New Projects to Bridge the Digital Gender Gap

ABSTRACT

Digital technologies have allowed us to build a more connected world, but when women are excluded from constructing that world, they are excluded from building the future. From basic education to the productive economy, digital gender equality can make a positive impact.

To bridge this gap, we are now looking for new solutions across the key areas outlined by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s (OECD) :

• Improving access to digital devices and skills;
• Development of digital facilitation tools and initiatives;
• Promotion of women’s access to digital/STEM professions;
• Upskilling and reskilling initiatives;
• Solutions to fight online gender-based violence and disinformation.

This is an electronic Request-for-Partners (eRFP) Challenge; the Solver is invited to submit a written proposal to be evaluated by Enel Global Digital Solutions with the goal of establishing a collaborative partnership.

- Login or register to start solving this Challenge! After logging in, click ‘View Challenge Details’ to submit your solution on the Enel Open Innovability® platform -

OVERVIEW

Technology and the internet can be a great enabler for women and girls but a lack of opportunities, skills and a fear of discrimination prevent many from using and creating digital tools and online content.

Girls and women often have less access to technology and the internet compared to boys and men. In addition, stereotypes around technology and fear of being discriminated against stop girls from using digital tools. Last year alone, over 259 million more men than women were online.

The digital gender gap is multidimensional, which is why there are many effective ways to advance digital gender equality. Being a digital company, Enel is committed to help close the gender gap in the tech sector through dedicated projects, including aimed inwardly at improving company policies and outcomes for women. The Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) have outlined several key areas where this gender divide or gap is most often seen online and in digital spaces:

• Improving access to digital devices and skills;
• Development of digital facilitation tools and initiatives;
• Promotion of women’s access to digital/STEM professions;
• Upskilling and reskilling initiatives;
• Solutions to fight online gender-based violence and disinformation.

By contributing to Enel Global Digital Solutions work in this area through joining this Challenge, you are directly helping to overcome the digital gender gap – both in Enel itself and worldwide.

THE CHALLENGE

With considerable economic growth coming from the tech sector, it is vital to have women's participation in technology. To reach this goal, Enel Global Digital Solutions will leverage innovative solutions to promote women’s digital empowerment in terms of inclusion and representation, access to digital resources and finance, assistance as a tech incubator, the promotion of women role models, and more.

Enel are searching for mature proposals, with a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of ≥ 7, that will help to move the needle and ensure that the digital gender gap is reduced. Performance indicators of your digital solution can be both qualitative and quantitative: for instance, self-assessment and survey responses are as valuable as engagement metrics and number of programs delivered.

Your submission to this Challenge should fulfil at least 1 of the OECD areas around the digital gender gap: improving access, development of tools, promotion of access to digital professions, upskilling and reskilling, and/or fighting online gender-based violence and discrimination.

As this is a multidimensional issue, Enel’s aims are not limited to one specific type of solution: your submission can be of a digital solution, method, or tool that will help to bridge the digital gender gap, or it could be acceptable to submit an investigation or methodology that can report on the use, barriers, and shortcomings of digital technologies.

Enel Global Digital Solutions aims to provide positive outcomes in this digital gender gap project. Enel will promote and help to scale the solutions submitted to this Challenge, as well as finding new ways to use them within the company, a global enterprise with operations in 26 countries.

SOLUTION REQUIREMENTS 

Your proposed solution must have the following qualities:

• Being a digital solution or a method/project that can report on the use, access, and barriers of digital technologies;
• Able to collect data and insights: both to understand the current barriers towards representation for women and to report on progress made in this area;
• Promote awareness on the topic;
• Have a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) ≥ 7;
• Applicable to Enel context – submission of a digital solution or investigative method that can be used to reduce the digital gender divide in Enel itself.

This Challenge contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals:

• SDG 5: Gender Equality
• SDG 10: Reduced Inequality

This is an electronic Request-for-Partners (eRFP) Challenge; the Solver will need to submit a written proposal to be evaluated by Enel Global Digital Solutions with the goal of establishing a collaboration agreement. In any case, Enel Global Digital Solutions has no obligation to select a winning proposal.

For questions about the Challenge and your proposal you can contact EnelOpenInnovabilityChallenges@wazoku.com

Explain your proposal clearly in English, attach documents (max 5 files, 35MB total size, ZIP, JPG, PDF format) if needed.

Submissions to this Challenge must be received by 11:59 PM (Central European Time) on October 13th, 2023. Late submissions will not be considered.

ABOUT THE SEEKER             

Enel is a multinational energy company and one of the world’s leading integrated electricity and gas operators. Enel works in more than 30 countries across five continents, generating energy with a total installed capacity of more than 89 GW, selling gas and distributing electricity across a network spanning approximately 2.2 million km. With almost 75 million end users around the world, Enel has the biggest customer base among our European competitors, and we are one of Europe’s leading energy companies by installed capacity.

The Enel Group is made up of approximately 66,000 people from around the world who are working together on the same goal. We are Open Power and our aim is to overcome some of the greatest challenges facing the world. This is to be achieved through a new approach which combines attention to sustainability with the best in innovation. Enel is dedicated to creating innovative solutions that meet society’s changing needs. Through its openinnovability.com crowdsourcing platform, the company connects people and ideas from across the world, encouraging anyone to propose sustainable innovation projects and solutions that help develop local communities.

Enel is also committed to helping to achieve 4 of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):

• 7 - Access to affordable and clean energy
• 9 - Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation
• 11- Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
• 13 - The fight against climate change