Technology has expanded opportunity for millions of women. It has not closed the gender gap.

On International Women’s Day, the data tells a sobering story. Women participate in digital activities at only approximately 70 percent of the rate of men globally, according to the Digital Economy Navigator report. In any other part of the economy, a gap of that size would trigger serious concern. The digital economy should be no different.

By Dr. Hajar El Haddaoui, Director-General of the Digital Cooperation Organization 

The digital transformation reshaping societies today is generating growth, innovation and new forms of work. The question is not whether digital technology can drive prosperity. It already does. The more important question is who gets to participate fully in that prosperity, and on what terms.

For millions of women globally, the digital economy represents real opportunity: access to new markets, flexible work, entrepreneurship, skills development and leadership. Yet structural gaps persist.

Digital Economy Navigator data shows that women remain underrepresented not only in advanced ICT specializations, but also among high-growth digital entrepreneurs. Female-led businesses are less likely to adopt advanced digital tools, scale across borders, or attract digital investment at the same rates as male-led counterparts. This is not a reflection of ambition or capability. It reflects unequal access to finance, skills, networks and enabling regulatory environments.

Across many developing markets, evidence consistently shows that when women-led micro, small and medium-sized enterprises gain access to digital payments, e-commerce platforms and basic data tools, they increase revenues, reach new markets and strengthen resilience. The technology exists. The constraint lies in access to skills, capital and supportive policy frameworks.

This is why women’s participation in the digital economy must be understood across the full value chain.

It requires moving beyond isolated initiatives toward systems-level change. Digital public infrastructure such as interoperable digital identity, payments and data systems can significantly lower barriers for women if designed inclusively from the outset. When these foundations are accessible, affordable and trusted, they enable women-led businesses to formalize, scale and access finance. When inclusion is not embedded, exclusion becomes systemic.

The urgency is heightened by the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence.

Women remain significantly underrepresented in AI development and leadership roles globally. Emerging research also indicates that AI-driven automation is more likely to affect roles where women are overrepresented, particularly in administrative and routine service occupations. At the same time, bias in training data and algorithm design can replicate or even amplify existing inequalities in hiring, credit scoring and access to services.

Without deliberate action, AI risks widening rather than narrowing gender gaps.

Ensuring gender equity in AI therefore requires proactive governance - diverse development teams, transparent systems, accountability mechanisms and international cooperation. These are not abstract principles. They are safeguards against embedding inequality at scale.

Encouragingly, many countries are taking decisive steps.

In Nigeria, for example, the federal government has launched large-scale digital skills programs aimed at training and certifying millions of citizens, with particular emphasis on women and youth.

The long-term ambition is near-universal digital literacy by 2030. Similar initiatives are emerging across DCO Member States, where digital inclusion is being positioned as a core economic strategy rather than a social afterthought.

Within the Digital Cooperation Organization, inclusion is central to our mandate. Through initiatives such as WE-Elevate, DCO supports women entrepreneurs in accessing digital tools, markets and networks, helping them scale their businesses across borders. By convening governments, private sector partners and development institutions, we aim to ensure that women-led enterprises are not peripheral to the digital economy, but central to it.

The broader lesson is clear.

Connectivity alone does not guarantee prosperity. Agency does. The ability to innovate, lead, govern and shape the technologies transforming society is what determines whether digital transformation drives shared growth or deepens divides.

International cooperation is critical. Technology does not stop at borders, and neither do the risks of exclusion. Countries face shared challenges around digital skills, AI governance, platform regulation and cross-border trade. By aligning policies, sharing evidence and strengthening institutional capacity, we can accelerate inclusive outcomes.

International Women’s Day is not simply a moment of reflection. It is a reminder that the digital economy is still being built. Its rules, incentives and institutions are not fixed. If gender inclusion is embedded now, the benefits will compound for decades. More dynamic entrepreneurship. More representative innovation. Stronger and more resilient economies.

The digital future is being written. The question is whether it will be written with women fully participating, leading and shaping its direction.