LocationsReshaping Growth in Asia and the Pacific
Women and Digital Pathways
March 7, 2025
While the digital revolution has transformed societies and economies, it has also widened inequalities, most notably gender inequality.
Being disconnected from digital technology spells exclusion from opportunities for growth and progress. Despite numerous initiatives, a significant digital gender gap persists, preventing women from fully benefiting from digital advancements.
That digital divide is especially stark in the Asia Pacific region, where women continue to be underrepresented in STEM jobs -- Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. According to UNDP in Asia and the Pacific, representation of women in STEM remains low across the region, comprising around 23.9 percent of researchers, below the already low global average of 29.3 percent. Yet regional demand for STEM graduates is growing: according to The World Economic Forum, by 2030, as many as 80 percent of jobs in Southeast Asia will require basic digital literacy, applied information, communication and technology skills.
Following are some examples of how UNDP in Asia and the Pacific is helping women and girls to close the digital skills gap and navigate an increasingly STEM-driven economy.
Afghanistan: Fostering innovation and entrepreneurship among women and girls
The restrictions on girls and women education have led to the closure of secondary schools and universities for women and girls, significantly limiting their access to learning and career opportunities. Against this backdrop, since August 2021, UNDP has provided financing, equipment and training to 80,000 women-led businesses across the country, directly supporting commercial resilience, job creation, and income opportunities. UNDP has also provided digital marketing and business management training to 16,000 women entrepreneurs.
With funding from the Government of Japan, UNDP successfully implemented the Musalas Hub Business Innovation Contest, in which young entrepreneurs competed for business skill training, mentorship, and seed funding. Four women-led businesses were among the nine winners, who were awarded up to USD 3,000 in financing for promising startups.
Bhutan: Smart technology for irrigation and advancing inclusive AI policy
According to 2022 figures from the Bhutan Bureau of Statistics, agriculture – the country’s largest employment sector – is highly dominated by women (53.3 percent). Now, UNDP is helping to ensure that the sector benefits from technological advancements such as smart irrigation systems. With support from the Government of Japan, a mega greenhouse in Pemagatshel operated by young female farmers now enjoys uninterrupted water supply for their agricultural activities. And female farmers in Tashigang and Trashiyangtse districts are benefiting from a smart irrigation system built on Internet of Things technology. The system is monitored via cameras and mobile applications, providing them with consistent irrigation access and reducing reliance on rainfall, which has become increasingly unpredictable due to climate change.
More broadly, UNDP has been supporting the Government of Bhutan in evaluating its readiness to integrate Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies into its frameworks. A recent assessment indicated limited engagement from stakeholders, particularly women, and insufficient advocacy for existing AI and gender policies. It emphasized the need for a comprehensive approach to ethical AI that incorporates inclusivity and gender equality in developing and applying AI technologies. These and other insights from the AIRA assessment will guide the formulation of Bhutan's AI strategy.
China: HER Digital Future
UNDP China
Launched in 2023 through the Digital X program of UNDP’s Chief Digital Office, and in partnership with global tech education nonprofit Technovation, as well as local NGOs, the HER Digital Future (HDF) bootcamp aims to close the gender gap in STEM education in China. Participants learn about emerging technologies, and design proposals for digital solutions to challenges such as waste management and responsible consumption. In addition, a digital platform makes the HDF curriculum and lessons available to the public. So far, through collaboration with partners including UNV and the global non-profit organization Technovation Girls, HER Digital Future has reached out to over 5,000 girls across more than 90 rural schools.
India: Understanding Generative AI’s implications on gender
In India, a report on “Understanding Generative AI's Implications on Gender Using a Value Chain Approach and a UN Guiding Principle lens” was produced by Aapti Institute, commissioned by UNDP under the Business and Human Rights in Asia programme, funded by the European Union. It took a systematic look at understanding the human rights risks for women and gender minorities that result from the use of GenAI. The research uncovered gender risks within each stage of the GenAI value chain, from an erasure of women and gender minorities in the models’ underlying data needs, to an absence of gender diversity in the GenAI modeling workforce, to risks of harassment, gender-based violence, and the spread of misinformation. Its proposals for ‘un-risking’ the GenAI process include using open-source databases, testing cybersecurity by simulating cyberattacks using a gender lens, and creating feedback loops for user grievances.
