Foreword

I am pleased to present the Handbook on mainstreaming gender in digital policies.
The Handbook is a first-of-its-kind guide that gives insights into how we can best support policy-making processes that advocate gender equality. It illustrates the concrete actions that policy-makers can take and offers an actionable checklist that supports the process of gender-equal policy-making, from gathering data and conducting research to measuring impact.

If the world is to achieve gender-equal digital inclusion in the future digital economy, Internet policies and strategies must enable an explicit focus on gender equality. This also means strengthening institutions and innovative policies that promote digital gender equality. This Handbook serves as an important tool to help us develop policies and solutions and puts gender equality at the centre, rather than on the side-lines, of policy-making.
Bridging the gender digital divide – in all its complexity and variability throughout the world – is essential work for all of us involved in building the global technological infrastructure. The digital future belongs to all of us, regardless of gender.
I encourage all stakeholders to use this Handbook to focus on gender digital equality and to work together to increase the impact of our efforts to achieve gender digital equality.