| Contribution :
|
The U.S. Council for International Business (USCIB) appreciates the opportunity to participate in the open consultation convened by the ITU Council Working Group on International Internet-related Public Policy Issues (CWG-Internet) on the topic of “Bridging the Digital Gender Divide.” USCIB is a U.S.-based trade association composed of more than 300 multinational companies, law firms, and business associations from every sector of the U.S. economy, with operations in every region of the world. In particular, USCIB Members include a broad cross-section of the leading global companies in the information and communications technology (ICT) sectors.
USCIB organized a workshop at the 2016 Internet Governance Forum (IGF), “An Internet of Women by 2020: WSIS Vision into Reality.” This submission highlights key points from that workshop that address questions posed in this open consultation. It also provides insights from USCIB Members about challenges they have encountered in their efforts to bridge the gender digital divide and a sampling of industry initiatives aimed to close this gap. Highlights are as follows:
• The challenge of bridging the gender digital divide must be addressed holistically; there is no one single factor driving the division or the resolution;
• There is a dearth of data and metrics focused on the extent of female participation in the digital economy, which hampers efforts to identify gaps;
• Efforts to measure engagement in the digital economy do not appropriately account for cultural factors that often serve as the most stubborn barrier to bridging the gender digital divide;
• Partnerships are critical, between the public and private sectors, business and non-profits, intergovernmental organizations, and between local and national governments. No one organization can tackle this problem alone;
• Women need to be assured that the online environment is safe;
• Policy implementation and follow-through are critical; and
• Efforts to bridge the gender digital divide are most effectively addressed via multistakeholder processes.
Our complete submission is attached.
|
