Best practice: Empowering rural women in Liberia through digital inclusion

This publication is part of the WEE WCARO Best Practices series. The Digital Inclusion for Women’s Economic Empowerment (D4WEE) project in Liberia demonstrates the transformative power of digital inclusion and strategic partnerships in driving economic empowerment for rural women. Rural women in Liberia face several challenges to participate in the economy, including limited access to markets, financial services, or land. High levels of poverty (estimated to be around 44%), gender inequality (Liberia’s GII value is 0.648), and lack of infrastructure further exacerbate these challenges. The majority of rural women are engaged in subsistence farming with minimal opportunities for scaling their businesses or accessing broader markets. Spearheaded by UN Women and supported by Orange Liberia, the Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection, the D4WEE initiative leverages technology to improve women’s financial inclusion. By connecting women to markets, enhancing access to finance, and promoting renewable energy solutions, the project has created a sustainable model for women’s economic advancement. This factsheet summarises the approach and results of the project (2022-2024).