Digital divide has become a major setback to women's empowerment efforts in the Global South, and bridging the gap is crucial for promoting sustainable development.

HARARE, Oct. 14 (Xinhua) -- The ongoing Global Leaders' Meeting on Women in Beijing helps address the modern challenges facing women in the countries of the Global South, a Zimbabwean female entrepreneur has said.

"In the Global South, young women face modern challenges such as digital exclusion, climate shocks," Munashe Shava, chief executive officer of the Zimbabwe Young Farmers Association for Sustainable Development, told Xinhua in the Zimbabwean capital.

To promote women's rights and economic participation, it is essential to focus on empowering young women within the agribusiness sector in particular, she noted, highlighting the "limited access to irrigation and mechanization" for women in the Global South.

Meanwhile, action should be taken to narrow the education and skills gap disadvantaging Global South women, she said.

Moreover, "women farmers are on the frontlines of food insecurity and climate shocks, but are rarely included in climate policy and financing," Shava pointed out, calling for global efforts to heighten women's resilience to climate shocks worldwide, including inclusive trade policies.

Shava also noted that the digital divide has become a major setback to women's empowerment efforts in the Global South, and bridging the gap is crucial for promoting sustainable development.

She expressed confidence that the Global Leaders' Meeting on Women would help improve affordable internet access and digital literacy training for women.

The Global Leaders' Meeting on Women opened Monday in Beijing and will last through Tuesday.