The African Philanthropy Forum’s (APF) white paper, Who is on the line? Connecting Philanthropy to Gender Justice and Digital Rights, offers critical insights for funders and practitioners working at the intersection of technology and gender equality across Africa.
Published in 2025, the report is the culmination of three years of collaborative dialogue through APF’s Gender Justice and Digital Rights Webinar Series. It draws on contributions from practitioners, funders and thought leaders addressing digital inequality on the African continent. The publication responds to growing recognition that, while digital technology offers transformative potential for women’s empowerment, significant barriers persist to equitable access and participation.
The report highlights the stark gender gap that exists in Africa’s digital space. The global shortage of women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields is evident in Africa as well. Women constitute only 30% of tech sector professionals in sub-Saharan Africa, while 1.7 billion women in the global south remain unconnected to the internet.
Since digitisation is the key driver of the modern economy, and the adoption of new and frontier technologies is what will deliver business transformation in the years to come, the shortage of women in technology and innovation blocks access to the fastest-growing and best-paying technology-related jobs.
Addressing the digital gender divide
The report makes the case for closing the digital gender divide, creating inclusive workplaces in technology, enabling women’s civic engagement to access public services through technology, leveraging gender-disaggregated data and ensuring women participate in emerging green economies.
The role of philanthropy in advancing gender justice
It also offers a blueprint for how philanthropy can advance gender justice through financial support, raising awareness of gender-based digital inequalities, positioning female grantees to attract more work and funding, while providing platforms for collaborative stakeholder impact. It recognises the imperative of intersectional approaches that span education, health and employment.
Read the full report, Who is on the line? Connecting Philanthropy to Gender Justice and Digital Rights for actionable strategies to advance gender equality in Africa.
