Lessons learned from #TodasConectadas, the platform of digital and financial tools for women entrepreneurs in Latin America and the Caribbean
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The #TodasConectadas platform, an example of the articulation of governments, companies, civil society, and international organizations for gender equality and the development of digital and financial skills, will share Latin America and the Caribbean’s experience during the event "Transforming the digital inclusion of women and girls in Latin America."
The event will take place on March 6, at 8:15 AM (EST) at the United Nations headquarters in New York within the framework of the 67th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW67), whose priority theme is "Innovation and technological change, and education in the digital age for the achievement of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls."
#TodasConectadas, (www.todasconectadas.org) is a platform easily accessible from any device. It aims to provide tools for women in the region to develop digital skills and competences, empower their entrepreneurship, connect with other women in the region, and expand their employment and economic opportunities.
This initiative started in January 2022 and is promoted by ECLAC’s Regional Conference on Women, with the support of Mastercard, Microsoft, and Eidos Global, as a space for women throughout the region to strengthen their digital, financial, technological, and innovation skills; for entrepreneurs who want to digitize their ventures; as well as for women who seek to expand their networks and business opportunities.
Participating in the conversation in New York will be María Inés Castillo, Minister of Social Development of Panama; Mónica Bottero, Director of Inmujeres Uruguay; María Noel Vaeza, Regional Director of UN Women for the Americas and the Caribbean; Tania Sutin, from Kodea; a representative from Microsoft; and Darren Ware, Senior Vice President of Government Relations for Latin America and the Caribbean at Mastercard.
"There will be no sustainable development if women are not part of the digital revolution. The TodasConectadas platform is an example of what can be done as a collective effort to promote the digitization of women, reduce the gender and financial digital gap in Latin America and the Caribbean and empower women to be digital citizens and protagonists of the digital economy," said Maria Noel Vaeza, UN Women Regional Director for the Americas and the Caribbean.
“As part of our global commitment to help 25 million women entrepreneurs grow their businesses, today we’re expanding our support in the TodasConectadas program and partnering to bring new resources that help women founders get access the tools they need to achieve their full potential. Specifically, this latest investment is focused on increasing mentorship opportunities through MicroMentor, an initiative of Mercy Corps. In the coming weeks, TodasConectadas users will be able to access promotions and new technology resources that will help digitize their operations,” said Darren Ware.
This initiative is part of the Regional Alliance for the Digitalization of Women in Latin America and the Caribbean, launched in February 2021, as a collective commitment of the Generation Equality Forum, which unites the region's countries to address the challenge of closing the gender digital gap.
This alliance aims to reduce the gender gaps in information and communication technologies regarding access, skills development, and use by women and girls to promote gender equality in the region and women's full participation in the digital economy.
One of the coalitions created during the Forum was the Technology and Innovation for Gender Equality Coalition , which aims to serve as a coherent and strategic platform for multi-stakeholder partnerships (governments, civil society, international organizations, and the private sector) to channel resources and catalyze focused efforts towards these goals:
- closing the gender gap in digital access and skills;
- increasing women's labor participation and leadership in technology and innovation;
- eradicating gender-based violence and discrimination online; and
- empower innovation for gender equity.
Media contact
José Baig
UN Women
jose.baig@unwomen.org
+353896042676