Women are now 14 per cent less likely to use mobile Internet in low—and middle-income countries (LMICs) than men, a gap fuelled by social, economic, and cultural factors.
  
The GSMA admitted that progress in closing the gender gap in mobile internet adoption across low and medium-income countries (LMICs) has stalled. It also stressed that the underlying rate of women’s mobile Internet adoption has slowed. It noted that this is worrisome and highlighted the need to “Accelerate Action”.
  
GSMA, which advocates for the industry’s interests globally, said mobile is the primary way that most people, particularly women, access the Internet in LMICs. Research has shown that when women use mobile Internet, most report that it has had a positive impact on their lives and that they use it every day.
  
The body said mobile phones and mobile Internet help women feel more connected, support livelihoods, and provide access to critical information and services such as healthcare, education and financial services. This includes access to important information that helps them in their daily lives and that they would not have received otherwise.
  
According to it, addressing the mobile gender gap is a significant social, commercial and economic opportunity. GSMA analysis has estimated that over the period 2023 to 2030, closing the gender gap in mobile internet adoption in LMICs would add $1.3 trillion in additional gross domestic product (GDP), and closing the gender gap in mobile ownership and use in LMICs could deliver $230 billion in additional revenue to the mobile industry. Connectivity is also vital to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).  
  
Closing the gender gap, GSMA said increased focus, investment and collaboration are required from all stakeholders “if we are going to address this significant and stubborn digital gender divide. Targeted efforts are needed from stakeholders – policymakers, mobile operators, the development community and others – working together to address the barriers women face.”
  
The mobile gender gap is not going to close on its own, the telecoms body, adding that this challenge is driven by social, economic and cultural factors, which result in women experiencing barriers to mobile phone ownership and use, including affordability, knowledge and skills, safety and security concerns, relevance and access.
  
According to it, with millions more women offline than men, they are disproportionately affected by these barriers. It stressed that women also tend to experience these barriers more acutely due to social norms and structural inequalities, such as lower education and income.
  
Through the GSMA Connected Women Commitment Initiative, mobile operators are demonstrating that by taking concrete actions to address women’s needs and the barriers they face, it is possible to narrow the mobile gender gap. GSMA revealed that since this initiative was launched in 2016, more than 50 mobile operators have made formal commitments with targets to reduce the gender gap in the customer base for their mobile Internet and/or mobile money services.
 
“So far, they have collectively reached more than 80 million additional women with these services, accelerating digital and financial inclusion for women across Africa, Asia and Latin America. 
  
“But these gender gaps can’t be addressed by one organisation alone, and much more is needed to close the digital gender divide. Let’s all work together to #AccelerateAction to close the digital gender divide. When women thrive, society, businesses and economies thrive,” GSMA noted.