Jazz, Pakistan’s top digital operator, has declared its dedication to closing the gender gap in technology by growing the number of female mobile broadband users. The company has agreed to a Letter of Intent (LOI) with the GSMA Connected Women Initiative, a global initiative supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, in order to increase the number of women who use mobile broadband and to help female microentrepreneurs run their businesses to the fullest.
In accordance with the LOI, the GSMA will offer advisory support to Jazz to conduct research on the ways in which female micro-entrepreneurs use smartphones for their businesses, identify the obstacles impeding their expansion, and develop fresh digital and commercial strategies to deal with these problems and increase their profitability.
Through monthly updates and feedback on their projects, Jazz’s partnership with GSMA aims to expand the number of female micro-entrepreneurs who possess smartphones and have access to the internet. To encourage everyone to join the digital ecosystem, the digital operator also provides Shariah-compliant simple installment payment plans on these 4G-enabled smartphones.
“Women empowerment is at the heart of all we do at Jazz, so we are happy to expand this relationship with GSMA,” said Jazz CEO Aamir Ibrahim.
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations, such as SDG 5 on gender equality, SDG 9 on the industry, innovation, and infrastructure, SDG 10 on reduced inequalities, and SDG 11 on sustainable cities and communities, are all in accord with this approach.
The dedication of Jazz to closing the gender gap in the digital sphere is a big step in the direction of empowering women and expanding their access to financial freedom.
