THE latest GSMA Mobile Gender Gap report (using 2023 data) shows some positive global developments with regards to women’s access to mobile phones and internet usage through these phones. According to the survey (conducted annually) 66 per cent of women from low and middle-income countries now use mobile internet compared to 78pc of men. However, it is key to note that mobile internet users do not necessarily own a phone — any person who has used mobile internet (on their own or someone else’s mobile) within the past three months is included. In Pakistan, 86pc of men own a mobile phone compared to 53pc of women, while with regard to mobile internet adoption 53pc of men as compared to 33pc of women have such access. In both cases, the differential between male and female access comes to 38pc (refer to GSMA’s report for details on methodology).
A total of 12 low- and middle-income countries were surveyed for this report — six from Sub-Saharan Africa, four from South Asia and two from Latin America. Pakistan ranks the lowest with regard to the gender divide in mobile phone ownership; 88pc of women own a mobile phone in Nigeria, 75pc in India, and 87pc in Mexico. Ethiopia comes closest to, but still beats Pakistan, with 57pc of women there owning mobiles. Gender gaps in smartphone ownership also vary across survey countries and once again Pakistan’s gender gap is the widest at 49pc. But possibly, the most worrying part of the survey is the response to a question based on perception. Respondents were asked whether mobile internet is more important for men or........