The WomenConnect Challenge India Round Two winners were announced by Reliance Foundation and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Out of more than 260 candidates, seven social sector organisations were chosen to receive awards of up to INR 1 crore apiece. The initiative’s goal is to remove obstacles that prevent women from having full access to technology so they may take part completely in the global economy.
It is a worldwide call to action to empower women and girls by developing new avenues for them to interact with technology, defy antiquated social standards, and achieve economic independence. Over 350,000 women and their communities are intended to benefit from the second round of the WomenConnect Challenge India.
In collaboration with Reliance Foundation, the US government has helped women farmers, businesswomen, self-help organisations, and microenterprises in India. It has also provided mentoring from professionals around the country.
Women Connected: Strategies for Bridging the Gender Digital Divide in India is the first joint publication from Reliance Foundation and USAID. The article emphasises the value of campaigns to modify behaviour and partnership with local leaders in advancing digital inclusion. The Challenge’s first round, which started in August 2021, saw 10 organisations develop solutions in 19 states, helping 320,000 women and girls.
Key experts and decision-makers from the social sector participated in the debate, which was moderated by Jagannatha Kumar, CEO of the Reliance Foundation, Veena Reddy, Director of USAID’s India Mission, and Vanita Sharma, Director of Strategic Initiatives at the Reliance Foundation. The Reliance Foundation and USAID sponsored a bigger mobilisation that included this talk.
At the round table, participants made several important recommendations, including the need for public-private stakeholder engagement, digital literacy, and scalability when developing programmes to close the gender digital divide.
Visit www.womenconnectindia.com for more information on the WomenConnect Challenge India.
