There are significant variations between countries in men’s and women’s mobile ownership and mobile internet use, and the resulting gender gap. Nations with the lowest levels of mobile ownership tend to have the widest gender gaps in ownership and mobile internet use. In all countries surveyed, the gender gap in mobile ownership is COUNTRY-LEVEL GENDER GAPS
In Algeria, 36% of female mobile users and 20% of male users who are aware of mobile internet, but do not use it, cite difficulties with reading and writing as an important barrier.
smaller than the gap in mobile internet use. Where the gender gap in ownership is small, there can be a substantial gender gap in mobile internet use. For example, Kenya and Nigeria have gender gaps in mobile ownership of 7% and 4%, respectively, and gender gaps in mobile internet use of 42% and 29%.
GENDER GAP
GENDER GAP
5%
8%
Algeria
7%
42%
Kenya
27%
36%
Mozambique
4%
29%
Nigeria
41%
24%
Bangladesh
33%
15%
India
43%
34%
Pakistan
8%
11%
Guatemala
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Mobile Users (%)
Mobile Internet Users (%)
MOBILE INTERNET
A high proportion of respondents to the GSMA report were found to access the internet exclusively from a mobile. In seven of the eight countries surveyed, female internet users were more likely than male counterparts to access it exclusively via mobile. For example, in
Kenya, 63% of male internet users used the internet only via mobile, compared to 79% of female internet users. Women’s reliance on mobile to access the internet demonstrates the disproportionate benefit that increasing mobile internet access in LMICs would have for women.
Typically, the gender gap widens along each stage of the user journey, from mobile ownership to awareness of mobile internet, mobile internet adoption and regular use. The gap is smallest for mobile ownership, and increases for mobile internet adoption and regular use.
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MOBILE OWNERSHIP
AWARENESS OF MOBILE INTERNET
MOBILE INTERNET ADOPTION
REGULAR MOBILE INTERNET USE
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