In a significant development for Pakistan’s technology and inclusion agenda, the Khyber Paktunkhwa Information Technology Board (KPITB) and UN Women Pakistan have formalised a partnership to boost women’s economic empowerment through digital inclusion. At a signing ceremony in the provincial capital, the two organisations entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) under the umbrella of the Digitalization for Women Economic Empowerment (D4WEE) project, funded by the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA).
The partnership sets up a structured collaboration framework aimed at leveraging KPITB’s strategic leadership and existing infrastructure in the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), while aligning with the province’s digital policy commitments in the districts of Peshawar, Mardan and Swabi. By tapping into the resources and networks of KPITB, the initiative intends to ensure that women have equitable access to digital tools, platforms and economic opportunities through targeted digital-inclusion interventions.
During the event, the Secretary of the Science, Technology & IT Department of KP, Mr. Amjad Ali Khan, alongside the Managing Director of KPITB and other senior board members, reiterated the government’s commitment to advancing women’s participation in the province’s digital transformation journey. Mr. Khan emphasised that women constitute a vital component of the Digital KP Roadmap 2030 and pledged full institutional support from KPITB to embed women-centred initiatives across all digital programmes.
Speaking for UN Women Pakistan, Mr. Jamshed Kazi underlined the need to bring women onto an equal footing in the digital economy. He expressed thanks to the provincial government and KPITB for their leadership and partnership, noting that this collaboration represents a meaningful step toward closing gender gaps in technology and digital access.
This MoU marks a pivotal juncture for women’s inclusion in digital ecosystems in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Through the D4WEE project, participating women will gain training, access to technology platforms, mentoring and support in navigating the digital economy. While the initial focus covers Peshawar, Mardan and Swabi, the partnership positions the province to expand its reach in the future — potentially enabling a broader rollout across KP’s districts as part of its strategic digital roadmap.
By aligning public-sector capacity with international development expertise, this collaboration also underscores how digital inclusion efforts can dovetail with broader socio-economic empowerment goals. For KP, the partnership helps operationalise the Digital KP vision by embedding inclusion metrics alongside technology targets. For UN Women, it presents a concrete implementation channel for bridging digital gender divides in Pakistan and enabling women to become active participants in the evolving digital economy.
As the province and the partnering institutions move forward, key considerations will include the design and delivery of training curricula, ensuring access to affordable digital infrastructure, creating sustainable pathways for women into the online economy, and building monitoring frameworks to measure impact. If successful, this collaboration could serve as a replicable model for other regions in Pakistan and beyond where digital inclusion meets gender-empowerment imperatives.
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