Women in the Digital Economy Fund: USAID, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and Partners Launch WiDEF

NEW YORK, N.Y., March 12, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Women in the Digital Economy Fund (WiDEF), a five-year $60.5 million investment to accelerate progress on closing the global gender digital divide, announces its first call for applications with recorded remarks from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Administrator Samantha Power.

Founded by USAID and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation—and first announced by U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris in Accra, Ghana in March 2023—WiDEF will now begin identifying, funding, and accelerating investment in proven solutions to close the gender digital divide.

​”The gender digital divide hinders development progress—ingraining existing inequities into the fabric of societies of the future, creating a self-perpetuating cycle that drives further disparities. We need a future in which women are empowered to participate as equal citizens in our increasingly digital world. We look forward to working together to achieve that vision,” said Samantha Power, Administrator, USAID.

“I’m proud of our support for the Women in the Digital Economy Fund. Overcoming the gender digital divide is crucial to unlock the potential of women in the digital era. By increasing women’s participation in digital technology, we’re aiming not just to change their status from consumers to creators and leaders; we’re working to forge a path to a future where everyone benefits,” said Anita Zaidi, President of the Gender Equality Division at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

This event, which brought together leaders from across the public and private sectors and civil society worldwide, was an opportunity to celebrate the start of this effort and learn about how WiDEF will implement its ambitious vision. Representing the Biden-Harris Administration at today’s kickoff event was Rachel Vogelstein, White House Gender Policy Council Deputy Director.

Advancing access to digital technology for all women and girls is critical to achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. This will help ensure that everyone has access to economic opportunities and advancement as well as government services, education, and healthcare.

In low- and middle-income countries, nearly one and a half billion women lack access to online services. Through 2022, there were 259 million more men than women globally using the internet; a gap that has cost the global economy an estimated $1 trillion. Closing the gender digital divide would increase economic activity by an estimated $524 billion by 2025.

WiDEF is administered by consortium partners CARE, Global Digital Inclusion Partnership (GDIP), and the GSMA Foundation. The consortium will collaborate with industry-leading organizations to effectively engage local and global private sector actors and funders to advance a shared set of commitments to closing the gender digital divide.

“WiDEF is about putting millions of women at the center of connectivity and information programming. CARE brings our strength in locally led, gender-centered programming in over 100 countries to the effort. The consortium’s collective focus on technology, policy, and gender advocacy offers the greatest opportunity yet to create and sustain an internet that works for the women who could most benefit from it,” said Revi Sterling, WiDEF Technical Director and CARE Senior Technical Director, Digital Inclusion.

“Launching WiDEF is indeed a special moment, one that reflects real commitment and determination to address the stubborn gender digital divide and open the possibilities for women in the digital economy. GDIP is committed to women’s digital inclusion, and we look forward to advocating alongside our global partners to advance this collective effort,” said Sonia Jorge, GDIP Executive Director.

“Closing the gender digital divide has been at the centre of the GSMA Foundation’s work for over a decade, and we are extremely honoured to play an active role in the management of the Women in the Digital Economy Fund. We now look forward to receiving applications to the first round launched today, and to the further two rounds to be announced later this year, focused on large private sector actors, and India specifically,” said Max Cuvellier Giacomelli, Head of Mobile for Development, GSMA.

WiDEF will support and fund programs that advance digital access and affordability; develop relevant products and tools; provide digital literacy and skills training; promote online safety and security; and invest in sex-disaggregated data and research. It will support, wherever possible, women-led and gender transformative solutions, products, and tools and will invest heavily in ensuring the voices and institutions closest to the gender digital divide are central to the effort.

As part of today’s event, WiDEF announced the first call for applications, inviting local institutions worldwide to apply to receive WiDEF funding and support. Applications are due by May 6, 2024.

In addition to financial support from USAID and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, funding is also being provided by Microsoft and the Korean International Cooperation Agency.

