DiDi joins the day against gender-based violence

• 99.9% of trips arranged through the app end with no reported incidents.

• Women are up to 4 times more likely than men to share their trip, allowing their trusted contacts to monitor their location in real time.

Dominican Republic, 25 November 2022. Every 25 November marks the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, in honour of the Dominican sisters Patria, Minerva and María Teresa Mirabal, also known as the Butterflies, who were brutally murdered 62 years ago for their fervent opposition to the dictatorship of Rafael Leónidas Trujillo.

To mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, DiDi and DiDi Food are focusing their efforts on continuing to create ever-safer spaces for the women who use these apps.

On the current situation of gender-based violence in the community, a study by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) highlights that in the Dominican Republic, 2 in 3 women have experienced some form of violence in their lifetime.

The study, which used data from the first Experimental Survey on the Situation of Women published by the National Statistics Office (ONE), also notes that 39.2% of women aged 15 and over have experienced violence in the community during their lifetime, 84.3% of whom say it happened in the street, a park or on the beach.

Aware of the challenges women face every day, DiDi, the world’s leading mobility technology app, has focused on developing a safety ecosystem to minimise risks for female users, drivers and delivery partners.

“When using DiDi, women are up to 4 times more likely than men to share their trip. However, fewer than 2% of people in the region share their trip with trusted contacts using the in-app option. On this day, we want to urge people to use the app’s more than 20 safety features and take an active part in their own safety. It is our priority that women also feel free, can go about their activities, achieve economic independence and do so with peace of mind,” said Adriana Castañeda, Director of Safety Policy and Response for Latin America at DiDi.

Education: key for women

Access to education is one of the factors that makes a crucial difference in women’s lives.

Among the most recent projects are virtual workshops for daughters or relatives of female delivery partners, aged 12 to 18, to give them knowledge of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, known as STEM. 

The workshops, attended by participants from the Dominican Republic, Colombia, Mexico and Costa Rica, are led by Data Cívica, a Mexico-based organisation. The sessions held during November were designed to spark an interest in programming and technology-based careers and show how these disciplines can contribute to social development.

The call for participants was made through internal channels of the DiDi Delivery app. This app also offers multiple safety tools, such as ongoing assessment of risk areas so that, if necessary, food orders are not arranged in places where the safety and wellbeing of the delivery partner could be compromised.

Other tools available in both DiDi and DiDi Food include the Emergency Button, which can be activated during a trip, an anonymous phone number, automatic safety communications and response patrols in partnership with Dominican Watchman, among others.

“Technology offers countless possibilities for tackling a social problem such as insecurity and violence against women. Any form of aggression and gender-based violence is behaviour that violates people’s dignity and that we do not tolerate under any circumstances. We will keep developing technology-based safety features, partnerships such as the one with Dominican Watchman, training and protocols aimed at preventing incidents and responding quickly, to help create environments free of gender-based violence,” said Castañeda, Director of Safety Policy and Response for Latin America at DiDi.

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DiDi Global Inc. is the world’s leading mobility technology platform. The company offers a wide range of app-based services across Asia Pacific, Latin America and Africa, including ride hailing, taxi hailing, carpooling and other forms of shared mobility, as well as auto solutions, food delivery, intra-city freight and logistics, and financial services.   

DiDi provides car owners, drivers and delivery partners with flexible work and income opportunities. The company is committed to working with policymakers, the taxi, automobile and restaurant industries and communities to solve the world’s mobility, environmental and economic challenges through technology, with localised smart mobility innovations using AI technology. DiDi strives to create better life experiences and greater social value by building a safe, inclusive and sustainable local services ecosystem for the cities of the future.   

For more information about DiDi, visit: dominicana.didiglobal.com and www.didiglobal.com/news   

Follow us on social media: Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

DiDi Food is the technology app that connects users with restaurants and delivery partners to make ordering and delivering food easier. It is a technology intermediary for registered restaurants that lets them increase their sales by connecting them with delivery partners looking for an opportunity to earn independently, and with users who want an option to order food at any time without having to cook or travel.

Backed by years of global experience in Artificial Intelligence, DiDi Food brings together cutting-edge technology and efficiency with the flavours of thousands of local and international restaurants to give more people a simple, affordable and varied way to order from their favourite restaurants every day and on any occasion. The platform is available in Mexico, Brazil, Costa Rica, Colombia, the Dominican Republic and Chile.

For more information about DiDi, visit: dominicana.didiglobal.com and www.didiglobal.com/news   

Follow us on social media: Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.  

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