A multifaceted gender gap persists in the culture sector. In Europe, only one in five films is produced by a woman. Women are less connected,  possess lower digital literacy skills and have less access to training programs. Women are less likely to be hired by technology companies and are underrepresented in conferences or creative industry marketplaces. 

The UNESCO-Sabrina Ho initiative, “You Are Next: Empowering Creative Women” was designed to face these challenges. It is a new initiative that addresses the different needs, aspirations, capacities and contributions of young women working in the digital creative industries in developing countries. It supports projects that strengthen the technical and entrepreneurial skills of young women under the age of 40, as well as national policy initiatives and strategies that address gender equality in the cultural and creative sectors.