To learn more, email contact@widef.global, visit us online at widef.global or follow WiDEF on social media (Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter/X).

About CARE
Founded in 1945 with the creation of the CARE Package®, CARE is a leading humanitarian organization fighting global poverty. CARE places special focus on working alongside women and girls. Equipped with the proper resources, women and girls have the power to lift whole families and entire communities out of poverty. This year, CARE and partners worked in 109 countries implementing 1,671 poverty-fighting development and humanitarian aid projects and initiatives that reached 167,000,000 people. To learn more, visit www.care.org.

About GDIP
The Global Digital Inclusion Partnership (GDIP) is a coalition of public, private, and civil society organizations working to bring internet connectivity to the global majority and ensure everyone is meaningfully connected by 2030. Founded by a global team of experts who successfully championed affordable and meaningful connectivity around the world, GDIP advances digital opportunities to empower and support people’s lives and agency, leading to inclusive digital societies.

GSMA Mobile for Development Foundation
The GSMA Mobile for Development Foundation, Inc. (‘The GSMA Foundation’) brings together mobile operators, innovators, governments, and the international development community to realise the positive social, economic and climate impact of mobile technology, primarily in low- and middle-income countries. With funding from donors and the GSMA, the GSMA Foundation runs programmes that advance digital and financial inclusion – with a strong focus on gender inclusivity, climate action, humanitarian response, and investment in innovative digital solutions. Since 2007, these programmes have impacted the lives of over 220 million people.

Michael de Vulpillieres
CARE
+1 929 944 1582
usa.media@care.org

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 9062253

Power Outages: ECG is misinforming the public – John Jinapor


Mr John Abdulai Jinapor, the Ranking Member, Energy Committee of Parliament, says the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) is misinforming the public over the ongoing power outages in parts of the country, otherwise known as ‘dumsor’.

‘The widespread load shedding is a result of financial issues, not technical glitches as claimed by the ECG,’ he said.

‘…The ECG is misinforming us of the real issues of the recent power outages. Instead, they are attributing these outages to overloaded and faulty transformers, which is not the case.’

Mr Jinapor said this on Tuesday when he addressed a section of the media in Parliament House, Accra.

‘We have been monitoring the situation and just yesterday, we laid hands on the PURC’s cash waterfall mechanism Validation Report for January 2024.’

‘I can confidently but sadly confirm to you that the current load shedding is not technical, it is financial. It is due to mismanagement,’ he told the media.

Mr Jinapor, a National Democratic Congress Member of Parliament for Yapei
Kusawgu, alleged gross abuse of the cash waterfall mechanism and mismanagement of funds, challenging the narrative by the company.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Let’s prioritise seafarers rights and safety to advance maritime industry


Mr Kwaku Ofori Asiamah, the minister of transport, has called on maritime regulators to prioritise seafarers rights and safety to enhance the maritime industry

He said this would establish safer working conditions, ensure fair treatment and create a supportive environment for seafarers.

‘This would make the profession more enticing to the younger generation thereby leading to a transformation in the industry’, he said.

In a news brief copied to the Ghana News Agency in Accra, said the Transport Minister emphasised the

indispensable role of seafarers, who are often unsung heroes, yet ensured the smooth functioning of global trade by transporting over 80 per cent of goods worldwide.

‘Therefore, there was a need to protect their rights and safety to ensure smooth operation of the maritime system, since we depended heavily on it.

He said that Africa had the potential as a significant source of future seafarers because of its youthful population and burgeoning interest in maritime careers, ‘the continent sto
od poised to play a pivotal role in addressing the industry’s labour shortage’, he added.

Mr Asiamah said Ghana was a beacon of progress in this regard, boasting of well-equipped maritime education training facilities and a strong commitment to international standards.

He said Ghana joined the International Maritime Community to prioritise the well-being of seafarers, rejuvenate the maritime industry and embrace the opportunities that lie ahead.

