Uninor has launched a project aimed at increasing women’s access to the use of mobile phones and promote solutions towards removing barriers to mobile usage.
The project will be awarded a grant by the GSMA’s Mobile For Development Foundation, Inc. via its Connected Women programme, which provides seed funding to telecom operators for the design and launch of economically sustainable products and services, with an aim to bridge the mobile gender gap.
Morten Karlsen Sorby, CEO, Uninor, said, “Mobile technology has the ability to change the way we communicate, but its effects are not evenly distributed. Gender disparity is also echoed in mobile usage. This is a significant area of concern and what better way than using mobile connectivity to help deal with this developmental challenge.”
The total investment over the seven-month duration of the project is estimated at $183,654. Uninor will be contributing $113,654 while GSMA will be granting $ 70,000 to support the project.
Pilot project Project Sampark is being launched as a pilot project to assess the barriers that women face in accessing mobile services such as affordability, mental block or social stigma attached with women to own a handset. The project will aim to enhance tele-density among women, especially in rural areas.
In the pilot phase, 87 villages of Aligarh district of Western Uttar Pradesh, have been identified to pilot the project by testing business case of a commercial offering that helps reduce a multitude of barriers women face in accessing mobile services. For the roll out of the pilot, 40 women and four supervisors will participate including influential women in the region who are Anganwadi and ASHA supporters who can persuasively spread the message.
Uninor will also train women entrepreneurs to make a livelihood by offering them an opportunity to sell mobile prepaid connections and recharge vouchers.