When women and girls have the resources and opportunities to turn their potential into power, it changes the trajectory of their lives and strengthens entire communities. But while we've made progress in helping women and girls advance across the world, that progress is fragile, unfinished, and uniquely threatened by the pandemic.
One study showed that women business owners in Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand who interact with business associations are 24% more likely to report plans to increase the size of their businesses within 3 years, but more than one-third of women business owners in those countries never interact with these associations at all (compared with 26% of men who never do). Before COVID-19, women's participation in the labor market was already 26% lower than that of men. As of September 2020, women's employment was projected to be 19% more at risk than that of men, and it is estimated that 11 million more women than men will be living in poverty in 2030. Women are also shouldering a disproportionate amount of unpaid domestic work, and an estimated 20 million girls around the world are at risk of not returning to school. Job cuts, income loss, and lack of access to education will prevent women and girls' economic advancement, particularly those from underserved communities, for generations to come. These alarming realities require swift and decisive action.
This is why I'm excited to launch our global Google.org Impact Challenge for Women and Girls today. Google.org will provide $25 million in overall funding to nonprofits and social organizations in Thailand and around the world that are working to advance women and girls' economic empowerment and create pathways to prosperity. Selected Impact Challenge grantees will also receive mentoring from Googlers, Ad Grants, and additional support to bring their ideas to life. This Challenge was announced earlier today by our CEO, Sundar Pichai and President of Google.org, Jacquelline Fuller from India.
We also have a 100% women-led global expert panel composed of women leaders from more than 15 countries. They come with deep expertise in global public policy, advocacy, research, business, technology and more. Some notable names on the panel include Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Executive Director of UN Women; Amanda Gorman, First US National Youth Poet Laureate; Shakira, Global Artist and Philanthropist, Naomi Osaka, Athlete, to name a few.
We have a collective responsibility to make sure that generations of women and girls from all walks of life can live in a world where they are treated equally and reach their full potential. Over the last five years, Google.org has given more than $55 million to nonprofit organizations that support gender equity and access to opportunities for women and girls worldwide. For instance, we recently granted $3.3 Million to The Asia Foundation to equip up to 120,000 women from underserved communities across Thailand and Southeast Asia with critical digital skills and tools through the Go Digital ASEAN initiative to broaden participation in the digital economy. This new Impact Challenge will build on that work.
If you're working on an innovative project that supports women and girls in Thailand or know any organizations with a bold idea that will transform economic opportunities for women and girls, please check out g.co/womenandgirlschallenge to apply and learn more about the Challenge. Organizations have until Saturday, April 10, 6:59AM Thailand time to submit ideas, and grant recipients will be announced later this year.
Jackie Wang, Country Director, Google Thailand