Source: Ghana News Agency

FoN to intensify education on Mineral Development Fund in mining communities


Friends of the Nation (FoN), a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), said it will intensify education on the use of the Mineral Development Fund to avert any misunderstanding that might arise between the assemblies and mining communities.

The Monitoring and Evaluation Coordinator of FoN, Nana Efua Ewur, gave the assurance when the NGO, with assistance from Oxfam, organised a stakeholder’s engagement for mining firms, mining communities and Assemblymembers at Samahu in the Prestea Huni-Valley Municipality of the Western North Region.

The project dubbed ‘Fair for all,’ is looking at the extractive sector, MDF for Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs), it’s impact and utilisation as stated by the Act.

Residents of Samahu, who attended the event, expressed anger at the Assembly’s failure to establish a project with their share of the Mineral Development Fund (MDF) to provide them some benefits.

Nana Ewur explained that although the Assembly received funds, it was not enough, considering the s
everal communities in deprived areas that needed urgent attention.

‘Samahu is part of Gold Fields host communities, and you receive support in diverse ways, so the Assembly will channel any available funding to develop other communities,’ she said.

‘When the Assembly prepares its Medium-Term Development Plan, it captures the needs of every community, and those within the operational areas of mining companies usually get support from them.’

The Tufuhene (sub-chief) of Samahu, Mr Abdul Fataw, expressed displeasure as to why the Assembly had not initiated a single project from the MDF for the residents.

He said Gold Fields Ghana Limited (GFGL), Tarkwa Mine, provided all their needs, which ranged from classroom blocks, community centres, teachers’ quarters, pipe borne water, rehabilitation of portions of roads, provision of health facilities, learning and teaching materials.

‘We are living within the Mines operational area, so we need to have a fair share of the MDF,’ he said.

Mr Michael Acheampong Appiah,
the Municipal Planning Officer, Prestea Huni-Valley, said in terms of direct projects nothing had been done out of the MDF, because most of the community’s needs had been catered for by the Mine.

He said the Mine normally undertook development projects in collaboration with the Assembly, with reference to the needs assessment, through which it provided support.

The residents, however, asked the Assembly to fence the town park as it was too close to the Tarkwa-Bogoso highway to serve as protection, and renovate the basic school block constructed by Gold Fields.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Archbishop Nkea comforts victimes of the Bamenda main market fire incidentWASH landscape evolving, there’s the need to innovate – WaterAid Ghana

By Eratus Ndueh

The Archbishop of the Bamenda Archdiocese, His grace Andrew Nkea has extended his support, offered solace and prayers to affected businessmen and women of the devastating fire incident that engulfed the Bamenda main market last February, during a visit he paid this March 12, 2024.

Archbishop Nkea reportedly met with market leaders and representatives of the traders’ union, where he offered words of comfort and spiritual guidance to those whose livelihoods were impacted by the blaze.

‘This is a time of great hardship, my prayers are with the families and individuals who have lost so much. May God grant them strength and hope during this difficult time,’ said the Archbishop after his visit at the Bamenda main market.

The incident is considered to be one of the worst in the history of Cameroon’s Northwest region, which threatened to reduce hundreds of shops to ashes, with over 20 already completely destroyed.

Investigations are still ongoing to determine the cause of the inferno. However, lo
cal authorities are working to assess the damage and determine the best course of action to support the affected market community.

Source: Cameroon News Agency

WaterAid Ghana, a Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) focused organisation, says the landscape of the WASH sector is ever evolving, bringing new opportunities and challenges for exploration and action.

It noted that for the country to achieve universal access to WASH services and accelerate the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, there was the need for innovative interventions that recognised such opportunities and develop adaptive strategies to address the challenges.

‘In acknowledging the unknown, we open ourselves to exploration and innovation. It is here, in spaces of uncertainty, that we find room for groundbreaking solutions and partnerships.

