About this topic
Across digital economies, women continue to face systemic barriers to access, participation, and opportunity.
At Caribou, we believe digital transformation should advance—not undermine—gender equity. From unequal access to mobile phones and financial services to exclusion from data-driven platforms and digital jobs, the design of digital systems often reinforces existing inequalities. Women are navigating informal or unpaid work, limited decision-making power, and heightened exposure to digital safety risks—all within broader social and economic structures that don’t prioritize their agency. These barriers hinder progress, not only toward UN Sustainable Development Goal 5 (Gender Equality), but also related goals, including poverty reduction (SDG 1), inclusive economic growth (SDG 8), and innovation (SDG 9).
Caribou’s work supports clients in identifying and addressing hidden gender dynamics within digital ecosystems. We bring evidence, insight, and empathy to strategy development, ensuring that women’s voices and experiences shape programs, policies, and platforms from the start. Whether advising on inclusive platform design, evaluating the impact of AI on women’s livelihoods, or convening stakeholders to reimagine systems of support, our approach centers dignity, relevance, and equity to translate global development commitments into grounded, context-specific action.
We’ve partnered with organizations like the Gates Foundation, Mastercard Foundation, and World Bank to surface insights and co-design strategies that shape digital systems to be more inclusive and gender supportive.
- We’ve conducted research on digital ID for women.
- We’ve explored the ways women use platforms to support livelihoods, and the ways platforms can better support dignified work for women.
- We’ve advised the Gates Foundation’s Women’s Economic Empowerment team on digital markets, AI, and gender equity.
