Connected Women - Mobile for Development

A farmer using a smartphone while standing in a field with a hoe in hand.

Connected Women

Accelerating digital and financial inclusion for women across low- and middle-income countries.

About us

Our mission is to reduce the gender gap in mobile internet and mobile money services in low- and middle-income countries and unlock significant commercial and socio-economic opportunities. We work with mobile operators and their partners to address the barriers to women accessing and using mobile internet and mobile money services. When women thrive, societies, businesses and economies thrive.

Explore the mobile gender gap

Must-read resources

All our news, reports and research in one place.

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The Mobile Gender Gap Report 2026: Coming soon

Join the webinar on 15 July to explore the latest research on women’s mobile ownership and mobile internet use in low- and middle-income countries.

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JazzCash Merchant App and Women Micro-Entrepreneurs in Pakistan: From insight to action

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Pochi la Biashara and Women Micro-Entrepreneurs in Kenya: From insight to action

Read case study

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Policy considerations to accelerate digital inclusion for women in low- and middle-income countries

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Explore our work

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The Connected Women Commitment Initiative

Since 2016, more than 50 MNOs have made formal commitments to accelerate women’s digital and financial inclusion, collectively reaching over 90 million women.

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Accelerating Digital and Financial Inclusion

This overview highlights the opportunities and barriers to closing the mobile gender gap, and provides recommendations for addressing them.

A woman in a blue apron sits among baskets of tomatoes and avocados at an outdoor market, focused on her smartphone. Sunlight highlights her as she connects with others, embodying the spirit of Connected Women amid fresh produce and vibrant market life.

The Mobile Gender Gap Report 2025

Our annual flagship report explores the latest data on the mobile gender gap, the key barriers preventing women’s equal access to and use of mobile, and what is needed to bridge the gap.

Reaching 50 Million Women with Mobile

Drawing on our research and work with partners across Africa, Asia and Latin America, we have distilled 10 key recommendations for reaching women with mobile.

Women Micro-Entrepreneurs

Through research insights and work with our MNO partners, this initiative aims to empower women micro-entrepreneurs through mobile phone products and services.

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Connected Women Life Stories

Mobile technology is transforming the lives of women across low- and middle-income countries. We asked women from around the world to share their stories.

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Choose from our full list of programmes and receive regular updates on our work.

The Connected Women programme is funded by the UK’s Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), the Swedish International Development Cooperation (SIDA) and is supported by the GSMA and its members. The programme’s research and work is also funded by the Gates Foundation.