Open Source for Equality

Owning a mobile phone and having access to the internet can change lives. Yet millions of women in developing countries are unable to take advantage of the mobile internet. The main reasons for this are lack of literacy and digital skills.

We can change that. With open and inclusive tools that facilitate access to important knowledge and practical information, developed for and by women. However, only 6% of all open source contributors worldwide are women, and even fewer in the Global South. It is time to act now.

Inclusion, empowerment and equality must be at the heart of our efforts to ensure sustainable development. To achieve this, we need a beginner-friendly, safe space for women to participate in open source projects that promote gender equality.

This is why why we are building Open Source for Equality, a movement that empowers women to empower women.

Partners and Sponsors

Celebrating International Women's Day 2023: Our Contribution to DigitALL and Gender Equality

International Women's Day, celebrated on March 8th every year, is a day to recognize the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women and to call for gender equality. This year, the theme for IWD 2023 is "DigitALL: Innovation and Technology for Gender Equality".

Impressions from our participation in the She Code Africa Hackfest

The name of my team is Team Mems, and here’s a quick summary of our experiences during the She Code Africa (SCA) Hackfest 2022 and how we came second. 

Strategies to Increase Women’s Participation in Open Source Projects

It's no secret that women are underrepresented in open source. But what are the reasons for this? And what can we do about it? This article presents the results of a recent survey of the literature on this topic.

Open Source for Equality Case Study: OpenStreetMap Uganda

This case study is part of a series that showcases successful usage of open-source software with a development objective in Uganda and around the world.