About EQUALS
We are EQUALS!
The EQUALS Global Partnership for Gender Equality in the Digital Age is a committed group of corporate leaders, governments, businesses, not-for-profit organizations, academic institutions, NGOs and community groups around the world dedicated to promoting gender balance in the technology sector by championing equality of access, skills development and career opportunities for women and men alike.
How does EQUALS work?
Launched in 2016 by the International Telecommunication Union and four founding partners – GSMA, the International Trade Centre, the United Nations University and UN Women – EQUALS contributes to the UN Sustainable Development Agenda through actions and evidence-based research aimed at closing the global gender digital divide.
EQUALS uses a multidisciplinary approach that brings together research, policy engagement and programme implementation through thematic workstreams to advance gender equality in the digital age. These workstreams align partners around shared priorities, support evidence-informed action, and enable coordinated initiatives that respond to emerging trends and real-world needs.
By promoting awareness, building political commitment, leveraging resources and knowledge, harnessing the capacities of partners, and supporting real action – EQUALS seeks to achieve digital gender equality and through this, to improve the livelihoods of millions around the world.
EQUALS was founded in 2016 by five partners: the International Telecommunication Union, UN Women, the International Trade Centre, GSMA and the United Nations University.
Today, EQUALS is a growing global network of national, regional and international partners – including governments, companies and NGOs.
Why do we need digital gender equality?
Around the globe in developing or developed countries, women are being held back from participating in the financial, educational, social and health resources of the digital technology-driven world – both in terms of benefiting from these and contributing to these. The digital gender divide is one of the largest gender divides in our world today – while its negative impact is substantial and felt by all.
In families, communities and professional roles, women’s perspectives, skills and experiences bring important value – strengthening societies, building economies, advancing knowledge and ultimately improving livelihoods.
It is clear that without women’s participation in digital technology development and access to digital technology resources – we all lose.
Our Scope
The EQUALS partnership brings together a range of organisations with a common goal – to close the digital divide and achieve digital gender equality so that women and girls, everywhere can benefit from digitaltechnologies. EQUALS partners recognize that the scale and breadth of the challenge can only be addressed by a broad and strong alliance, working together, each bringing a different set of experiences, skills and capabilities. This contributes directly to achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDGs 5, 4, 9 and 17.
SDG 5.b: Enhance the use of enabling technology, in particular information and communication technology, to promote the empowerment of women.
SDG 4: Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.
SDG 8: Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all.
SDG 9.c: Significantly increase access to information and communications technology and strive to provide universal and affordable access to the internet in least developed countries.
SDG 17.: Enhance the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development, complemented by multi-stakeholder partnerships that mobilize and share knowledge, expertise, technology and financial resources, to support the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals in all countries, in particular development countries.