Our work aims to address two main issues affecting women’s agency. 

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First, women are typically underrepresented in the technology workforce, including those comprising the geospatial industry. This results in fewer opportunities for female participation in many facets of the rapidly growing geospatial industry including location-based intelligence, location-based digital services, mapping, and geographic information systems. YouthMappers have much better gender-balanced participation in many chapters and as a global network. Our engagement, mentoring, and leadership activities will further improve this representation and help to prepare women students with the technical and leadership experience needed for the modern workforce, reflecting USAID’s Digital Strategy. Addressing this means we promote action to increase women’s geospatial labor force participation and advancement in the workplace. By providing women students with quality training and support, so they can graduate and thrive in well-paying jobs in their local economies.

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Second, map features and attributes most relevant to women are not well depicted through commonly available mapping platforms.  Better representation of healthcare and education services, safety shelters, transportation options, female access to power infrastructure, and economic opportunities are among the many features that strengthen conditions for women when adequately depicted through apps, websites, and other mapping platforms. Our work will result in an improved repository of geospatial data in OpenStreetMap for issues addressing women and girls, with mapping activities integrating broader regional and global efforts; and indicators and programs that help women advance in the workplace and/or economy.  Doing so directly addresses promoting an enabling environment that increases women’s economic empowerment. These solutions also contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.