Women's digital inclusion

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In an age of unprecedented technological advancement and digital interconnectedness, the stark disparity in women's participation in tech and digital spaces in Pakistan should be a grave concern. A recent report by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) describes women's engagement in the digital economy as "alarmingly low", which is unacceptable for a country that needs to make quick progress to grow its economy. The digital economy will be one of the primary drivers of future growth, and exclusion of half the population, whether willful or inadvertent, will have disastrous consequences. Limited participation of women in digital spaces also limits progress, innovation and the potential for balanced growth within our communities.

While global participation of women in digital spaces is generally lower than men, it is much more pronounced in Pakistan, where less than 40% of women have any form of internet access. On a related note, about 25% of women lack any national identity documents, which are not only necessary to get cellphone and internet connections, but are also critical to several other forms of economic participation. This also illustrates a major hurdle that has nothing to do with technology itself - the patriarchy. Many women's fathers and brothers actively deny them equal access to the world, or even any semblance of autonomy. Grown women, some of them highly educated, are not allowed to make many kinds of decisions and must defer to male relatives, who may not even be equally educated or familiar with the issue at hand.

In such a situation, it is unsurprising that women only represent between 22% and 36% of Pakistani users of the major social media platforms and are much more likely to depend on cash rather than digital payment systems. While the government's measures to improve women's participation are welcome, the most important solutions will be the ones that change societal attitudes. By acknowledging the digital gender divide and taking active steps to bridge it, we not only uplift women but also pave the way for a more inclusive, diverse and innovative future.