BARCELONA, Spain, Feb. 27, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

Millicom announced today it has now committed all its Tigo mobile operations in Latin America and Africa to the GSMA's Connected Women Commitment Initiative, which aims to reduce the gender gap in mobile Internet and mobile money across low- and middle-income countries. The announcement was made within the framework of Mobile World Congress, the largest exhibition for mobile operators, device and technology innovators, and it marks Millicom as leading the way in gender equality in the telecommunications industry.  

Since the GSMA, the mobile industry's main trade body, created the initiative in 2016, Millicom has prioritized the Connected Women Commitments Initiative across its operations and has placed it at the heart of its business strategy.

Millicom was the first African operator to sign a commitment in February 2016, in Rwanda, and it worked with the GSMA to bring the initiative to Latin America, with Paraguay being the first operation to sign the commitment in that region in September 2016. The company has been adding each one of its operations to the initiative over the past two years.

Rachel Samrén, EVP Chief External Affairs Officer said: "As a company we are proud to lead the way in digital and financial inclusion not only for women but for everyone. Female customers represent a great business opportunity for Millicom and we are particularly proud of our involvement with the GSMA's Connected Women Commitment Initiative. In our emerging markets, we have seen first-hand the economic and business benefits of closing the gender gap. Mobile operators have a unique opportunity, and indeed responsibility, to keep breaking down barriers for women, and support their integration into local economies."

In practice, the commitment is reflected in several ambitious training programs driven by each Tigo operation aimed at increasing the usage of mobile data and mobile money services by women such as, among others:

• In Guatemala, Tigo has been working in partnership with Sheva, a local organization, to train women and girls in using mobile tools to improve their lives. Since May 2017, more than 10,000 have been trained through workshops.

• A similar project in Chad, in partnership with CELIAF, a local women's association, aims to familiarize 16,000 women with information and communications technology tools.

• In El Salvador, Millicom has set itself an objective of training 100,000 women to use technology by 2020.

• In Honduras, Tigo trains women on how to use smartphones, create mobile money wallets and set up social media profiles to market their handicraft products, stimulating entrepreneurship and helping to grow the economies of their communities. 

VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRy_eVC3UQ0 

For further information, please contact

Press:
Vivian Kobeh, Corporate Communications Director
+1 305 476 7352 / +1 305 302 2858
press@millicom.com

Investors: 
Michel Morin, VP Investor Relations
+352 277 59094
investors@millicom.com

Mauricio Pinzon, Investor Relations Manager
Tel: +44 20 3249 2460
investors@millicom.com

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SOURCE Millicom International Cellular