Globally, men are 21 percent more likely to be online than women—a figure that rises to 52 percent in least developed countries. Beyond this gender divide, there is also a rural-urban digital divide. In Colombia, women living in rural areas are 35 percent less likely to use the Internet than women in urban areas. This limited access to technology and Internet services has only exacerbated existing social and economic inequalities in these areas, impeding rural women’s opportunities for the future.

To improve rural connectivity and empower Colombian women within their communities, the USAID/Microsoft Airband Initiative is working with a Colombian telecommunications company, Anditel, to bring high speed Internet and digital skills trainings to women in the historically underserved, agriculturally focused regions of Tumaco and Bajo Cauca.