Pakistan has made significant strides in closing the mobile internet gender gap, surpassing India and Bangladesh in female internet usage. In 2024, 45% of Pakistani women used mobile internet, driven by efforts from telecom operators and regulators. While rural women lead the surge, challenges like affordability and social norms remain.
The Bangladesh government is expanding digital access to bridge inequality, focusing on women and rural populations. Efforts include enabling mobile access to government services and aligning with SDG Goal 10. Taiyeb calls for media collaboration to raise awareness and empower marginalized groups through digital inclusion.
Standard Chartered Pakistan has launched the 7th Cohort of its Women in Tech Accelerator, aimed at empowering female entrepreneurs by providing mentorship and funding. Over the past six years, the program has supported over 140 women founders and helped 43 secure seed funding.
The Bangladesh government reaffirmed its commitment to increasing women’s participation in technology during the “Women in Technology” seminar. Despite a cautious budget approach, 21 government projects aim to empower women with ICT skills. Key speakers emphasized public-private collaboration and the need for improved tech skills to remain globally competitive.
Standard Chartered has launched the third edition of its ‘Women in Tech’ accelerator programme in Saudi Arabia, in partnership with Falak Investment Hub. The programme supports women-led startups with tech-driven solutions, offering mentorship, masterclasses, and $45,000 in grants to top performers. Applications are open until June 27, 2025.
At the “Women in Technology” seminar in Dhaka, Bangladesh’s ICT Division reaffirmed its commitment to enhancing women’s participation in technology. Shish Haider Chowdhury highlighted ongoing projects aimed at empowering women through ICT. The seminar also called for increased public-private partnerships to support tech training and women’s entrepreneurship.
Women in Tech 2025 will take place on November 16 at Vodacom World in Johannesburg, celebrating Africa’s top female tech innovators. The event aims to empower and inspire, focusing on female entrepreneurs driving the tech revolution. Highlights include networking, industry insights, and recognition for outstanding women in enterprise programs.
Jazz celebrated Girls in ICT Day by focusing on digital inclusion and the empowerment of young women through its partnership with Tech Valley. The initiative includes providing digital upskilling to over 50,000 students and 5,000 teachers, while promoting gender equality and fostering digital transformation across Pakistan’s education sector.
Saudi Arabia has achieved a global milestone in artificial intelligence, ranking first in women’s empowerment in AI. The Kingdom also ranked highly in AI job growth, talent attraction, and leading AI models. These accomplishments reflect Saudi Arabia’s strategic efforts to lead in AI as part of Vision 2030.
Standard Chartered Bahrain, in collaboration with Bahrain FinTech Bay, launched the sixth cohort of its “SC Women in Tech” incubation programme, supporting female entrepreneurs. With mentorship and funding, the programme aims to foster women-led businesses. Additionally, QuickDine announced a strategic partnership with PIE to enhance operational efficiency.
