Coalition leadership handoff and welcoming new EQUALS partners
EQUALS is a partnership made up of organizations and initiatives from many sectors. Our goal is to build on the strengths this diversity brings to EQUALS, by encouraging each partner to take an active role in shaping and leading our shared work. To that end, we periodically rotate leadership of our Access, Skills, Leadership and Research coalitions.
Last year, we announced new leadership in the Access coalition, with GSMA handing the reins to GSOA and DOT (joint leadership). Now, we are pleased to announce new leadership in both the Skills and Leadership coalitions.
EQUALS Skills Coalition Leading Partners
With gratitude for the work of former leading partner DQ Institute, the EQUALS Global Partnership announces new joint leadership of the Skills Coalition. Bringing deep expertise in digital skills development initiatives for girls and women around the world, both ITU and GSMA are also founding partners of EQUALS. Under their leadership, the Skills Coalition will continue to build and grow its partner-driven impact.
The Skills Coalition supports large and small initiatives with the goal of ensuring that 60% of women and girls have achieved at least a minimum level of proficiency in sustainable digital skills by 2030.
“As one of the five co-founders of the EQUALS Global Partnership for Gender Equality in the Digital Age, the GSMA is pleased to have been elected as Co-Chair of the EQUALS Skills Coalition alongside the ITU. Connecting everyone and everything for a better future sits at the core of the GSMA’s mission and as such, closing the digital gender divide is one of our key priorities. We look forward to strengthening the work of the EQUALS Skills Coalition by leveraging the power of the mobile industry in bridging the digital skills gap, especially as we seek to fulfill our commitment of reaching 1 million girls and young women by 2026 via the EQUALS #HerDigitalSkills Initiative”
Tamara Dancheva, Senior International Relations Manager, GSMA
“ITU has a long history of supporting gender digital equality in every region of the world, because we know that connectivity and digital skills are the keys to full participation in the digital future for everyone. Initiatives such as Girls in ICT allow us to offer events and workshops with far-reaching impact specifically focused on increasing digital skills for girls. As a founding partner of EQUALS, we work closely with the partnership to align our goals and maximize our support of programs to give girls and women the skills they need to build successful careers and businesses using the full potential of ICTs.”
Marco Obiso, Chief, A.I. Digital Network and Society Department, ITU
EQUALS Leadership Coalition Leading Partners
Since EQUALS began, the Leadership Coalition has thrived under the joint leadership of the International Trade Centre (ITC) and UN Women, two organizations devoted to ensuring gender equality in the tech sector as well as in tech entrepreneurship opportunities. The partners are grateful for their work in shaping goals to achieve gender digital equality. We are pleased to announce that EY will jointly drive this coalition with UN Women.
“EY is proud to work along side UN Women and the other members of EQUALS to create more opportunities for women to be leaders in technology. Through our joint efforts, I’m certain we can develop and drive programs to highlight role models so others can dream bigger, achieve greater levels and create a more equitable world.”
Michelle Settecase, Global Strategy & Insights Leader, Women. Fast forward, EY
“Since the establishment of the EQUALS Leadership Coalition, UN Women has been happy to collaborate with ITC to enhance women’s leadership at all organizational levels in the technology sector. We thank ITC for a successful partnership. UN Women welcomes EY as a co-lead. Jointly we will continue changing mindsets of women and men about the role of women in ICT; and facilitating skills development opportunities and community engagement in the field of technology.”
Diana Rusu, Strategic Partnerships, UN Women
The Leadership Coalition supports initiatives around the world giving women the chance to fully participate in the tech sector, from staff representation to C-suite leadership, and to ensure that women can build economic opportunity through gender digital equality. The coalition’s goal is to ensure 30% of tech leaders are women by 2030.
New EQUALS Partners
EQUALS is a growing partnership, always welcoming new partners who commit to the shared goals of the coalitions and the work of building gender equality in technology, in all its complexities. As such, we are delighted to welcome three new partners:
Fundación Gran Chaco
Access, Skills and Leadership Coalitions
Working to promote and support local organizations of small, indigenous and rural producers, with a special focus on women, Fundación Gran Chaco works for gender digital equality in Argentina. Their aim is to give women the innovative tech tools they need to generate economic, cultural, social and environmental value for themselves and their communities.
“We are excited about the opportunity to join EQUALS: a partnership with other international organisations and networks that work to address gender inequalities. It also allows us to learn from each other and expand our networks. We look forward to sharing our experiences with indigenous and peasant women through various projects that concretely reduce the digital gender gap.”
Fundación Gran Chaco
KMOP
Skills and Leadership Coalitions
Based in Greece and active in seven countries, KMOP is dedicated to making a positive social impact through research and innovative initiatives that address critical social issues, inform public debate and help shape policy, nationally and internationally.
KMOP designs and implements knowledge-based, solution-oriented actions that are essential for fostering social resilience and well-being. Their work focuses on a wide variety of social goods, including gender equality, which will inform their work as part of EQUALS.
“What steers us towards the EQUALS Global Partnership? Our common vision towards a world where all women have equal opportunities to thrive and unleash their potential.”
KMOP
National Communications Authority of Somalia
Access, Skills, Leadership and Research Coalitions
As the ICT regulatory body of the government of Somalia, the National Communications Authority (NCA) is responsible for telecommunications, internet, broadcasting and all aspects of digital communications and commerce for the country. Their responsibilities include facilitating the fair and sustainable development of the ICT sector. As such, NCA is joining EQUALS to represent our shared goals in gender digital equality in every country and region.
“The National Communications Authority is committed to supporting and inspiring women and girls to pursue education and careers in the ICT sector in Somalia, which is one of the most advanced sectors in Somalia, with the support of the EQUALS initiative we hope to further increase our efforts in bridging the digital gender gap in Somalia.”
National Communications Authority of Somalia
A Growing Partnership
The power of EQUALS is the power of partnership. By working together, our partners bring their unique strengths and expertise to the work of bridging the gender digital divide. If your organization is interested in joining us, please contact us at equals@itu.int.