‘Identifying areas where our knowledge is lacking or where emerging data can influence our strategies, is vital for adaptive growth,’ said Ms Ewurabena Yanyi-Akofur, Country Director, WaterAid Ghana.

She made these observations in a speech read on her behalf in Bolgatanga at the opening of an annual review meeting of WaterAid Ghana and its partne
rs for 2023.

The organization is currently implementing a five-year strategic plan (2023-2028) with the aim of achieving universal, sustainable, and safe access to WASH in Bongo, Upper East Region, to serve as a model for adoption and replication in other areas.

The strategy further aims to prioritise and strengthen WASH in the healthcare sector in Upper East and Upper West to improve public health, build and strengthen resilience of communities amid climate change impacts.

Ms Yanyi-Akofur explained that it was imperative for stakeholders to recognise strategies and approaches that had worked over the years and those that had failed to learn new approaches to addressing WASH challenges, to consolidate the gains made and help communities to adapt to new changes.

According to the 2021 Population and Housing Census, about 96.4 per cent of urban dwellers had access to water supply and 74.4 per cent rural people had access to basic water supply, however, only 25 per cent of Ghanaians had access to improved san
itation while about 17.7 per cent still practiced open defecation.

Madam Lydia Alhassan, the Sanitation and Water Resources Minister-designate, in a speech read on her behalf, noted that the negative impact of WASH cut across various sectors of the economy and the government had been working to address challenges to improve the WASH sector.

To help drive the needed change in the WASH sector, she said the Ministry had modernised most of the frameworks governing the sector including reviewing the National Sanitation Policy and National Water Policy.

‘As you are aware, in 2023, the Ministry with support from development partners instituted the Ghana WASH Development Programme, which seeks to align all sector programmes and priorities for attaining sector targets and SDG six by 2030,’ she said.

‘It is expected that all activities of WaterAid Ghana will align with, the Ghana WASH Development Programme to ensure consistency and harmonisation of service delivery in the sector.’

She commended WaterAid Ghana for
its contributions, particularly in providing WASH services to hard-to-reach communities and healthcare facilities in vulnerable communities.

She pledged the Ministry’s support to creating an enabling environment for development partners to work to improve the lives of Ghanaians.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Melcom opens second branch in Western North Region


The Management of the Melcom Group of companies, has opened an ultra-modern shop at Sefwi-Dwenase.

This makes it the second Melcom shops to be opened in the Western North Region with the first shop being at Bibiani.

Mr Ahmed Saeed, the Branch Manager told the Ghana News Agency after the launch that the company had embarked on a series of transformation, to get closer to the public.

He said the company was now operating more in rural communities rather than the cities to get closer to the people especially, for convenience and best of customer satisfaction.

Mr Saeed assured residents and customers of the best of customer care and good business directions among others to achieve better standards.

‘This new facility has all that we sell in other branches across the country and customers can be rest assured of the best experience,’ he said.

Nana Elluo Panin III, the Chief of Nsuansua on behalf of the Wiawso Traditional Council, promised the company of their readiness to ensure they were provided with a safe
environment to operate.

Nana Ofori Ahenkan II, the Chief of Bonzian and Kontihene for Wiawso Traditional Council, advised the employees to work hard and avoid stealing.

The traditional ruler also appealed to the company to take good care of its workers so that they would give their best.

Source: Ghana News Agency

My clients would not ruin the reputation of Ghana Prisons Service – Counsel for warders


Mr Lord Delvin Essandoh, the lawyer for two prison warders accused of enabling the escape of a convicted Chinese prisoner, says his clients would not drag the Ghana Prison Service into disrepute.

Speaking to the GNA after the court session, Mr Essandoh claimed that the charge sheet contained errors and did not support the facts provided to the court.

According to him, his clients have pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against them, because at the right time they would prove their innocence.

He said that he requested bail for his clients since they had fixed residences and would appear in court when required to do so.

