GSMA Announces Additional Commitments from Nine Operators to Reduce Mobile Gender Gap by 2020

Orange Mali, Smart Burundi, Smart Tanzania, Smart Uganda, Tigo Chad,
Tigo Ghana, Tigo Senegal, Tigo Tanzania and Zantel Sign Up to Connected
Women Commitment Initiative

DAR ES SAALAM, Tanzania–(BUSINESS WIRE)–At Mobile 360 – Africa, the GSMA today announced a further nine
signatories to the Connected Women Commitment Initiative, which focuses
on reducing the gender gap in mobile internet and mobile money services.
Orange Mali, Smart Burundi, Smart Tanzania, Smart Uganda, Tigo Chad,
Tigo Ghana, Tigo Senegal, Tigo Tanzania and Zantel join with other GSMA
operator members in committing to connect millions more women in low-
and middle-income countries by 2020. Collectively, these operators
represent more than 85 million mobile internet and mobile money
customers.

These commitments build on the 15 million women already benefiting from
female-focused services offered by GSMA Connected Women operator
partners. Through the Connected Women Commitment Initiative, operators
are working to increase the proportion of their female customers,
supporting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal to achieve
gender equality and empower all women and girls.

“Tackling the gender gap in mobile phone ownership is a critical topic
that business leaders and governments should be encouraged to address
said Mats Granryd, Director General, GSMA. “GSMA research¹
estimates there are 200 million fewer women than men who own a mobile
phone in low- and middle-income countries, therefore missing out on key
socio-economic opportunities. Ensuring digital and financial inclusion
for women is essential, because when women thrive, societies and
economies thrive.”

Existing and potential commitments amongst the mobile operators include,
for example: increasing the number of female agents; improving the data
top-up process to be safer and more appealing to women; and improving
digital literacy among women through educational programmes and
interactive content. Closing the gender gap in mobile phone ownership
and usage in the developing world could unlock an estimated US$170
billion market opportunity for the mobile industry in the period
2015-2020.

The Connected Women Commitment Initiative was launched in February 2016,
with initial commitments from operators including Dialog Axiata PLC in
Sri Lanka, Digi Telecommunications Sdn Bhd (Digi) in Malaysia, Indosat
Ooredoo in Indonesia, Ooredoo Maldives, Ooredoo Myanmar, Robi Axiata
Limited in Bangladesh, Tigo Rwanda and Turkcell in Turkey. Find out more
about the Connected Women Commitment Initiative at http://gsma.com/mobilefordevelopment/the-commitment.

-ENDS-

Notes to Editors

¹ http://www.gsma.com/mobilefordevelopment/programmes/connected-women/bridging-gender-gap

About the GSMA

The GSMA represents the interests of mobile operators worldwide, uniting
nearly 800 operators with almost 300 companies in the broader mobile
ecosystem, including handset and device makers, software companies,
equipment providers and internet companies, as well as organisations in
adjacent industry sectors. The GSMA also produces industry-leading
events such as Mobile World Congress, Mobile World Congress Shanghai and
the Mobile 360 Series conferences.

For more information, please visit the GSMA corporate website at www.gsma.com.
Follow the GSMA on Twitter: @GSMA.

Contacts

For the GSMA
Charlie Meredith-Hardy
+44 7917 298428
CMeredith-Hardy@webershandwick.com
or
David
Ntwampe Maila
+ 27 72 015 4702
dmaila@webershandwick.com
or
GSMA
Press Office
pressoffice@gsma.com