(l-r: Harry Sasongko, CEO, Indosat; Trina DasGupta, Director mWomen Programme, GSMA; Dieter May, SVP, Mobile Phone Services, Nokia)
BARCELONA, Spain – Technology isn’t just about convenience or entertainment. It’s also about power. Our access to the Internet means that information is continually at our fingertips – almost anything we want is a click away.
But, of course, not everyone in the world is so lucky.
Without easy and daily access to relevant information, connecting to opportunities can be a big struggle for many. Advancements in affordable mobile phones are making it possible for millions of people to get connected to the world around them every day.
However, in developing countries, women are at the bottom of the ladder when it comes to mobile phone ownership – either because they are living below the poverty line, or because of cultural barriers.
That’s why Nokia has teamed up with one of the leading mobile operators in Indonesia, Indosat to create and deliver a special service called ‘Info Wanita’ on its Nokia Life services platform. ‘Info Wanita’ (Information for Women) will be available free for one year to Indosat subscribers on selected Nokia Asha devices. This collaboration was announced last week at Mobile World Congress.
The announcement comes as part of the GSMA mWomen programme, an ambitious project from the GSMA that aims to reduce the “mobile phone gender gap” by 50 per cent by 2014, enabling mobile ownership and effective usage for more than 150 million women in emerging markets.
Info Wanita delivers information on themes such as Small Business Management, Financial Management, Life Skills, Health and Childcare. The content was developed in partnership with the Foundation for Social Change, a non-profit organisation focused on empowering women and girls in developing countries.
Info Wanita can be activated easily from within the Nokia Life services menu that comes pre-embedded in the Nokia Asha phones.
Mary McDowell, EVP Mobile Phones, said: “Nokia Life services are an entry point to the digital world for many people, and Info Wanita is an example of how we are providing women access to relevant, localized information from trusted expert sources.
“Also, women, like men, want the best, most attractive and functional phone they can afford. By offering innovative Life services on modern devices such as the new Nokia Asha 202, we are serving consumers at all levels of affordability, and making it easy for them to begin interacting with the phone and consuming information immediately.
“We believe that our new enhanced Nokia Life offering and our joint effort with Indosat to deliver our Info Wanita service will have a positive social impact for women in Indonesia.”