What is the relationship between the Women in the Digital Economy Initiative and WiDEF?
The Women in the Digital Economy Initiative connects stakeholders with a shared focus on accelerating progress toward the 2023 G20 commitment to halve the gender digital divide by 2030, through investments, learning, and networking. Initiative partners make individual, aligned commitments to close the gender digital divide that advance at least one of the Initiative's five pillars, and may collaborate and partner in specific sectors or countries.
Initiative partners also have the opportunity to directly contribute to WiDEF as Funders. Funders collaborate through the pooled partnership to accelerate progress towards the G20 target, either by contributing resources to the pooled Fund or by directly investing in gender-transformative solutions identified by WiDEF's open call for proposals. Funders will also engage with WiDEF-led advocacy efforts.
Who are Women in the Digital Economy Initiative partners?
So far, Initiative partners include all direct funders of WiDEF as well as organizations that have made commitments related to the 2023 G20 commitment to halve the gender digital divide. All will be invited to join the Community of Practice to be launched in March 2024.
Are organizations that made commitments to WiDEF in the Vice President's Global Initiatives on the Economic Empowerment of Women also Initiative Partners?
The Initiative did not exist at the time, and these entities will be invited to join the Community of Practice.
Can an Initiative Partner receive WiDEF funding?
Initiative Partners or other organizations can apply to Requests for Application (RFA) if they meet the eligibility criteria unique to each RFA. There will be a total of seven open calls for RFAs; five of which will award monetary funding and two of which will provide technical assistance. Each round will have its own focus area(s) and criteria. Visit widef.global and sign up on the bottom of the page to receive WiDEF updates, including information on the RFAs as they become available.
How do I learn more about WiDEF?
To learn more, visit our USAID webpage on WiDEF here or visit widef.global.
Can an organization that is unable to make an aligned commitment to the Women in the Digital Economy Initiative or a funding commitment to WiDEF join the Community of Practice?
Yes, organizations unable to make commitments to the Women in the Digital Economy Initiative or WiDEF may join the Community of Practice.
What do you mean by proven solutions?
WiDEF funds solutions that clearly demonstrate previous evidence of having a positive impact on closing the gender digital divide by addressing one of WiDEF's five core pillars.