WEE-DiFine and WEE-Connect: BIGD leads pioneering research initiatives for women's economic empowerment in the digital age
ince its inception in 2020, WEE-DiFine has been at the forefront of leveraging digital financial services (DFS) to address economic gender disparities, recognizing both the potential and challenges inherent in this transformative technology.
The BRAC Institute of Governance and Development (BIGD) is spearheading two groundbreaking research initiatives, WEE-DiFine and WEE-Connect, supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. These two initiatives are at the forefront of advancing women's economic empowerment (WEE) through digital financial services (DFS) and digital connectivity, respectively.
WEE-DiFine: Understanding digital finance's impact
Digital technology has transformed societies globally, presenting both opportunities and challenges. WEE-DiFine recognizes the potential of DFS to bridge economic gender gaps by increasing women's participation in the financial system. However, it also acknowledges the complexities involved and aims to fund rigorous research projects to explore the causal mechanisms between DFS and WEE.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
Since its inception in 2020, WEE-DiFine has been at the forefront of leveraging digital financial services (DFS) to address economic gender disparities, recognizing both the potential and challenges inherent in this transformative technology. With a portfolio boasting 19 funded studies, WEE-DiFine has been instrumental in fostering a comprehensive understanding of the causal mechanisms linking DFS to women's economic empowerment (WEE) across South Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Southeast Asia.
Excitingly, WEE-DiFine is now unveiling its fourth Request for Proposals (RFP), signaling a continued commitment to advancing research in this vital field. This latest RFP invites proposals for both large and small grants, catering to a range of research endeavors. Large grants are available for Greenfield evaluations and extensions to existing studies, while small grants are offered for measurement studies, qualitative studies, and pilot studies.
Interested researchers are encouraged to explore RFP 4 further by accessing the webinar recording held on March 5, 2024. This initiative underscores WEE-DiFine's ongoing dedication to fostering rigorous research that elucidates the causal pathways through which DFS can enhance women's economic empowerment.
WEE-Connect: Bridging the digital gender divide
WEE-Connect, a separate but sister initiative to WEE-DiFine, launched on February 20, 2024. This BIGD initiative aims to address the gender gap in digital connectivity and its impact on women's economic empowerment. WEE-Connect aims to promote inclusive digital societies by funding research projects that examine women's access to digital information.
During the virtual launch event, the WEE-Connect team introduced the initiative's goals, unveiled their white paper, and released the first request for proposals. Collectively, these path-breaking initiatives by BIGD have the potential to deeply influence policies and practices around digital technologies, finance, and women's empowerment for years to come.
Proposals are being accepted now for both initiatives.
Application Details
Researchers interested in applying for funding through WEE-DiFine and WEE-Connect are encouraged to review the respective Request for Proposals documents, available on the initiative websites. The submission deadline for WEE-Connect RFP 1 is April 30, 2024, 23:59 Bangladesh Standard Time (BST), and the submission deadline for WEE-DiFine RFP 4 is May 14th, 2024, 23:59 BST.
For more information about WEE-DiFine and WEE-Connect, visit their web pages and follow BIGD on social media for updates and announcements.
Contact Information
For further information, please contact [email protected] or [email protected].
