In 2015 the Web Foundation’s Women’s Rights Online network launched a global report based on a year long household survey research project. The research showed large gender gaps in Internet use and digital empowerment and identified priority actions to close these gaps.
Several SDGs (5b, 9c, 1.4) provide an historic opportunity to halt and reverse growing digital inequality. However, in order to turn the SDG pledges into action it is important that advocates are able to present policymakers and the private sector with clear, evidence based policy recommendations, and to monitor progress towards implementation and impact.
This year we’ve been working with partners to build national Five Point Action Plans for achieving the SDGs on women and technology. These Action Plans include concrete, actionable and country specific recommendations on priority issues such as affordability, digital skills and education, and online civic participation.
To help ensure that there is sustained pressure for implementation of these Action Plans, we have also developed a Digital Gender Divide Scorecard. The Scorecard is a simple, user friendly tool to hold governments accountable for progress on the SDG gender and ICT targets, by monitoring country level policy commitments, implementation and outcomes.
During this workshop we will present our tools, methodologies and evidence to participants. We will have an interactive session whereby participants will learn how to activate the gender and ICT research and Scorecard tools in their countries. We will have an interactive discussion about specific strategies for evidence based policy advocacy on women’s digital empowerment.
