Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], May 6 : A new initiative to strengthen and accelerate women's digital inclusion- the SheConnects Digital Accelerator, was announced today by Reliance Foundation and the Gates Foundation.
The Accelerator aims to improve the lives and livelihoods of women and girls through the adoption of proven, high-impact digital solutions. Over the next three years, this Rs 200-crore initiative will provide an important Global South platform to support locally led innovations that advance women's digital inclusion.
In India, the SheConnects Digital Accelerator will be supported by Reliance Foundation and will identify and scale high-impact, evidence-backed solutions.
In collaboration with the Gates Foundation, the Accelerator will also promote South-South knowledge sharing, particularly between India and Sub-Saharan Africa.
Over the past decade, India and Sub-Saharan Africa have made significant progress in enabling digital access, participation, and opportunities for women.
The SheConnects Digital Accelerator seeks to further advance solutions that reduce the gender digital divide through a three-pronged approach:
- Scaling evidence-backed solutions through grants, awards, and/or technical advisory support
- Promoting South-South learning and collaboration among awardees
- Supporting the broader ecosystem in adopting proven practices
"Empowering women with the tools and confidence to participate fully in the digital world is essential to a more equitable future. When women are at the centre, they drive not only their own progress but also broader societal transformation. In India, Reliance Foundation will support the SheConnects Digital Accelerator to scale solutions that close the gender digital divide and enhance women's agency. Over the next three years, we look forward to sharing innovations and learnings from India with the Global South," said Ms N Deepthi Reddy, Chief- Women Empowerment, Reliance Foundation.
"Across the Global South, women continue to face systemic barriers to accessing and benefiting from digital technologies. Countries like India and several African nations have made considerable progress in advancing digital inclusion, creating important momentum and lessons for wider adoption. The SheConnects Digital Accelerator presents an opportunity to support locally led innovations that address these challenges in contextually relevant ways. By fostering collaboration and cross-regional learning, we aim to accelerate progress toward a more inclusive digital future for women," said Ms Saachi Bhalla, Deputy Director- Gender Equality, Gates Foundation.
The SheConnects Digital Accelerator in India builds on Reliance Foundation's long-standing commitment to women's inclusion and digital empowerment since 2010.
Over the past three years alone, Reliance Foundation has supported innovative, culturally rooted solutions that have improved access to digital technologies for over 600,000 women across India.
Across Africa and India, the Gates Foundation, in partnership with governments, has supported efforts to expand digital public infrastructure, strengthen digital ecosystems, and enhance women's access to financial services, health information, and livelihood opportunities through digital platforms.
Its work focuses on closing gender gaps in access, affordability, digital skills, and safety, while partnering with governments, non-profits, and the private sector to scale inclusive and sustainable solutions.
By advancing digital adoption for women, the SheConnects Digital Accelerator aims to contribute significantly to the global goal of halving the digital gender gap by 2030, as declared by G20 leaders during India's presidency in 2023- towards a more inclusive and prosperous future for all.
The SheConnects Digital Accelerator was founded by Reliance Foundation and the Gates Foundation to advance women's digital inclusion. It focuses on scaling proven, high-impact solutions that enable women and girls to fully participate in the digital world, thereby improving their lives and livelihoods.
The Accelerator provides grants supported by Reliance Foundation in India and by the Gates Foundation in Sub-Saharan Africa. By catalysing innovative partnerships and use cases, it strengthens evidence on what works, fosters South-South learning, and helps shape a more inclusive global digital ecosystem.
Guided by the belief that every life has equal value, the Gates Foundation works to help all people lead healthy and productive lives.
In developing countries, it focuses on improving health through vaccines and other life-saving tools, and on creating pathways out of hunger and extreme poverty.
In the United States, it works to improve education so that all young people have the opportunity to reach their full potential. Based in Seattle, Washington, the foundation is led by CEO Mark Suzman and Chair Bill Gates.