Empower women to participate equally in Digital India's success

We must go beyond bridging gaps in internet access and maximize women's agency in using devices

- HIMANI CHOUHAN & ISHITA BAGCHI

In today's digital landscape, improving women's internet access does more than increase connectivity. It is a catalyst for women-led development, a gateway for gender equity, and a key to transform their lives. According to a 2022 report by the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI), increasing digital literacy and connectivity could potentially add $100 billion to India's gross domestic product (GDP) by 2025, with women benefiting disproportionately more. Digital platforms and electronic payments offer leapfrogging opportunities in the form of skill training, access to employment and added income, thereby improving women's standard of living. However, only a third of Indian women (33%) have ever used the internet, compared to more than half (57%) of men. The 78th round of the National Sample Survey (NSS), for 2020-21, also highlighted the stark difference between men's and women's access to smartphones: 49% of adult men in rural India had smartphones compared to only 26% of adult women. A study by the Internet Society Foundation in 32 countries including India estimated that women's exclusion from the digital world has led these countries to miss out on $1 trillion in GDP. The digital gender gap not only directly contributes to lost economic potential, but also acts as a roadblock in the delivery of interventions such as social security benefits intended to empower women. However, to bridge this gap, we must look beyond device ownership as a singular matrix and understand the complexities of women's relationship with technology in rapidl