Indonesia: Strengthening health system
UNDP Indonesia
Launched in 2024, the SATUSEHAT (One Health) logistics platform in Indonesia aims to integrate all health-related digital platforms into a unified central system, improving efficiency and ensuring sustainable healthcare delivery. The platform builds on the foundation of SMILE, a digital tool launched in 2018 to manage vaccine logistics, with support from UNDP, GAVI, the Global Fund, the Access and Delivery Partnership, and the Government of Japan. SMILE has since expanded to over 12,000 health facilities, enabling real-time tracking of vaccines and medicines and ensuring timely delivery to even the most remote areas. SMILE has empowered female health workers to provide timely and efficient care, thereby enhancing treatment adherence and outcomes for women affected by HIV. This technological advancement has particularly beneficial for women, reaching at least 5 million pregnant women per year with routine immunization.
Iran: Enhancing women’s digital skills for livelihood
UNDP Iran
A Green & Digital initiative was launched in the Lake Urmia Basin, equipping local producers—particularly women—with digital tools and e-commerce skills to bridge the digital gap and enhance rural livelihoods. Partnering with Iran's leading e-commerce platform (Digikala), UNDP trained 300 local producers in digital literacy, online branding, and e-commerce, enabling over 100 farmers and small businesses to access national and international markets. The initiative also established 10 digital support hubs to provide training and logistical support for online sales. Women comprise 70 percent of trained producers and 84 percent of mini-hub managers and digital facilitators. The hands-on experience they gain managing online stores, marketing products, and navigating digital platforms significantly boosts their economic prospects and market competitiveness.
Green & Digital has helped diversify options for women in the digital space, reducing reliance on natural resources and contributing to a more inclusive rural economy. UNDP Iran continues to expand these efforts, ensuring that women and local communities benefit from equitable access to digital markets.
Pakistan: Policy, legal reforms, and advocacy to combat tech-facilitated GBV
UNDP Pakistan
In Pakistan, online harassment and violence remain significant barriers to women’s digital participation. Approximately 40 percent of women in Pakistan have experienced online harassment and violence, and nearly 70 percent of female students have faced various forms of digital abuse. These challenges limit women’s access to digital platforms, educational opportunities, and economic participation, further widening the digital divide. To address this, UNDP is strengthening Pakistan’s legal framework to address technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV), ensuring that women can safely engage in digital spaces. This includes proposing amendments to the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) 2016 to address emerging threats such as deepfake, pornography, and cyberstalking while strengthening enforcement mechanisms. Additionally, in collaboration with government agencies, law enforcement, the judiciary, and civil society, UNDP is supporting the development of a National Policy Framework on TFGBV to outline straightforward prevention, protection, and prosecution mechanisms. UNDP is also empowering women to navigate digital spaces safely by working with parliamentarians – particularly the Women Parliamentary Caucus – to advance legislative reforms. At the same time, it is leveraging digital platforms, universities, and influencers to raise awareness and equip individuals with the necessary tools, including development of a fact-checking platform, iVerify, to strengthen information integrity and combat online abuse.
Springboard programme for inclusive leadership development
The UNDP Youth Empowerment Portfolio in Asia and the Pacific (YEP-AP) has been working together with young people from diverse backgrounds. Youth Co:Lab, co-led by UNDP and Citi Foundation, supports young entrepreneurs through the Springboard Programme, which is providing mentorship, capacity-building, and investment readiness training to help scale social enterprises utilising both traditional and digital platforms. Recognising the systemic barriers that young women face, including restrictive gender norms, limited access to finance, and underrepresentation in decision-making, the programme has been strengthening peer-to-peer learning communities, connecting participants with industry leaders and role models to form a robust network of women entrepreneurs. To date, the programme has supported over 1,500 entrepreneurs, 42 percent of them young women. By supporting young women in developing scalable businesses that contribute to local economies and job creation, the programme helps drive sustainable, gender-equitable growth.
The Skill Our Future initiative is another collaborative effort by the UNDP Youth Empowerment Portfolio with Microsoft, and the Islamic Development Bank . It is an inclusive learning platform designed to equip youth with the necessary 21st-century and digital skills. This initiative focuses on empowering young men and women, especially those from underserved communities, to access educational and employment opportunities in the digital economy.
“From AI to blockchain, digital solutions must work for all women and girls. Gender-responsive technology ensures that innovation does not exclude but instead empowers, creating a future where rights, equality, and empowerment are at the heart of the digital revolution. When technology is designed with inclusion in mind, it becomes a force for justice—closing gender gaps, amplifying voices, and unlocking opportunities for women and girls in every corner of the world.” says Deputy Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific and Director of UNDP Bangkok Regional Hub, Christophe Bahuet.
The goal of UNDP in Asia-Pacific is to drive transformative change through technology and innovation, ensuring women and girls’ meaningful participation. Our initiatives are breaking barriers, expanding opportunities, and creating impacts that advance gender equality, strengthen women’s capacity, and accelerate lasting, transformative empowerment for all.
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