Tackling Africa’s Digital Gender Divide

Finding ways to successfully address the digital gender divide is a topic generating lots of attention now. It is also the subject of a new report published this week by the OECD “Bridging the Digital Gender Divide - Include, Upskill, Innovate”. In Africa, digital transformation is recognized as a way of economically empowering women and can contribute to greater gender equality. E-commerce platforms, mobile phones and digital financial services empower women with the essential tools to create a business and earn a living. By tapping into the digital economy, it increases the ability of women to learn new skills, to innovate, and to become high impact contributors to local economies. By bridging the digital gender divide, it can provide new sources of economic growth and drive sustainable development on the continent. As the report states, the digital gender divide needs to be resolved, and now. There is no reason for women to trail behind in digital transformation, and the cost of inaction is high in Africa.