Applications Invited for Reliance Foundation and W-GDP WomenConnect Challenge

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About the Organization:

When women are economically empowered, they re-invest in their families and communities, producing a multiplier effect that spurs economic growth and contributes to global peace and stability. In February 2019, President Trump established the Women’s Global Development and Prosperity (W-GDP) Initiative, also led and created by Advisor to the President, Ivanka Trump. This initiative is the first whole-of-government effort to advance global women’s economic empowerment. The W-GDP Initiative aims to enhance opportunities for women to participate meaningfully in the economy and advance both prosperity and national security. W-GDP focuses on three pillars: Women Prospering in the Workforce, Women Succeeding as Entrepreneurs, and Women Enabled in the Economy.

Reliance Foundation and W-GDP WomenConnect Challenge India

The W-GDP Women Connect Challenge supports new approaches that close the gender digital divide, expand business opportunities, and empower women. As part of this program, W-GDP is partnering with Reliance Foundation to create an India-specific expression of the WCC and incorporate the lessons of previous W-GDP WCC Rounds.

The W-GDP Women Connect Challenge (WCC) supports new approaches that close the gender digital divide, expand business opportunities, and empower women. As part of this program, W-GDP is partnering with Reliance Foundation to create an India-specific expression of the WCC and incorporate the lessons of previous W-GDP WCC Rounds.

Proposals must include three out of the following five proven strategies to close the gender digital divide and increase women’s economic empowerment:

• Break Social and Cultural Perceptions: In many poor or rural communities, access to technology and the internet by women is often seen as immoral, inappropriate, or unnecessary. It is important to change behavior and perspectives of those in power, such as men, community and religious leaders, and elders. Tackling these existing social and cultural perceptions will help women gain access to information and opportunities, build confidence, and feel empowered.
• Develop Tech or Online Job Opportunities: When trained on using technology, women can access increased economic opportunities, from serving as community technology leaders to entrepreneurs. Once men are educated about online workforce opportunities for women, they often become supportive of technology access due to the increased family income. In turn, a woman’s financial gains allow her to have more liberty and be able to afford additional internet access, educating and empowering her further.
• Build Confidence: In many developing countries, ingrained traditional gender roles lead women and men to believe that women are unable or not smart enough to use technology, enforcing a gender digital divide and lack of confidence. Targeted programs have helped women address gender stereotypes in their communities, learn to use technology, and feel empowered. Some women have gone on to train community members, positioning them as leaders, further breaking down gender norms.
• Grow Community Advocates: As poor or rural women gain access to technology, many choose to advocate for change in their communities. When given a platform to communicate with local leaders, they have championed issues disproportionately affecting women such as gender-based violence and access to finance or government programs.
• Design Creative Women-Centric Technology: To close the gender digital divide, programs must use technology options tailored to women in developing countries, many of whom are illiterate or have low literacy levels. Innovative video and audio platforms allow women who speak primarily oral languages to readily communicate and learn. Free offline content on a range of livelihood topics can help continue to educate women who otherwise do not receive targeted information.

Eligibility Criteria

The proposals are invited from all organisations satisfying the following criteria:

• The applicant has to be an entity with a registered office in India;
• The applicant has to be a foundation, trust, non-profit organization, or a section 8 company (or erstwhile Section 25 company) registered under the provisions of the Companies Act 2013 with a track record of at least three years in carrying out activities in related areas;
• The applicant may be a partnership or consortium;
• The program/project should not be longer than 12-15 months and should have the ability to demonstrate clear outcomes within the program timeframe;
• Proposals are encouraged from diverse groups that have clear, strategic, collaborative models to tackle the complexity of the gender digital divide;
• Applicants that promote more gender equitable access to and usage of existing digital infrastructure (as opposed to solutions that necessitate new infrastructure);
• Organisations with women in leadership positions.

Award

• Reliance Foundation will fund up to 10 projects that will be selected through this challenge;
• Each project will be eligible for a milestone-based funding of up to INR 1 Crore (approx. $130,000).

Deadline: 6 November 2020 at 23:59 IST

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