Closing Gender Digital Divide Is The Key To Inclusive Growth

World Telecommunication and Information Society Day (WTISD) marks the founding of the ITU (International Telecommunications Union). On May 17, 2025, ITU will commemorate its 160th anniversary, highlighting its long-standing role in advancing global connectivity and fostering international cooperation in achieving it. The theme for the WTISD 2025 is ‘closing the gender digital divide unlocks opportunity for all.’

Digital technologies have the power to accelerate progress across every sector of society. But this potential remains out of reach for many because of non-accessibility, non-affordability of internet or digital devices and lack of required skill sets to explore these technologies. Of the 260 crores of people still unconnected to digital technologies, the majority are women and girls. Bridging this divide is essential for unlocking new pathways for economic growth, innovation and sustainable development. The WTISD 2025 highlights the need to advance gender equality, so that women and girls everywhere can take advantage of digital technologies.

In spite of progress in digital transformation, gender inequality remains a barrier to digital inclusion. As per facts and figures:

1. 70 per cent of men use the internet globally, compared to 65 per cent of women, a gap of 18.9 crores.

2. While the digital gender gap has narrowed in many developed countries, it has widened in LDCs (Least Developed Countries) where only 21 per cent of women are using the internet compared to 41 per cent of men.

3. Gaps persist in participation in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) and leadership in the technology sector.

These gaps cause not only disadvantage to women and girls but also hinder economic growth and innovation.

When women and girls reap the benefits of the digital revolution, communities are strengthened by increase in innovation and greater social cohesion. According to the IMF, narrowing gender gaps in the labour market could boost GDP by up to 8 per cent in emerging and developing economies.

ITU Secretary General’s message for WTISD 2025 focuses on bridging the digital gender divide. She emphasizes the importance of ensuring that women and girls benefit from and contribute to digital transformation, highlighting that a large portion of the unconnected population is made up of women. The message acknowledges that the digital divide, particularly for women, is a significant barrier for progress. It also underscores ITU’s long standing role in advancing global connectivity. The ITU is working to expand digital opportunities for all, recognising that a significant access gap remains, especially impacting women and girls.

Efforts in India to bridge the digital gender divide

48.5 per cent of women live in rural areas in our country. To achieve gender equality in digital transformation, provision of access to telecom facilities at affordable tariff to these rural women should be addressed.

BSNL's 4G saturation project, which envisages installation of 4G BTSs in rural areas, which are not covered by 4G signal hitherto, provides access to 4G services to rural people. Providing mobile connectivity in uncovered villages will help in effective DBT (Direct Benefit Transfer) through the JAM trinity of Jan Dhan-Aadhaar- Mobile in these villages leading to empowerment of people there, including women. BSNL is specially chosen to implement this project taking into account its track record in providing rural telecom services. This project is funded by Digital Bharat Nidhi (DBN).

Islanders in Andaman & Nicobar islands and Lakshadweep islands have been empowered with high speed internet by BSNL by laying Submarine Optical Fiber cable. 47 per cent and 49 per cent of the population in A&N islands and Lakshadweep islands respectively are women who are empowered with access to broadband due to this initiative of BSNL. Capex and Opex for these projects are met by Digital Bharath Nidhi and Ministry of Home affairs respectively, making the tariff affordable.

To achieve the accessibility/affordability of telecom and internet services in rural, remote, hilly, forest and backward areas, with funding from DBN, 4G cell sites are being installed in the Aspirational Districts, in the North-Eastern region and in LWE (Left Wing Extremism) areas by the Telecom Service Providers (TSPs). DBN gives subsidies for capital expenditure as well as for the maintenance making the tariff affordable. Recently DOT has allowed Inter Operator Roaming in DBN funded cell sites so that customers of other service providers can use DBN funded 4G sites to make/receive calls and access the internet, even if they are not within the range of their own TSP cell sites. DBN is also funding Bharat Net Project (implemented by BSNL) for providing broadband connectivity to Gram Panchayats (GPs).

Satellite based broadband services will be introduced shortly in our country, benefiting people in those areas which could not be connected on fiber or mobile towers.

The above initiatives will increase the accessibility/affordability to digital services to so far unconnected people, majority of whom are women and girls.

Some TSPs are delivering SIMs at door steps after obtaining POA (Proof of Address)/POI (Proof of Identity) documents so that prospective customers need not visit the Customer Service Centres of the TSPs or approach their franchises. This initiative will be very much helpful to women who will not have time to go to TSP/franchise outlets leaving their household chores. Online purchase of recharge coupons is very helpful to women folk. Prepaid to postpaid and vice versa conversions and MNP should also be done at door steps to facilitate women, especially. To ensure the safe travel of women in taxis, many apps are introduced by the taxi aggregators.

Way forward

Bridging the digital divide between men and women, providing access to digital technologies and imparting skills and fostering digital literacy, particularly for women and girls, should draw the attention of the world leaders. TSPs should impart necessary digital skill sets to rural women so that they can fully utilise the telecom/internet facilities. Lessons on digital literacy should be included in Adult Education programmes and banks should conduct courses on this subject, especially in rural areas.

It should also be ensured that gullible women don't become prey to cyber frauds. They should be educated about dos and don'ts while navigating the cyber space. DOT field units can play a key role in this aspect. Voluntary organisations, Customer Advocacy groups, Women welfare departments of state governments etc. can be roped in in this task.

The Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, uses gender-inclusive language, specifically ‘she’ and ‘her,’ to refer to individuals of all genders. This reflects a global trend of feminism influencing legislative initiatives and aligns with feminist movement’s legacy of erasing linguistic gender biases.

TRAI is keen to introduce the CNAP (Calling Name Presentation) regime to empower customers to make informed decisions while receiving an incoming call and to protect them from unwanted calls. This feature will be very much helpful for women who can avoid taking likely obnoxious calls. Hope these initiatives will effectively address the digital gender divide and women and girls will derive full benefits of digital technologies, in near future.

(The author is a former Advisor, Department of Telecommunications (DoT), Government of India)