Over half of women in low and middle income countries now access mobile Internet.

KARACHI -- A new GSMA study launched today shows that despite progress, the gender gap in mobile internet usage remains substantial, with over 300 million fewer women than men accessing the internet from a mobile device in low- and middle-income countries. Affordability remains the critical barrier to mobile ownership, while lower awareness, as well as a lack of literacy and digital skills, are vital factors preventing women's mobile internet use. The industry is renewing its commitment to reaching women with digital and financial services to address the persistent mobile gender gap. The study finds that the mobile internet gender gap has narrowed and 54% of women in low- and middle-income countries now use mobile internet, up from 44% in 2017.

However, the underlying gender gap in mobile ownership remains largely unchanged and 165 million fewer women than men own a...