“We are a more connected world than ever. We are truly a more global world than ever. But at the same time, we are becoming more and more unequal”
Helen Gayle
Today, technology is the social catalyst empowering communities in all corners of the globe to improve their lives and shape their collective future.
Modern technology is opening floodgates of information and influence historically reserved only for those in power. It not only helps to uncover the way to tackle a big issue, technology also helps to stimulate the most elusive and most needed breakthrough of all: the will to act in our collective self-interest.
What are the implications for change in democracies, authoritarian societies and developing countries as the international blogosphere, censorship, and citizen engagement takes on new meaning and shape?
May 20 - 26, 2013
Debate
Skoll Original
Skoll Original
mPowering Women and Girls
Last year, USAID launched a new policy on Gender Equality and Female Empowerment to address the challenges of gender inequality in political participation, economic markets, education and health. The policy underscores a critical premise: that equal participation of women and girls in society leads to more effective and sustainable health and development outcomes.
Debate
Skoll Original
Skoll Original
For Expectant and New Mothers, Mobile Fosters Confidence and a Healthier Future
Husbands and mothers-in-law are influential and oftentimes the primary decision-makers in what a mother should eat, when and if she should visit a clinic, and how she should care for her newborn. To address this cultural dynamic, BabyCenter, a Johnson & Johnson company, worked with MAMA to develop a second set of mobile adaptable messages geared towards household decision-makers.
Debate
Skoll Original
Skoll Original
Mobile - A Bridge Across the Gender Divide
The digital divide continues to shrink throughout the world, but women in low-income countries do not have equal participation in this technological revolution. Although more than one billion women have access to a mobile phone in developing countries, a woman living there is still 21% less likely to own a cell phone than a man.
Editor's Pick
Ignoring Innovation: A Review of Michael Levi’s ‘The Power Surge’
The Breakthrough
The "iron law of climate change" says that this challenge cannot be achieved by making energy substantially more expensive. Across the world in countries rich and poor, people have repeatedly indicated that while they will pay some price for environmental objectives, that willingness has its limits.
The "iron law of climate change" says that this challenge cannot be achieved by making energy substantially more expensive. Across the world in countries rich and poor, people have repeatedly indicated that while they will pay some price for environmental objectives, that willingness has its limits.
Editor's Pick
Bill Gates: How GDP Understates Economic Growth
The Guardian
Even in good financial times, development aid budgets are hardly overflowing. Government leaders and donors must make hard decisions about where to focus their limited resources. How do you decide which countries should get low-cost loans or cheaper vaccines, and which can afford to fund their own development programmes?
Even in good financial times, development aid budgets are hardly overflowing. Government leaders and donors must make hard decisions about where to focus their limited resources. How do you decide which countries should get low-cost loans or cheaper vaccines, and which can afford to fund their own development programmes?
Debate
Skoll Original
Skoll Original
Mobile Phones for Women’s Empowerment
The demand for mobile phones among women in low- and middle-income countries is great, and we must seize the opportunity to use new technologies to transform women’s lives in meaningful and lasting ways.
May 13 - 19, 2013
Editor's Pick
Fighting Sex Trafficking With Big Data
Fast Colabs
The latest estimates about human trafficking indicate at least 21 million people on the planet are currently in slavery. For years human traffickers have used the latest technology to profit from the slave trade, but now software engineers at big data companies are enabling anti-trafficking organizations to fight back.
The latest estimates about human trafficking indicate at least 21 million people on the planet are currently in slavery. For years human traffickers have used the latest technology to profit from the slave trade, but now software engineers at big data companies are enabling anti-trafficking organizations to fight back.
Article
Forum 2013
Skoll Original
Mobilizing Underserved Communities to Enter the Digital Economy
A new book, The Art and Science of Delivery, was published in honor of the 10th Anniversary of the Skoll World Forum. “De-liv-er-y,” the book’s cover explains, “is a daunting challenge in the social sector, with many initiatives failing because of poor implementation.”
Article
Skoll Original
Skoll Original
Giving Work is Not Enough to Bring People out of Poverty
I believe that our model is only one way to empower people on a path out of poverty through digital work. Indeed, we’re continually working to strengthen our approach. However, I’m convinced that using digital work as a means to bring people out of poverty is not just about providing work opportunities for the poor.
