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International International

“Simply put, far too many women still gender-focused initiatives targeting women’s marketing, as well as some more specialized
digital access, skills development, and courses. And of course, we’re very actively
lack access to affordable, meaningful
entrepreneurship. involved in the UN Women Generation
connectivity which they could harness Equality movement, co-leading a workstream
to drive impactful transformation in their One example is the EQUALS global on Technology and Innovation with the
partnership to bridge the gender digital divide, governments of France and Mexico, and
local communities, their national economies co-founded by ITU along with UN Women, engaging our EQUALS partners to deliver
– and their own lives.” ITC, UN University and GSMA. In just a on our two collective commitments: working
few short years, EQUALS has built a global with GSMA, EY and W4 to deliver digital
community of over 100 members spanning skills training to one million women and girls
– and that means those on low incomes, the 115 countries. Focused on the four core areas by 2026; and with UN Women and the ITC to
elderly, persons with disabilities, indigenous of Access, Skills, Leadership and Research, we provide business and digital skills for 10,000
populations, women and girls denied equal use our combined reach to deliver targeted women in the tech sector by 2026.
opportunities, displaced persons, and more – training to women and girls worldwide.
that meant that the world of work, education, And ahead of our upcoming 4-yearly World
social interaction, and information exchange, Complementing this, our annual EQUALS in Telecommunication Development Conference
moved online, without their participation. Tech Awards throw a global spotlight on the (WTDC), we’ve established an ITU-D
That’s simply not a situation we can continue many inspiring women and men working to Network of Women to ensure that our female
to accept. bridge the gender digital divide all around delegates are empowered to take on leadership
the world. One inspiring example from last roles in that event, and other important ITU
The future is digital. But right now, only year’s pool of winners is Karina Méndez, an meetings. ITU-D NoW chapters are already
some of us enjoy full digital citizenship. I advisor with Microserfin, the microfinance fully up and running in all six ITU regions,
passionately believe that we all lose out when institution of the BBVA Microfinance guided by our Advisory Board led by Cristiana
our communities are fragmented into ‘haves’ Foundation in Panama. Equipped with the Flutur, Co-President of Europe’s coordinating
and ‘have-nots’. That’s why we urgently need to necessary confidence, skills, and support, body for national telecommunications and
collaborate, pool our resources, and mobilize Karina brought safe, inclusive digital services postal services, the European Conference difference to our daily lives. But to be truly
the political will around full digital inclusion, to the microentrepreneurs she serves through of Postal and Telecommunications effective, standards development needs to
to ensure that everyone, everywhere, gets the the creation of an advisory app. Administrations (CEPT). be inclusive, and influenced by all players
chance to fully participate in the digital world in the ecosystem. That’s the aim of our
we are building. Tech skills can also offer benefits to women in So, in short, yes, progress really is being ‘pre-standardization studies’ in the Digitalin the DigitalDigital
unexpected ways. For example, App Laudelina made every day, but we are still not moving Currency Global Initiative, an open platform, an open platforman open platform

Q: Women and IT is an issue close to your – a 2020 EQUALS in Tech Award winner – is quickly enough. That’s why I’m determined launched by ITU and Stanford University in

heart. Has there been any noteworthy a mobile app that offers access to financial, to leverage our next WTDC to help forge 2020.
progress in this field? rights and safety information to Brazilian new partnerships and collaboration efforts, to
Yes and no. We’ve seen the gender gap narrow domestic workers. reach even more women and girls even faster. The initiative shares experiences with digital
in most countries, but only one region has currency applications, benchmarks best
reached actual gender parity – the Americas. ITU is also successfully collaborating with Q: ITU is currently working on establishing practices, and develops specifications to be
The most recent ITU data shows that globally, the Enhanced Integrated Framework in guidelines on digital currency. Could you tested and proven in the market as they feed
57% of women are using the internet, Ethiopia, Burundi, and Haiti to equip women tell us a little more about it? Who would into ITU’s technical standards development.
compared to 62% of men. But in the world’s entrepreneurs working in coffee and tea farms eventually supervise this currency? The initiative follows an ITU focus group
Least Developed Countries, that picture is and in the textile industry with the digital Digital currency offers promising ways to make on digital fiat currency which was active
much worse, with fewer than 1 in 5 women skills and innovation they need to take their transactions more secure and cost-effective. It from 2017 to 2019, and which delivered to 2019, and which delivered2019, and which delivered
using the internet, compared with almost 1 products and services to market. These are the also has great potential to increase financial a set of recommended design principles
in 3 men. Simply put, far too many women kinds of efforts we need to scale, to make a inclusion for the unbanked. That’s why ITU for central bank digital currency (CBDC)
still lack access to affordable, meaningful leap – what US FCC chair Jessica Rosenworcel is currently looking to develop technical as well as a reference architecture for the
connectivity which they could harness to called a ’digital leap’. standards to help tap into this opportunity on different implementations of CBDC for retail,
drive impactful transformation in their local a global scale. wholesale, and cross-border payments.
communities, their national economies – and We are also excited to be joining hands with This work continues in the Digital Currency
their own lives. the Women’s Entrepreneurship Accelerator Agreed international technical standardss Global Initiative, but with a broader scope to
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and Mary Kay cosmetics on a high-quality are vital to ensuring the security and consider all types of digital currency. Work
We need to work harder to change this picture women’s digital skills training programme, interoperability necessary for digital currency is organized into three groups, studying
– and that’s why ITU has a growing number of covering areas like cybersecurity and digital to earn our trust and make a meaningful architecture, interoperability and use cases;
w w w. d i va i n t e r n at i o n a l . c h w w w. d i va i n t e r n at i o n a l . c h