While progress has been made, women have a lower understanding of technology, fewer digital skills, a lower presence on online platforms, and are less likely to own mobile or technological devices on a global scale. Access and affordability issues, a lack of education, and socio-cultural norms are all barriers to women’s and girls’ digital literacy.
Today’s digital transformation opens up new opportunities for women’s economic empowerment and can help to achieve greater gender equality. The Internet, digital platforms, mobile phones, and digital financial services provide “leapfrog” opportunities for all and can help bridge the gender gap by allowing women to earn additional income, increase their employment opportunities, and access knowledge and general information.
To this day, Indonesian women face greater economic challenges than men. As per a recent World Economic Forum study, only 56% of Indonesian women were in the labour force, compared to 84.1 % of Indonesian men.
Another report stated that these issues are caused by a lack of education, as well as inherent biases and socio-cultural norms that limit women and girls’ ability to benefit from the opportunities provided by the digital transformation. Furthermore, girls’ lower educational enrolment in disciplines that would allow them to perform well in a digital world – such as science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, as well as information and communication technologies – combined with women’s and girls’ more limited use of digital tools could lead to wider gaps and greater inequality.
To address this, Indonesia’s leading digital telecommunications company has launched an innovation platform for Indonesian women that employs technology to address gender inequality challenges. Through the platform, the company saw an opportunity to use technology to reduce gender inequality. The programme started in 2020 to empower Indonesian women through innovations, allowing them to hack their own problems into creative breakthroughs that can solve women’s issues.
The Ambassador of the State of Qatar to the Republic of Indonesia emphasised Qatar and Indonesia’s strong relations, which have resulted in wonderful possibilities and opportunities such as women’s empowerment and allowing technology to reach the needs of the people. The platform is a novel programme that can assist women in honing their skills and expanding their capacity.
“I hope that this programme can empower more Indonesian women in the future as women need to educate themselves in new concepts and technology,” she said. Social Affairs Minister expressed her hope that the programme will encourage new tech innovations to support women, from personal growth to reducing obstacles.
The programme’s 2021 edition focuses on three major topics: women’s economic empowerment, education, and health. The programme aims to increase women’s contributions to the family economy through entrepreneurship, as well as women’s access to education and health care.
More than 1,000 Indonesian women are expected to participate in the platform, which will include various women’s empowerment communities from across the country. The programme is open to all Indonesian women under the age of 40, with the option of entering a team of up to three members.
Technology and social media can be powerful tools for women and girls to engage in democracy, civic action and peacebuilding, as well as to fight for their basic rights and gender equality. Adapting programming and investing in digital literacy for women and girls will be key to ensuring that they can meaningfully participate in these newly opened public spheres.
According to the telecommunication company’s CEO, the leading digital telecom provider will continue to assist programme graduates in turning their innovations into real solutions through this sustainable programme, in collaboration with the government and global organisations such as UNDP, UN Women, and GSMA Connected Women. The company also hope that the platform will be the starting point to reduce the gender gap and continue to create a bigger impact to achieve gender equality in Indonesia.
