Aiming to start internal consultation and extend discussion on the digital gender gap in the Latin American ICT ecosystem, the first roundtable on inclusion and gender was held at the GSMA offices in Buenos Aires in preparation for Women 20 (W20) Argentina 2018. Companies and organisations attending from the mobile and digital industry included Facebook, Intel, Telefónica, Internet Society, Telecom – Cablevisión, Digital House, Claro and Cullen International.
W20, one of the G20 engagement groups, addresses topics related to women’s economic empowerment. It unites a transnational network of women’s organisations, business associations and think tanks in a discussion and voting process, aiming to create an annual forum to submit civil society proposals for a sustainable gender agenda to G20 leaders.
The GSMA will be Topic Chair of the digital inclusion theme and have a key role in W20, formulating public policy recommendations to promote specific improvements in women’s financial autonomy.
“Information and communications technology gives invaluable support to the socioeconomic development of countries, and working for women’s empowerment inevitably makes us think about the digital dimension,” said Paula Ferrari, Marketing Director Latin America, GSMA, as she opened the discussion. “The GSMA pledges to collaborate in addressing this topic and to work with its members and other stakeholders to connect everyone and everything to a better future. Gender equality and empowerment of women will be two key pillars for achieving the SDGs, specifically SDG 5, Gender equality. These are necessary changes that we must bring about.”
During the roundtable, ICT ecosystem players discussed the creation of a more gender-diverse industry and the preparation of a draft version of digital inclusion recommendations. This document will be worked on with W20 delegates ahead of Women 20 Summit 2018 in Buenos Aires to finalise a version for voting on.
“In the mobile industry we’re prepared to work as a team to create equality and empowerment actions that can become part of an exemplary global action plan for women across the planet. The digital revolution is a development revolution for everyone. The challenge begins with building a sustainable future in which every girl and every woman has equal opportunities, access and gender equality,” Ms Ferrari said.
The roundtable on inclusion and gender was the first in a series of dialogues to be held in other countries in 2018 to gather the comments and viewpoints of various digital ecosystem players.
