It’s no secret that women, especially those in developing countries, often have less access to technology than men, but a recent study shows that this disparity extends to the world’s most ubiquitous technology: mobile phones.
Over the past decade, many developing countries have seen mobile phones go from being a luxury reserved for the urban rich to a necessity used by people even in the most remote rural communities. Substantial evidence indicates that mobile phones are associated with economic and social growth. The GSMA Development Fund, the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women and Vital Wave Consulting recently released a global study, entitled Women & Mobile: A Global Opportunity, that identified the social and commercial opportunity represented by closing the gender gap in mobile phone ownership.
The study, which included a survey of over 2,000 women in developing countries as well as interviews with over 40 development experts and mobile industry executives, looked at the barriers to closing the gender gap and analyzed best practices that development organizations and mobile operators could use to raise women’s ownership levels. It also identified key demographic segments, such as homemakers, rural working women and professionals, that are driving women’s usage patterns. Among the report’s findings:
- Women are 21% less likely than men to enjoy the benefits of mobile phone ownership. This figure increases to 23% if she lives in Africa, 24% if she lives in the Middle East and 37% if she lives in South Asia
- There are 300 million fewer female mobile phone subscribers than male subscribers in developing countries
- Nine in ten women report feeling safer because of their mobile phones, while 85% say they feel more independent
- Eliminating the gender gap represents a $13 billion annual revenue opportunity for mobile network operators
The report also contains case studies, featuring organizations and mobile operators that have demonstrated how empowering women with mobile phones in a culturally-sensitive manner can improve their standard of living. One such case study is a project called Jokko in Senegal, undertaken by the NGO Tostan and UNICEF, which seeks to improve women’s literacy and their capacity as social change agents by creating SMS-enabled community forums, where they can discuss happenings in the community and even post poems and letters. The project is using innovative techniques such as explaining the concept of phone menus with visual aids that compare them to the branches of a mango tree (see picture).
The report concludes with recommendations and steps that actors in the public, private and non-profit sectors can take to move more women into mobile phone ownership. On March 25, Vital Wave Consulting will present the key findings of the report in a special edition of its Speaker Series. For more information about this session, visit www.vitalwaveconsulting.com.
Vital Wave Consulting provides strategy consulting to accelerate sustainable growth in emerging markets. Through highly specialized consultants and field teams around the developing world, the company provides strategy consulting and market intelligence to Fortune 500 firms and global foundations. Vital Wave Consulting’s work is focused specifically on the intersection of technology and emerging markets. The firm engages with clients in topic areas such as mServices, eHealth, micro-finance, remittances, low- cost devices, and alternative business models.