Joseph Oteng and Sergeant Isaac Boateng Bonsu have been charged with conspiracy and aiding escape.

They have pleaded not guilty, and the court presided over by Mrs. Afia Owusua Appiah has granted them bail in the sum of GhC100,000 each, with two sureties to be justified.

The two prison officers appeared before an Accra Circuit Court on charges of assisting Wang Xiao, a Chinese con
victed prisoner at Nsawam Medium Prison, to escape last Monday.

The accused correctional officers allegedly told their superiors that after visiting the hospital, they were approached by a Toyota Vitz car, which then drove away with the convict.

However, CCTV footage from a hotel has exposed them.

The CCTV footage indicated that the accused persons escorted the Chinese convict to a hotel to meet his wife in a room.

The convict and his wife allegedly escaped by climbing down the room’s balcony while the officers waited in the hotel reception area.

They are to reappear on April 9, 2024.

The prosecution, led by Chief Inspector Wisdom Alorwu, stated that the complainant was the third in command at the Nsawam Medium Security Prisons, and the accused were serving under his supervision.

The prosecution said on February 7, 2024, at around 0700 hours, the two officers were detailed to escort Wang Xiao, a Chinese national serving a one-year sentence at Nsawam Medium Security Prisons, to Korle-Bu Teaching Hospita
l for treatment.

The prosecutor said that after the convict was treated by a medical officer at the hospital’s Dental Department, the two accused agreed to accompany him to the Oceans Hotel in Korle Gonno to meet his wife for a discussion in exchange for a reward of GHC1,000, which they agreed to split.

According to Chief Inspector Alorwu, the accused removed the convict’s handcuffs and took him to the hotel reception. The second accused, Bonsu, informed the receptionist that they were there to see someone in one of the rooms.

The prosecution said the two accused sent the convict to the room, where they met his alleged wife, who offered them KFC rice and drink so she could ‘spends some time with the husband alone.’

Upon returning to the hotel room to contact the convict, the accused discovered that both the convict and his alleged wife had fled through the balcony.

The prosecutor said that after the convict fled, the accused proceeded to the Tema Station Hockey stadium to hide the handcuffs with a witnes
s in the case.

They immediately called their superiors in Nsawam and informed them that while escorting the convict from the hospital, they were unexpectedly stopped by a yellow and black unregistered Toyota Vitz taxi, and the inmate jumped into the taxi and fled.

The prosecutor said the accused were interrogated by their superiors at the Prisons National headquarters, who then submitted a formal complaint to the Police on February 13, 2024.

During investigations, the accused led police to the hotel.

A review of CCTV footage revealed that the convict and his wife jumped from the balcony of the first-floor building and fled while the accused were relaxing in the reception area after receiving meals from the convict’s wife.

The prosecutor said that it was only when the hotel staff alerted them to check on the prisoner that they realised he had escaped.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Ghana Navy to hold ‘Exercise Sea Lion’ to test endurance, combat readiness


The Ghana Navy is to hold ‘Exercise Sea Lion’ to test the endurance and combat readiness of its ships.

A press release signed by Major Andy Marteye on Wednesday, March 11, on behalf of the Director General of the Department of Public Relations, Ghana Armed Forces, said the exercise was slated for Tuesday 19 March 2024.

It would take place at sea and along the beaches of Aboadze and Shama within the Area of Operation of the Western Naval Command in the Western Region.

The Exercise is aimed at testing the endurance and combat readiness of the Ghana Navy ships to enhance maritime security.

As part of the Exercise, two Ghana Navy Ships will sail from the Tema Harbour along the Greenwich Meridian to the Equator for the Crossing of the Line ceremony.

The Exercise would involve selected Ghana Navy ships, an Infantry platoon and an aircraft of the Ghana Air Force.

A flagging-off ceremony to set the Ships off would take place at the Tema Harbour on Tuesday 19 March 2024 at 3 pm.

Source: Ghana News Agency