USAID WEE COP March 2023 Learning Event: Beyond Inclusion - User Protection for Women in the Digital Economy

The event brought together experts from various organizations, including USAID, CGAP, and Women's World Banking, to share evidence and discuss promising approaches to closing the gender digital divide. The digital ecosystem and its opportunities and barriers to digital financial inclusion were a primary focus of the event. Presenters highlighted the need for awareness and understanding of the digital ecosystem, as well as the importance of addressing existing evidence and data gaps related to digital-related risks and user protections, particularly for women. Jamille Bigio, Senior Coordinator for Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment at USAID, emphasized the evolution of digital financial services (DFS) consumer risks. She noted that the nature and scale of these risks have increased, making financial consumer protection (FCP) increasingly important for digital finance users. Eric Duflos, Consumer Protection Lead and Senior Financial Sector Specialist at CGAP, provided an overview of the definitions and implications of a lack of protections on women's economic empowerment. He highlighted the importance of FCP in ensuring that digital finance users, particularly women, are protected from risks such as financial exclusion, over-indebtedness, and identity theft. The event also featured a moderated panel discussion, which brought together experts from various organizations to share their perspectives on user protection for women in the digital economy. The panelists discussed promising approaches to closing the gender digital divide, including enhancing the enabling environment for financial service access and uptake. The USAID WEE CoP has over 1,200 members and aims to gather and share evidence, facilitate learning among members, and foster engagement opportunities. The community's learning objectives include building awareness of the digital ecosystem and its opportunities and barriers, sharing existing evidence and data gaps related to digital-related risks and user protections, and providing promising approaches to closing the gender digital divide. The event's focus on user protection for women in the digital economy is critical, as women often face unique challenges and risks in the digital economy. By addressing these challenges and risks, the USAID WEE CoP aims to promote women's economic empowerment and ensure that they have equal access to financial services and opportunities. The USAID WEE CoP's efforts to promote user protection for women in the digital economy are aligned with the organization's broader goals of promoting women's economic empowerment and reducing poverty. By working together with experts and stakeholders, the USAID WEE CoP aims to create a more inclusive and equitable digital economy that benefits women and other marginalized groups.