GSMA: 2020 Mobile Gender Divide Report

The GSMA has released the 2020 Mobile Gender Divide Report. Despite some progress, the gender gap in mobile internet use remains large. In low- and middle-income countries, there are more than 300 million fewer women than men accessing the internet via mobile devices. Affordability remains a key barrier to owning a mobile device, while low awareness, and lack of literacy and digital skills are also key factors preventing women from using mobile internet. The report aims to reaffirm the mobile industry's commitment to providing digital and financial services to women to address the long-standing gender gap.

The study found that the mobile internet gender gap has narrowed. 54% of women in low- and middle-income countries now use mobile internet, up from 44% in 2017. However, the underlying gender gap in mobile phone ownership has remained largely unchanged, with 165 million fewer women than men owning a mobile phone. Mobile phones offer essential benefits to users. The majority of male and female mobile users report that owning a mobile device makes them feel safer, more informed, and supports their daily lives.

This year marks two significant anniversaries. 25 years since the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, and 10 years since the launch of the GSMA Women’s Connect initiative. The GSMA announced the first operators to make or extend their Women in Mind commitments until 2023.

The GSMA launched the Women's Commitment initiative in 2016 to help close the gender gap. During this period, 39 mobile operators in Africa, Asia and Latin America have made formal commitments to close the gender gap in their mobile or mobile internet population by 2020. These operators have already helped 35 million women gain access to mobile services, either through mobile internet or mobile money services, and are driving increased digital and financial inclusion for women.

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