PR96515

LONDON, June 15, 2022 /PRNewswire=KYODO JBN/ --

-- New Report Shows Worrying Slow-down in Digital Inclusion for Women in Low-

and Middle-Income Countries.

The expansion of mobile internet access in low- and middle-income countries

(LMICs) is continuing at pace, but risks leaving women further behind,

according to new analysis published today by the GSMA.

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The GSMA Mobile Gender Gap Report 2022 (https://www.gsma.com/r/gender-gap/?utm_source=gsma&utm_medium=press-release&utm_campaign=gender-gap-2022)

shows that after years of progress towards women's equal digital inclusion

across LMICs, only 59 million additional women in LMICs started using mobile

internet in 2021 compared to 110 million in 2020.

This recent slowdown in the growth rate at which women are adopting the mobile

internet across LMICs is in contrast with continued high growth rates for men.

It represents the first time GSMA data has recorded such a negative trend.

Across LMICs, the report shows that the mobile internet gender gap has narrowed

every year from 2017 to 2020, from 25 per cent to 15 per cent. However, GSMA

data from 2021 suggests that this momentum has been lost. Women are now 16 per

cent less likely than men to use the mobile internet, which equates to 264

million fewer women than men using mobile internet.

In South Asia, traditionally the region with the widest mobile gender gap, this

rebound has been even more stark. The mobile internet gender gap had narrowed

significantly, from 67 per cent in 2017 to 36 per cent in 2020, but has now

widened to 41 per cent.

GSMA Director General Mats Granryd said: "For decades, mobile internet has been

transforming the lives of women across the globe, especially in low- and

middle-income countries. But the worrying statistics in our Mobile Gender Gap

Report 2022 show that far more needs to be done to prevent women being left

behind in the digital economy. Institutions, corporations and governments

around the world need to focus on the importance of inclusion, and actively

seek to combat such inequalities. The GSMA is committed to working with mobile

operators and governmental stakeholders to address this negative trend and

ensure that women do not miss out on the transformative power of mobile

technology, wherever they live in the world."

These findings are particularly significant, since mobile remains the primary

way women access the internet across LMICs, and the benefits of internet

connectivity can be life-changing. In particular, the COVID-19 pandemic has

demonstrated the importance of mobiles as a valuable tool for helping women

access health information, stay connected to their families during lockdowns,

continue income-generating opportunities and access government support.

Industry action

The GSMA introduced the Connected Women Commitment Initiative in 2016 to

catalyse action to close the mobile gender gap. Over this time, over 40 mobile

operators across Africa, Asia and Latin America have made formal commitments to

accelerate digital and financial inclusion for women. These operators have

already reached more than 55 million additional women with mobile internet or

mobile money services.

However, mobile operators cannot work in isolation. The mobile gender gap is a

significant global issue, requiring attention from all stakeholders to ensure

women and their families can reap the full benefits of connectivity. In total,

only 60% of women in LMICs now use the mobile internet, compared to 71% of men.

The annual GSMA Mobile Gender Gap report is funded by the UK Foreign,

Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and the Swedish International

Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) via the GSMA Mobile for Development

Foundation. It plays an important role in sizing the mobile gender gap and

generating regional and country-level data to draw attention to this issue, as

well as providing key evidence to inform action from stakeholders.

This year's findings demonstrate the importance of continuing to collect data

to understand the issue and address the key barriers preventing women from

accessing and benefiting from mobile internet, including affordability, digital

skills, and social norms that inhibit women's access and use of mobile

technology.

It is only with the concerted action and collaboration of different

stakeholders that we can truly accelerate progress on this issue, and ensure

that gender inequalities are not further entrenched.

The GSMA's Mobile Gender Gap Report 2022 is available at:

https://www.gsma.com/r/gender-gap/

Further information on the Connected Women Commitment Initiative can be found

at: https://www.gsma.com/mobilefordevelopment/connected-women/the-commitment/

About GSMA

The GSMA is a global organisation unifying the mobile ecosystem to discover,

develop and deliver innovation foundational to positive business environments

and societal change. Our vision is to unlock the full power of connectivity so

that people, industry, and society thrive. Representing mobile operators and

organisations across the mobile ecosystem and adjacent industries, the GSMA

delivers for its members across three broad pillars: Connectivity for Good,

Industry Services and Solutions, and Outreach. This activity includes advancing

policy, tackling today's biggest societal challenges, underpinning the

technology and interoperability that make mobile work, and providing the

world's largest platform to convene the mobile ecosystem at the MWC and M360

series of events.

We invite you to find out more at gsma.com ( https://www.gsma.com/ )

About GSMA Connected Women

The GSMA's Connected Women programme works with mobile operators and their

partners to address the barriers to women accessing and using mobile internet

and mobile money services. Connected Women aims to reduce the gender gap in

mobile internet and mobile money services and unlock significant commercial

opportunities for the mobile industry and socio-economic benefits for women.

This report is the output of a GSMA Mobile for Development Foundation project

funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and the

Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida). The views

expressed are not necessarily those of either organisation.

For more information, please visit www.gsma.com/connectedwomen

SOURCE GSMA