Enabling women’s participation in the labor market is important for their empowerment and financial independence, as well as for broader economic growth. However, women’s employment and growth remain constrained by a range of structural, informational, and social barriers. Digital technologies that enable virtual delivery of skills training, access to job platforms and online markets, and virtual networking may allow women to overcome barriers and increase their labor market participation. 

This evidence review synthesizes rigorous evidence on how digital technologies can be leveraged to deliver and enhance skills development for women’s economic empowerment. The evidence is organized into five categories that both reflect the main digital tools and approaches tested in the randomized evaluation (RCT) literature related to skills development and the specific barriers women face: business skills constraints, limited networks, digital skills shortage, job-search frictions, and mobility/time constraints. By grouping studies this way, the review aims to clarify the distinct mechanisms—engagement, social capital, skill acquisition, job-search frictions, and mobility/gender-norm constraints—through which digital tools affect women’s economic outcomes. 

While the review highlights several interventions that show promise in supporting women's employment, more evidence is needed to understand which and for whom digital interventions are most effective.