Across Africa, women have less access to the internet than men. In Ethiopia, Uganda, Rwanda and Tanzania only 15%-28% of women own smartphones. Tinuade Adekunbi Ojo is a feminist political economist and director of the Centre for the Study of Race, Gender and Class at the University of Johannesburg. She researches gender inequality in digital resources, and sets out what the G20 group of the world’s most powerful nations should do to close the gendered digital divide.
What is the gendered digital divide?
It refers to the systemic inequalities between women and men in accessing, using and benefiting from digital technologies. This includes mobile phones, the internet and artificial intelligence. Women experience structural barriers like education, cultural norms, less ability to pay for digital tools, and limited digital literacy.
