Reliance Foundation Joins USAID and Bill Gates to Empower Women in Digital Economy
Reliance Foundation has committed up to $10 million to the Women in Digital Economy Fund (WiDEF), a collaboration between the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF). WiDEF, introduced by US Vice President Kamala Harris in March 2023, aims to empower women economically, improve their livelihoods, and enhance resilience by identifying, funding, and promoting solutions that drive women’s economic empowerment.
In India, WiDEF is a partnership between USAID, BMGF, and Reliance Foundation, with the GSMA Foundation managing the initiative with support from the global WiDEF consortium. Reliance Foundation’s contribution will double the available WiDEF funding in India, helping meet the G20 Leaders’ 2023 commitment to reduce the digital gender gap by half by 2030. Furthermore, Reliance Foundation will aid the development of knowledge tools, share best practices, and support measurement and learning for all India-based WiDEF grantees.
Isha Ambani, Director of Reliance Foundation, said, “The Women in the Digital Economy Fund (WiDEF) is a historic step for global collaboration to achieve the G20 commitment to close the gender digital divide by 2030 and Reliance Foundation is proud to come on board as a Global Anchor Partner.” She added, “We are committed to increasing our efforts to advance digital inclusion to improve women’s livelihoods, economic security and resilience. Through WiDEF, Reliance Foundation will work together to accelerate innovative solutions to empower women through technology in India and also share best practices with other countries to help drive global progress towards this shared vision for a more equitable future.”
Dr Alexandria Huerta, USAID/India Acting Mission Director, said, “As the United States and India partner to advance and achieve global development goals, closing the gender digital divide is essential to progress in India and around the world. USAID is proud to partner with Reliance Foundation through the Women in the Digital Economy Fund to accelerate women’s economic empowerment.” Huerta added, “Building on our longstanding partnership and impactful results, USAID and Reliance Foundation aim to empower millions of women across India, ensuring that the benefits of the digital economy are accessible to all and fostering a more equitable future.”
This collaboration builds on the existing partnership between Reliance Foundation and USAID through the WomenConnect Challenge India. The WomenConnect Challenge is a global initiative by USAID aimed at increasing women’s participation in daily life by transforming how they access and use technology. In 2020, USAID and Reliance Foundation launched the WomenConnect Challenge India, focused on narrowing the gender digital divide for 600,000 women across the subcontinent. The initiative has selected 17 recipients over two rounds, prioritising culturally relevant and innovative solutions that break down barriers, provide equitable access, and empower marginalised women through digital technologies.
Reliance Foundation is also collaborating with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) to support one million women entrepreneurs across several Indian states. Additionally, the Foundation is working with Reliance Jio and GSMA to implement a nationwide rollout of their Digital Skills Programme, part of the broader GSMA Connected Women Commitment, which trains rural women and marginalised communities to maximise digital access. Similarly, the US government is committed to advancing women’s economic empowerment and digital inclusion in India and globally. USAID is also creating opportunities for women entrepreneurs to enhance their digital skills, including financial literacy, to help them engage more in the formal economy. Best practices from India have been applied throughout South Asia, improving the digital capabilities of over 16,000 women entrepreneurs under the South Asia Regional Digital Initiative.
Since its launch in March 2023, the Women in the Digital Economy Fund (WiDEF) has gained strong support from a global consortium, including Reliance Foundation, USAID, and BMGF. The consortium, which includes governments, private companies, foundations, civil society, and multilateral organizations, has collectively committed more than $1.01 billion to accelerate gender digital equality.
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Reliance Foundation -: Reliance Foundation is a charitable organization in India, started by Reliance Industries, which helps people in need.
USAID -: USAID stands for United States Agency for International Development. It is a part of the US government that helps other countries with development and humanitarian aid.
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation -: This is a large charity started by Bill Gates, who founded Microsoft, and his then-wife Melinda. They work on health, education, and reducing poverty around the world.
WiDEF -: WiDEF stands for Women in Digital Economy Fund. It is a fund to help women get better access to digital tools and jobs.
Kamala Harris -: Kamala Harris is the Vice President of the United States. She is the first woman and the first person of Indian and African descent to hold this position.
G20 -: G20 is a group of 20 major countries, including India, that work together to solve global economic problems.
Digital gender gap -: This means the difference between how men and women use and have access to digital technology like the internet and smartphones.
