In the age of the 'global village' where netizens from all around the world have formed their personal identities and established their global voices online, a prominent gender gap afflicts even the intangible world. According to a 2023 report by World Bank, women from low- and middle-income countries are 19% less likely to use mobile internet as compared to men, which translates to about 310 million women.
Nevertheless, this digital gender divide is slowly but successfully narrowing, especially in Pakistan, as rural access to mobile phones increases. The country has recently recorded a significant rise in women's mobile internet adoption, with 8 million women coming 'online' in 2024. This remarkable announcement comes in light of Pakistan outperforming its neighbours in women's mobile internet usage, with a 45% online presence compared to 26% in Bangladesh and 39% in India.
Narrowing the gender divide online is not merely a symbolic show of demonstrating women's access to technology, but rather an essential pursuit with real-world consequences. When much of the world's news travels through posts on X and TikTok trends that combine both entertainment and information, anyone who stands outside of this sphere risks being alienated from the world.
A digital gender gap threatens to exacerbate already existing inequalities between men's and women's access to information, which is a direct result of women's limited mobility.
Moreover, access to mobile internet encourages digital literacy among women which is a crucial skill to have in this developing world. Eight million more women now also have access to numerous learning and earning opportunities, as well as platforms for socialising and magnifying their own voices.
This achievement is the result of targeted outreach programmes, digital inclusion initiatives and government-backed empowerment schemes. The influx online, particularly of rural women, stands to hopefully pave the way for a narrowing gap in real-world inequalities as well.
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