AUGUST 2024
Leveraging Digital
Technologies to
Advance Women’s
Economic Empowerment
By Romina Bandura and Madeleine McLean
Introduction
Despite worldwide advances in digitization over the past decade, many people are still excluded from
the digital economy and miss out on the opportunities it provides. This exclusion, referred to as the
digital divide—or “the gap between those who can access the dividends and opportunities of the digital
economy, and those who cannot”—is particularly pronounced for women. The challenges women face
in accessing the digital ecosystem include obtaining formal identication (ID), owning mobile phones,
and possessing digital skills, among others. The gender digital divide has serious repercussions at the
household level and in broader society. By 2025, developing economies are anticipated to be missing
out on $1.5 trillion in GDP because women do not have full access to the digital economy.
While the gender digital divide persists, there is considerable opportunity for change. Through the
private sector and government institutions, the United States can contribute signicantly to closing
the gender digital divide abroad and enabling digital public infrastructure (DPI) for women. Actions
the United States can undertake include expanding existing programs, working with partners to enact
gender-inclusive laws and regulations, building secure digital ecosystems, and supporting digital literacy
initiatives for women.
Gender Gaps in the Digital Ecosystem
Across the digital ecosystem, women are less likely than men to access aordable physical infrastructure
(e.g., electricity, internet, and mobile phones) and digital services (e.g., identication documents,
digital payments, and e-commerce and e-government). Women are also underrepresented in
