How is mobile helping girls in Africa and Asia to reach their full potential?
Women in low and middle-income countries are 10% less likely than men to own a mobile phone – in fact, more than 400 million women in these countries do not have one. This gender gap means that many girls are missing out on the benefits of connectivity, from education and healthcare to financial security and personal safety.
To get more girls connected, the Vodafone Foundation joined forces with a not-for-profit organisation called Girl Effect in 2018. Working with other organisations, Vodafone and Girl Effect will expand the reach of the Springster mobile platform to empower seven million girls across eight countries in Africa and Asia over the next five years. In Tanzania, the national Interactive Voice Response (IVR) line that is part of Springster, received 100,000 calls in its first two months.
The first comprehensive global study into adolescent girls and mobile technology was published to mark the start of the Vodafone / Girl Effect partnership in 2018. Commenting on the study, Andrew Dunnett, Vodafone Foundation Director, said: “We need to face the reality that girls and boys do not have equal access to mobile, and design services that reach the girls and meet their needs in this context.” With this partnership, Vodafone aims to help improve life for millions of girls and make sure no one is left behind.
