EQUALS is a committed group dedicated to promoting gender balance in the technology sector by championing equality of access, skills development.

Axian Telecom has partnered with the United Nations (UN) as part of its growing efforts to bridge the African gender digital divide in tech access, skills and leadership.

The Pan-African mobile giant announced yesterday that it had joined the Global Partnership for Gender Equality in the Digital Age known as EQUALS.

Launch in 2016 by UN Women and the International Telecommunications Union, EQUALS is a committed group of corporate leaders, governments, businesses, not-for-profit organizations dedicated to promoting gender balance in the technology sector by championing equality of access, skills development and career opportunities for women and men alike.

The UN-led dynamic network now boasts over 100 partners worldwide, aiming to achieve gender equality in technology by 2030.

Announcing its decision to join the growing group, the telecoms giant said the

initiative compliments their commitment to the United Nations Women's Empowerment Principles and the UN Global Compact, which aim to provide women across Africa with the skills and opportunities they need to excel in the digital era.

“Axian is thrilled to join the Equals because we are already committed to digital gender inclusion in our markets, empowering girls and women through STEM and mobile internet programs,” announced on its LinkedIn page.

By joining the EQUALS, the African telecoms group with a presence in 15 countries worldwide, said it aims to learn from shared experiences and best practices, enhance its team's skills through expert research and forge new partnerships to develop and improve its initiatives.

Joining the EQUALS is the latest addition to Axian’s growing programs that promote digital gender parity in Africa.

Just in March, the company partnered with the GSMA's Connected Women Commitment Initiative in another big step towards closing the gender gap in mobile internet and mobile money services across Africa.

It immediately set its sights on Madagascar and Togo in that drive with a special focus to removing barriers that limit women accessing and using mobile internet and mobile money services.

Some of its other ongoing activities include the Jovia Program in Tanzania which has expanded to Uganda. The one to six-month program of advanced IT and Entrepreneurship training for unemployed and out-of-school underprivileged girls and young women. It has trained over 300 young women in digital skills.

The list of its tech empowerment programs further stretches to the African Girls Can Code Initiative with UN Women in Tanzania, Dagan Connectée in Togo, a Digital skills and entrepreneurship training for 100 women and Inspire the Future Program in Ivory Coast with KS Africa that offers secondary school scholarships to young girls interested in STEM.

Axian Telecom CEO Stéphane Oudin has in the past highlighted the company’s commitment to shaping a more inclusive and diverse future in tech.

"As an African brand, we recognise our role in improving life, particularly for women on the continent,” said Oudin.