USAID and AusAID are to partner with the GSMA (GSM Association) and Visa, Inc. through a Global Development Alliance (GDA) to close the mobile phone gender gap and accelerate women’s empowerment and leadership opportunities.

The partnership will improve women’s access to life-enhancing services including financial inclusion, education and healthcare via the mobile phone. Research shows that women are 21 per cent less likely to own a mobile phone in low-to-middle income countries, representing 300 million fewer women than men. Through this work, the GSMA mWomen programme hopes that at least 150 million women around the world will access new tools to improve their lives.

Total funding under the Global Development Alliance is almost US$10 million over three years. The GDA is part of the GSMA mWomen Program, a global public-private partnership between the worldwide mobile industry and the international development community.

Building on their previous commitments of $500,000 each, AusAID and USAID are contributing an additional approximately $7 million to this program. That will be augmented by contributions from Visa and GSMA to reach a total budget of around $10 million over three years. Key activities under this expanded program include: technical assistance grants to mobile operators; a grant mechanism for NGOs to work with mobile operators; research into women’s needs; pilot activities; attention on the mobile user experience of women.

Anticipated outcomes include greater women’s empowerment, leadership, education, employment and entrepreneurship.

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