“Mobile internet gender gap has narrowed, but there is still much work to be done” – Claire Sibthorpe, Head of Connected Society & Connected Women at GSMA.
KaiOS is committed to supporting women’s empowerment and is actively engaged in reducing the persistent digital gender gap highlighted in the GSMA study. We are pleased to see progress being made, although there is more work to be done.
The latest data and commitments from GSMA underscore the critical need to bridge the mobile internet gender gap, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) where mobile connectivity, particularly for women, is often the primary pathway to the internet. These insights emphasize the importance of inspiring inclusion through initiatives like the Connected Women Commitment.
The reduction of the mobile internet gender gap from 19% in 2022 to 15% in 2023 is encouraging, driven by increased adoption rates among women in regions like South Asia. However, significant gaps persist, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa, and sustaining progress requires continued concerted efforts.
To address these challenges, KaiOS supports the Connected Women Commitment Initiative, which aims to increase awareness, improve the affordability of internet-enabled devices, enhance digital skills, ensure safety and security, and adapt services to better meet women’s needs in the most effective way possible.
We believe that when women thrive in the digital ecosystem, societies, businesses, and economies also thrive. Together, we can accelerate progress towards digital and financial inclusion, ensuring that women are not left behind in the mobile internet revolution.
Stay tuned for further insights from KaiOS on how we address GSMA’s highlighted challenges with our affordable smart feature phones, based on the forthcoming GSMA Mobile Gender Gap Report 2024 in May!
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