More About This Project

The Internet and ICTs are powerful tools to fight gender inequality and empower women around the world to claim their rights. Yet, despite recent progress, there is a persistent, pernicious gender gap online. So, we're combining research, policy and advocacy to tackle this challenge. We surveyed 10,000 poor urban men and women in 10 countries across Africa, Asia and Latin America to find out more about the digital gender gap. We found that women in these communities are nearly 50% less likely to use the Web than their male counterparts. Once online, women are 30-50% less likely than men to use the Internet to increase their income or participate in public life. To change this, we want to see evidence-based national ICT and gender plans established in at least seven new countries within five years.

If gender issues are not articulated in ICT policy, it is unlikely that girls and women will reap the benefits of the information age.Nancy Hafkin