Gender gap in mobile internet use is shrinking, but still a long way to go: GSMA report

A record number of women in South Asia are now using mobile internet services, according to the fourth annual GSMA Mobile Gender Gap Report, which shows a shrink in the gender gap to 15% from 19% last year in low-and middle-income countries.

The report estimates that in low and middle-income countries, around 112 million more women started using mobile internet in 2020. The study finds that despite the bridge in gap, still 234 million fewer women than men access mobile internet.

Some of the possible reasons for the same is said to attributed to factors including affordability, lack of literacy, digital skills, lack of awareness, structural inequalities in society and discriminative social norms.