The Gender Technology Gap Has To End

Efforts by UN Women to empower women in technology

• As part of Generation Equality Forum, goal is to double the number of women and girls working in technology and innovation.
• By 2026, aim is to reduce gender digital divide and ensure universal digital literacy, while investing in feminist technology and innovation to support women’s leadership as innovators.
• Digital empowerment programmes such as EQUALS and International Girls in ICT Day celebration across the region led by UN Women and International Telecommunication Union, to encourage more girls to choose STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) as their academic focus, enter digital technology careers, and aspire to be next leaders in digital technology.

Factors preventing women from accessing critical services

• Limited or no access: According to Global System for Mobile Communications (GSMA) estimates, over 390 million women in low- and middle-income countries do not have Internet access.
  • South Asia has more than half of these women, with only 65% owning a mobile phone.
  • In India, only 14.9% of women were reported to be using the Internet.
• Digital imprint on pandemic management policies furthering gender divide: Recent data revealed that nearly 17% more men than women had been vaccinated in India.
• Regressive social and cultural beliefs: When families share a digital device, more likely that father or sons will be allowed to use it exclusively.
  • Often believed that women’s access to technology would motivate them to challenge patriarchal societies.
  • Belief that women need to be protected, and online content can be dangerous for women/expose them to risks.
• Information divide: In India, Bangladesh and Pakistan, fewer women than men received the necessary information to survive COVID-19.

Way forward

• Encourage feminism as a way of life: Means equality through innovation, being inclusive, democratic, transparent, egalitarian, and offering opportunities for all.
  • Femtech – Feminist technology: An approach to technology and innovation that is inclusive, informed and responsive to the entire community with all its diversity.
• Role of the private sector: Companies should not look at gender-equal technology solely from an altruistic perspective but from a pragmatic one.
  • According to GSMA, the closing gender gap in mobile Internet usage in low-and middle-income countries would increase GDP by U.S.$700 billion in the next five years.
  • Women and girls are the largest consumer groups left out of technology and could be major profit drivers.
• Leverage apps to address women issues:g. Apps for mothers, apps for women to access telemedicine consultation, apps to connect women to informal job opportunities, apps with emergency button connecting women to law enforcement etc.