APEC Project Database

Project Title

Study on factors that limit and promote the digital inclusion of women living in poverty in urban, peri-urban and remote areas of the APEC region that are part of poverty alleviation support programs

Project Year

2024

Project Number

DESG_204_2024A

Project Session

Session 2

Project Type

Standard

Project Status

Project in Implementation

Project No.

DESG_204_2024A

Project Title

Study on factors that limit and promote the digital inclusion of women living in poverty in urban, peri-urban and remote areas of the APEC region that are part of poverty alleviation support programs

Project Status

Project in Implementation

Fund Account

APEC Support Fund

Sub-fund

ASF: Digital Innovation

Project Year

2024

Project Session

Session 2

APEC Funding

20,000

Co-funding Amount

Total Project Value

20,000

Sponsoring Forum

Digital Economy Steering Group (DESG)

Topics

Digital Technology and Innovation; Women's Economic Empowerment

Committee

Committee on Trade and Investment (CTI)

Other Fora Involved

Other Non-APEC Stakeholders Involved

Proposing Economy(ies)

Peru

Co-Sponsoring Economies

Chile; Indonesia; Mexico; New Zealand; Chinese Taipei

Expected Start Date

01/06/2025

Expected Completion Date

30/06/2026

Project Proponent Name 1

Luis Fernando Llanos Zavalaga

Job Title 1

Evaluation Director

Organization 1

Ministry of Development and Social Inclusion (MIDIS)

Telephone 1

+51 999 660 680

Email 1

lllanos@midis.gob.pe

Project Proponent Name 2

Ricardo Cordova

Job Title 2

Evaluation Coordinator (MIDIS-PERU) / Economist

Organization 2

Ministry of Development and Social Inclusion

Telephone 2

Not Applicable

Email 2

rcordova@midis.gob.pe

Declaration

Luis Fernando Llanos Zavalaga

Project Summary

The Asia-Pacific region recognizes digital inclusion as vital to improve women's livelihoods and wellbeing, especially highlighted by the pandemic's increase of the digital divide, disproportionately affecting women. In fact, historically, gender inequality has constrained women from fully participating in society. Therefore, a twelve-month mixed-method study, encompassing virtual interviews with policy makers and APEC digital innovation specialists. Additionally, a virtual survey will be conducted with policy makers, APEC digital innovation specialists, and women involved in the poverty alleviation program. Face-to-face interviews and focus groups will also be held with women participating in poverty alleviation support programs in Peru and/or Chile. The results of the study will be an important input for the elaboration of voluntary recommendations and other relevant actions. Additionally, it aims to evaluate initiatives promoting digital inclusion to propel APEC economies towards advancing women's digital, economic, and social aspirations.

Relevance

Region
Increased access to digital technologies and skills could improve women's economic and social empowerment. Despite progress, gender disparities in digital inclusion persist globally, limiting women's participation in the digital economy (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, 2019). Indeed, in Asia, the South Asia region is the geographic area with the largest gender digital divide, due to limited access to cell phones and the Internet (Amber & Beyene, 2023; Vibhuti & Alam, 2022). Women in Asia-Pacific region face significant challenges in accessing digital tools. In fact, in 2020 only 57% of women used the Internet, versus 62% of men (The UN Specialized Agency for ICTs, 2022). In Latin America and the Caribbean, 52% of women do not use the Internet, versus 42% of men (Rotondi et al., 2022). And, in Peru, only 54.5% of women use the Internet, versus 59.7% of men; a situation that is aggravated in the rural sector, where only 18.7% of women use it, versus 26% of men (INEI, 2020). Women encounter barriers such as limited access to digital devices, inadequate infrastructure, lower digital literacy, and greater risk of online harms compared to men, compounded by cultural norms and social restrictions that hinder their digital engagement and economic opportunities (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, 2019). This problem shared by APEC economies has negative consequences on women's access to services and rights, such as education, paid employment, health, political participation, etc. (Pedraza, 2021).

Eligibility and Fund Priorities
The Project meets the eligibility criteria because the subject is relevant for APEC economies, because it aligns with the Digital Innovation Sub-Fund and the efforts of the women's economic and digital inclusion forums. Thus, the project is aligned to the objective of the forum, supporting inclusive, integrated and sustainable growth of the digital economy in the Asia-Pacific region. The project will result in an in-depth analysis to promote women's digital inclusion. This implies that women can have more digital opportunities, promoting their social and economic inclusion. In addition, the study's recommendations will guide the design of social innovations and evidence- based public policies to ensure women's digital inclusion in APEC economies.

Capacity Building

The project is guided by principles of effective capacity building:

1) Long-term: Based on the study, empowering economies to develop sustainable social and digital innovations that benefit women's well-being.

2) Needs / opportunities: Understanding the differences in the gender digital gap among APEC economies, in order to produce a study that addresses factors limiting the digital inclusion for women. It is expected to deepen the economies of South Asia and Latin America and the Caribbean, where the digital gender gap is most pronounced.

3) Internal and regional: Policy makers and digital innovation specialists will be able to replicate the results and innovations for the digital inclusion of women in APEC and non-APEC economies.

4) Consistency: Policy makers and digital innovation specialists will be able to replicate the results and innovations for the digital inclusion of women in APEC and non-APEC economies.

5) Transparency: The project will consider ethical principles for the identification and mitigation of risks, always prioritizing the well-being of women.

6) Innovation and Iterative: The project collects the experiences of APEC economies and APEC forums for the economic and digital inclusion of women, in order not to repeat and share the new achievements.

