Driving Gender Inclusivity in Mobile Networks Through Commitment and Data Insights
- EQUALS
- 5 hours ago
- 2 min read
The EQUALS Partnership is pleased to announce the release of the EQUALS Gender Inclusivity Index Key Findings report, offering new insights into how mobile network operators (MNOs) are advancing gender transformation across their organizations and ecosystems. Developed under the EQUALS Her Digital Skills initiative by GSMA, ITU, EY and Women’s WorldWide Web (W4), the Index serves as a practical assessment tool to help companies evaluate the effectiveness of their policies, programmes and initiatives in driving meaningful and measurable progress toward gender equality.
Piloted with 16 MNOs across multiple regions, the report captures both achievements and remaining gaps in the industry’s journey toward inclusivity. Findings highlight that leadership commitment plays a critical role in accelerating change, while stronger data practices, monitoring, and independent evaluation are still needed to ensure sustained impact. The report also identifies actionable approaches to addressing harmful gender norms and cultural barriers, reinforcing that gender transformation requires continuous learning, accountability, and institutional commitment.
Importantly, the findings demonstrate that gender transformation is not only a social imperative but also a strategic advantage. Many participating operators have already established formal gender and intersectionality policies, invested in digital upskilling initiatives for women and girls, and introduced internal goals and metrics to track progress. At the same time, the Index underscores opportunities for organizations to deepen their use of gender-disaggregated data and strengthen evaluation frameworks—steps that can enhance brand reputation, attract and retain talent, build investor confidence, and expand digital inclusion.
The report also showcases compelling case studies from organizations including Azercell, Beeline Kazakhstan, Bharti Airtel Foundation, Jazz Pakistan, and Telesom. These examples illustrate how gender transformation can be embedded into leadership pipelines, workplace policies, financial inclusion efforts, and community-focused programmes, providing practical inspiration for peers across markets and regions.
As momentum for gender inclusivity continues to grow, the EQUALS Partnership and its collaborators remain committed to supporting stakeholders with tools, evidence, and platforms for collaboration. The insights from this first cohort of operators mark an important step forward and invite more organizations to join the movement toward measurable gender transformation.
The full report is available for download below:
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