Background

According to the American Library Association, digital literacy is “the ability to use information and communication technologies to find, evaluate, create and communicate information, requiring both cognitive and technical skills”. In an age where access to information is mediated through the Internet and online resources, and collaboration requires the use of technology, a want of digital literacy can be crippling and extremely disadvantageous to the progress of individuals and societies.

In India, only 29% of internet users are women. Not only does this point to a large digital gap between men and women in India, but also to the opportunities that are available to women and men, who may even have the same level of educational qualification and experience. The gendered digital divide is even more disadvantageous for women in rural spaces, women in rural India are less likely to own mobile phones, or have access to technology. Furthermore, even within households, discrimination prevents from from equitably accessing digital techonology within the domestic sphere, where women’s activities are governed by male relatives.

As we move towards building societies that offer equal access to resources and opportunities to women, bridging the digital gender gap becomes a crucial deterrent that must be overcome.