomenConnect Challenge will help close the #digitalgenderdivide: https://t.co/9akghimo2A #USAIDTransforms pic.twitter.com/e8LuAfXPEc
— USAID Digital (@USAID_Digital) March 21, 2018
The WomenConnect challenge is open to both Registered US and Non-US organizations regardless of the type of organization that they are (i.e Profit, non-profit, civic groups and others) and the size of their organization. Individuals can also apply but only to partnerships with an already established organization. Applicants must also make sure that they are able to implement a solution in a country with the presence of USAID.
Applications must be submitted in English. Applicants should ensure that they have proposals that would promote gender equitable access and use of existing digital infrastructure. These groups should also ensure that they have a clear scheme to tackle gender discrimination.
NB: Organizations should have women in leadership.
The application is open from March 8 until May 4 and intending applicants must apply online via given website. For more information on the challenge, visit WomenConnect Challenge
Technext Newsletter
Get the best of Africa’s daily tech to your inbox – first thing every morning.
Join the community now!
