Social impact tech startup Connected Women was recognized as a Champion for e-Employment at the World Summit for Information Society (WSIS) Forum held at Place des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland last April 8-12, 2019.

As an advocate of UN Sustainable Development Goal 5 – Gender Equality, Connected Women matches female entrepreneurs from all over the world with Filipino women looking for remote work. Through the Connected Women website, job seekers can apply for virtual work, while entrepreneurs gain access to high-quality, affordable talent. By promoting tech adoption, inclusive innovation and the future of work, this social enterprise also provides digital skills enhancement, continued education and training to the community.

Over 2 million votes were cast between 1062 nominated projects from across the globe. Following a comprehensive review by an expert group, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has recognized 90 organizations for their remarkable efforts of accelerating socio-economic progress. “How can we maximize the benefits of emerging tech for our societies and economies? One answer is innovation. So let’s work together to invest in innovation so that ICTs can accelerate progress on Global Goals and deliver on the promise of the Digital Economy,” says Houlin Zhao, the ITU Secretary-General who personally presented the awards.

Photo: Michael Yaxley – CW Executive Chairman, Houlin Zhao – ITU Secretary General, Ruth Yu-Owen, CW Co-Founder.

In the e-employment category, Connected Women was awarded as a champion, along with entries from Thailand, United Arab Emirates, India and the USA. Receiving the award, Co-Founder Ruth Yu-Owen shares, “It is an honour for Connected Women to be representing the country in the international stage and for being recognized by a panel of global changemakers as a solution to improving women’s economic empowerment and gender equality through the use of ICT.”

Meanwhile, on the subject of future of work, CEO and Co-Founder Gina Romero adds, “Technology is a game changer for women and providing access to remote and flexible work means having a choice between staying in the workforce or being forced to drop out.”

“Our vision is to impact the lives of women globally by providing access to technology training, resources and tools to improve businesses, careers and lives. This not only opens up opportunities to Filipino women but also aids entrepreneurs globally to achieve work-life balance while growing their business” according to Michael Yaxley, Executive Chairman of Connected Women.

Photo: DICT Planning Officer IV Gina Rodriguez, DICT Asst. Secretary for Management Operations Atty. Ivin Ronald Alzona, CW Co-Founder Ruth Yu-Owen, Ambassador Evan P. Garcia of the Permanent Mission of the Philippines to the UN, CW Executive Chairman Michael Yaxley, and Permanent Mission of the Philippines to the UN First Secretary and Consul Arnel Talisayon.

Connected Women made a courtesy call at the Permanent Mission of the Philippines to the United Nations and Other International Organizations Geneva. Ambassador Evan P. Garcia, Permanent Representative, congratulates the team and remarks, “Technology is a catalyst for change and global interconnectedness has great potential to accelerate human progress. Startups like Connected Women are vital to driving inclusive innovation, bridging the digital divide and improving the economic participation of women in the Philippines.”

About Connected Women

Connected Women Jobs is a technology-driven social impact start-up that matches entrepreneurs from all over the world with Filipino women looking for remote work. With the support of our partners such as Facebook #SheMeansBusiness and the Philippines’ Department of ICT, thousands of women are able to skill up and scale up their businesses with the use of digital skills. Equipping women with the competencies needed for the future of work, global opportunities are within their reach.

Backed by a strong community of women entrepreneurs, virtual assistants and professionals, Connected Women holds global meetups in almost 50 cities across Pakistan, the UK, Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore, Canada and the Philippines. Join the community at https://www.connectedwomen.co/.

About WSIS

The World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Forum, the largest annual gathering of the ‘ICT for development’ community, is a global United Nations (UN) multi-stakeholder platform facilitating the implementation of the WSIS Action Lines for advancing Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It is co-organized by ITU, UNESCO, UNDP and UNCTAD, in close collaboration with all WSIS Action Line co-/facilitators and other UN organizations including UN Women, WFP, ILO, WHO, FAO, UNICEF, UNHCR, UNIDO, UN ESCAP, ITC and other UN Regional Commissions.

To mark its tenth anniversary, WSIS Forum 2019 convened in Geneva on April 8-12 to provide an opportunity for information exchange, knowledge creation and sharing of best practices while identifying emerging trends and fostering partnerships.

The highlight of the forum is the WSIS Prizes, a global contest recognizing individuals, governments, civil society, local, regional and international agencies, research institutions and private-sector companies for outstanding success in implementing development-oriented strategies that leverage the power of ICTs as an enabler of the development.