7) Inclusiveness: The project is based on women living in poverty in urban, peri- urban and remote areas of the APEC region.

8) Results-based: APEC economies will be able to design, implement and evaluate social and digital innovations taking the study's results as a guide.

9) Results-based: The project will have indicators for monitoring and evaluating the objectives.

Objectives

The objective is to identify the factors limiting and promoting digital inclusion of women living in poverty in urban, peri-urban and remote areas of the APEC region that are part of poverty alleviation support programs. These programs will be characterized by providing accompaniment and training in social issues. As a result, the study will strengthen the capacities of APEC economies to improve public policies for digital inclusion to achieve sustainable economic development to improve women livelihoods living in poverty in urban, peri-urban and remote areas of the region and to better understand the scope of support programs to overcome poverty.

Alignment

Beneficiaries and Outputs

Output

1) Study on Factors that Limit and Promote Women Living in Poverty in Urban, Peri-Urban and Remove Areas of the APEC Region that are part of poverty alleviation support programs (The Study)

The final study report will consist of a document that evidences the factors that limit and promote the digital inclusion of women living in poverty in urban, peri-urban and remote areas of the APEC region that are part of poverty alleviation support programs.

The study will adopt a mixed-methods approach, including virtual interviews with policy makers (representatives of APEC economies' ministries related to gender and innovation) and APEC digital innovation specialists. The possibility of scheduling these interviews in advance will be considered, and the preferred format of the participants will be used, such as videoconference, phone call, or WhatsApp. Additionally, a virtual survey will be conducted with policy makers (representatives of APEC economies' ministries related to gender and innovation), APEC digital innovation specialists, and women involved in the poverty alleviation program. Face-to-face interviews and focus groups will also be held with women participating in poverty alleviation support programs in Peru and/or Chile. If other APEC economies wish to participate, they can do so through virtual interviews.

Its preliminary findings will be shared at the Webinar and included in the Final Study Report.

2) Webinar

A webinar to share preliminary findings with economies and discuss the subject. The output will be held to share and enrich the preliminary results of the study to APEC economies and poverty alleviation programs. The event will last approximately 2 hours. In this way, APEC economies' capacities will be strengthened and the Final Study Report will be reinforced.

Target audience: APEC economies. The main activities are:

1. General planning

1.1. Select date and time

1.2. Prepare the content of the presentation and prepare slides

1.3. Event diffusion

2. Development of the virtual event:

2.1. Welcome and opening

2.2. Introduction to the topic and methodology

2.3. Preliminary results

2.4. Presentation of List of factors that limit and promote digital inclusion of women living in poverty in urban, peri-urban and remote areas of the APEC region that are part of poverty alleviation support programs

2.5. Discussion dynamics for preliminary results

2.6. Online meeting survey

Closing of the event. In this way, APEC economies' capacities will be strengthened and the Final Study Report will be reinforced.

3) Final Study Report

The Final Study Report consists of the official presentation of the study to APEC. It will contain the evidence and recommendations for public policies, it also contains the main conclusions and principal insights in order to understand and face women’s poverty in urban and peri-urban areas.

This report will include recommendations and a digital inclusion infographic for the improvement of public policies. The output will make it possible to systematize the results of the study, which will be disseminated to representatives of the APEC economies, policy makers, researchers, innovators and groups interested in the topic.

The length of the Final Study Report will be at least 100 pages.

Outcome

1) A deeper understanding by the participants of how the increased access to digital technologies and skills could improve women’s economic and social empowerment.

2) Participants will be able to recognize the main factors that limit the digital inclusion and comprehend the relevant discussion of the study.

3) Participants will have a primary approximation of innovations and insight and they will be able to elaborate a simple statement of how they sector would collaborate in.

Beneficiaries

Direct beneficiaries: First, for Government Institutions, the study will provide a comprehensive analysis. This understanding will enable them to craft evidence-based policies and initiatives aimed at promoting digital inclusion and to improve the support programs for poverty. Secondly, Policy Makers and Practitioners involved in digital inclusion strategies will benefit from the study's findings by gaining crucial insights into the specific barriers hindering women's access to digital technologies. And finally, Digital Innovation Specialists from APEC economies will gain a deeper understanding of the unique obstacles faced by women in poverty regarding digital and social inclusion.

Indirect beneficiaries: Firstly, for women in poverty, the project's identification of factors limiting and enhancing digital inclusion will pave the way for tailored policies and initiatives aimed at improving access to digital resources and breaking the cycle of poverty. Secondly, NGOs operating in the region will gain access to evidence-based insights from the study, empowering them to advocate for policy changes and implement targeted interventions. And finally, local communities will benefit by raising awareness of the significance of digital inclusion for gender equality and poverty alleviation.

Dissemination

The study will be published on the APEC website following the Secretariat's review and approval as well as the endorsement by DESG. The Ministry of Development and Social Inclusion of Peru (MIDIS) will also post it on their website: http://evidencia.midis.gob.pe/ In addition, the study will be disseminated through MIDIS social media. It is recommended that representatives of APEC economies share the study with relevant line ministries, and if possible also disseminate it through their websites and social media.

Participation in APEC events (e.g. Digital Week, SOM) will be sought to disseminate the results with APEC economies. Finally, the results of the study will be shared in Midis Evidence Dialogues (https://evidencia.midis.gob.pe/eventos-todos/), a space for exchange and reflection on public policies.

Gender