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How We Work

WiDEF pursues results through three areas of focus:
We catalyze the acceleration of evidence-based solutions through financial and technical support, supporting providers to take their solutions to scale.
We influence change by generating and sharing evidence of what works, engaging policy makers and powerholders, and elevating the voices of women and girls to advocate for change.
We build partnerships with aligned public, private, and civil society actors to advance the WiDEF vision together through resource and knowledge sharing.

The change we seek

WiDEF accelerates progress to close the gender digital divide by scaling evidence-based, proven solutions, including women-led, feminist solutions that improve women’s livelihoods, economic security, and resilience.

Our work focuses on programs that advance gains across five areas:

  1. Improved access to affordable devices and online experiences.

    WiDEF will get internet access and internet-enabled devices into the hands of women and make sure devices, services, including digital finance, and data are affordable, reliable, secure, and accessible.

  2. Increased availability of relevant products and tools.

    WiDEF will support the design, development, and deployment of relevant digital products and tools that meet women’s needs and facilitate women’s use of mobile devices, particularly smartphones, internet, and other technologies, especially for income-generation purposes.

  3. Elevating digital literacy and skills.

    WiDEF will strengthen women’s digital skills and literacy, including media literacy, so they can fully and safely access digital services and participate in and lead digital spaces, including the digital economy.

  4. Enhancing safety and security.

    WiDEF will address technology-facilitated gender-based violence and online harassment and strengthen safeguards for digital user protection, including on consumer financial protection, data protection, cyber security, fraud, and risk mitigation.

  5. Generating data and insights.

    WiDEF will expand the collection and responsible use of digital inclusion data, prioritizing sex-, age-, and disability-associated data; conduct and share focused research, work to address social norms and systems that influence gender disparities in technology adoption and use robust evaluation to measure and benchmark change.