Reliance Foundation partners with W-GDP, USAID to bridge gender digital divide in India

A new partnership between the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and Reliance Foundation will bridge the gender digital divide in India under the Women's Global Development and Prosperity (W-GDP) Initiative.

The partnership was announced at a W-GDP event on Tuesday hosted by US Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun and with Advisor to the US President Ivanka Trump and Deputy USAID Administrator Bonnie Glick.

"I am delighted and proud to announce that Reliance Foundation is joining forces with W-GDP through our partnership with USAID," said Reliance Foundation Chairperson Nita M Amb.

"Together, we will launch the W-GDP Women Connect Challenge across India in the fall of 2020. At the heart of this partnership is our shared goal to help bridge both the gender divide and the digital divide in India."

Trump said the W-GDP Fund was created to source and scale the most innovative programmes to advance women's economic empowerment.

"We are leveraging the resources and expertise of the US government and the private sector so that activities have enduring, deep effects on the communities they reach," she said.

USAID Acting Administrator John Barsa said global prosperity will remain out of reach if half the population is excluded.

"At USAID, we believe investment in women is key to unlocking human potential on a transformational scale. The W-GDP Fund is financing innovative solutions to close the economic gap between women and men and help our partners advance on their journeys to self-reliance."

( With inputs from ANI )