WOMEN’S RIGHTS ONLINEREPORTCARDS
Information and communications technologies (ICTs) are
powerful tools for achieving everything from enhanced
incomes and wider access to credit, to quality educationand healthcare for all and more accountable government.
Recognising this, the United Nations has put ICTs at thecentre of its new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),
with countries pledging to achieve universal and genderequitable Internet access, and to enhance the use of ICTs
to empower women.
Yet a formidable gender gap in Internet access, digital skills, and online rights
remains to be closed. Last year, survey research carried out by our Women’s
Rights Online network revealed extreme gender and poverty inequalities in digitalempowerment across urban poor areas in 10 cities. Women were 50% less likely
than men to be online, and 30-50% less likely to use the Internet for economic
and political empowerment.
The research also shed light on the root causes of this digital gender divide: highcosts, lack of know-how, scarcity of content that is relevant and empowering for
women, and barriers to women speaking freely and privately online.1
Our inaugural Digital Gender Gap Audit follows up on the survey results byassessing the policy efforts and progress made in 10 countries around the main
challenges identified through our research. We based our scores on 14 simple
indicators (described below) for which reliable empirical evidence exists, andgrading was done in the second quarter of 2016. 2

THE BADBAD NEWS:
NEWS:
THE

None ofNone
of thethe 1010 countries
countries covered
covered is
is doing
doing nearly
nearlyenough toachieve theenoughto achieve
the SDG
SDG targets
targets byby 2030.
2030.
Only oneOnly
one country
country (Colombia)(Colombia) scraped
scraped aa passing
passing
grade, withgrade,
with anan overall
overall mark
mark ofof 60%.
60%. Without
Without aa
major escalation
major
escalation ofof policy
policy effort
effort andand investment,
investment,
most ofofthe
thebenefits
benefitsof technologicalchangemostof technologicalchangein allin all10 countries
be captured—
10
countries
will bewill
capturedby menby— menmakingmaking inequality
gender inequality
worse,
not better.
genderworse, notbetter.
THE GOOD NEWS:THE GOOD NEWS:
Women’s exclusion from the digital revolution is
Women’s
exclusionfrom
the digital
revolutionisprimarily due
to policy
failure,and policy
failureprimarilyduetopolicyfailure,andpolicyfailurecan be reversed. Rapid progress is possible incanbe reversed.
Rapid
progresspossibleinall countries
through
simplesteps islike
reducingallthrough introducing
simple stepsdigital
like reducing
thecountries
cost to connect,literacytheto connect,
introducing digitalinin costschools,
and expanding
publicliteracy
accessschools,
expandingpubliccard
accessfacilities. andEverynational reportsetsfacilities.
out fiveEverynational report
card
sets
out country
five contextcontext-specific
steps
that
each
can
specific
steps
thatyear
eachtocountry
can takein the next
take in thenextwork towardclosing
theyear
to gender
work toward
digitalgap. closing the digital gender gap.
1

Our findings are affirmed by several other studies includingIntel (2013), GSMA Connected Women (2015), UN Broadband
Commission Working Group on Gender (2013).

2

A full methodology is available on the World Wide Web
Foundation website.

Measuring Progress, Driving Action

COUNTRIES WE ASSESSED
Kenya

Mozambique

Ghana

Colombia

Indonesia

UgandaNigeria

Egypt

India

Philippines

INTERNET ACCESS AND WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENTAVERAGE SCORE:

3/10
3/10
3/10

AVERAGE SCORE:
AVERAGE SCORE:
INDICATORS:• Existence in national ICT strategies or broadband
INDICATORS:
plans of clear, time-bound gender equity targets,
INDICATORS:
budgetfor implementationWeb• withExistencein national
ICT strategies(Source:or broadband
Index
with
recentreview)• Existenceplans of clear,in national
time-bound
ICT strategies
gender equity
or broadband
targets,withbudgetof clear,fortime-bound
implementation
genderequity(Source:targets,Web• plans
Percentage
of
women
with
Internet
accesswithIndexbudgetwithrecentfor
implementation
review)(Source:
Web(Source: Women’s Rights Online)
Index with recent review)•• Percentage
women
with(Source:InternetWomen’s
accessGender gap inofInternet
access• Percentage(Source:
Women’sof
women
Rightswith
Online)Internet
accessRights Online and Pew Global Attitudes Survey)(Source: Women’s Rights Online)•• Gender
gapempowerment
in Internet accessthrough(Source:the
Women’s
Women’sWeb
3• GenderRightsOnlinegap
inandInternet
Pew
accessGlobal(Source:
Attitudes
Women’s
Survey)(Source: Women’s Rights Online)
Rights Online and Pew Global Attitudes Survey)•• Women’s
through the Web
Collection empowermentof national sex-disaggregated
ICT
3• Women’s(Source:
Women’s
empowerment
RightsOnline)through
the Webdata (Source: ITU)
(Source: Women’s Rights Online) 3• Collection of national sex-disaggregated ICT• Collection
data (Source:of national
ITU)
sex-disaggregated ICT
data (Source: ITU)

Governments
a long roadAND
ahead WOMEN’S
to achieve SDG commitments
on ensuring
INTERNEThave
ACCESSEMPOWERMENT
equal access to newtechnology
for allWOMEN’S
women and men
by 2030, and leveraging
INTERNETACCESSANDEMPOWERMENT

ICTs
to empower
Althoughnearlyevery
woman
we surveyed
in ourGovernments
havewomen.
a long roadahead toachieve
SDG
commitments
on ensuring
Women’s
RightsOnlineresearch
owned
or
had
accesstoaphone,the
ICT
Governments
equal access tohavenewa technology
long road ahead
for allto
womenachieveandSDG
mencommitments
by 2030, andonleveraging
ensuring
revolution
is
not
yet
transforming
theirlives.
Of
thecountries
reviewed,
only
equal
ICTs toaccessempowerto new
women.
technology
Althoughfor all nearly
womenevery
and menwoman
by 2030,
we surveyed
and leveraging
in ourColombia,
Nigeria,Online
India,research
and
Ghana
haveornationalor sub-national
policies
to
ICTs
Women’s
to empower
Rightswomen.
Althoughowned
nearlyevery
had accesswoman
towea surveyed
phone,
thein ICT
our
encourage
access,training,
anduseof theWebbyawomen
and
Women’s
revolution Rights
isincreased
not yetOnlinetransforming
research
owned
their
lives.
or
had
Of
the
accesscountries
tophone,
reviewed,
thegirls.
only
ICT
But
in many
ofnot
these
cases
(as Ghanain othercountries
no official,concreterevolution
Colombia,isNigeria,yetIndia,transforming
and
their
have
lives.
national
Ofreviewed),
theorcountries
sub-national
reviewed,
policies
onlytotargets
exist.
A
reportby
the
Broadband
Commission’s
WorkingGroup
on
Colombia,
encourage Nigeria,
increased
India,
access,and training,
Ghana haveand usenationalof theorWeb
sub-national
by womenpolicies
and girls.
toGenderfoundthat acases
vast majorityof NationalPlans
fail toand
includeBut
in manyof these(astraining,in othercountries
nowomenofficial,
concreteencourage
increased
access,anduse Broadband
ofreviewed),
the Web bygirls.
gendertargets(2013).
But
in many
cases(as Broadband
in other countries
reviewed), Working
no official,Group
concretetargets
exist.ofAthesereportby theCommission’sontargets
Genderexist.
founditAis
that
reporta vastbythemajority
Broadband
National
Commission’s
Broadband
Plans
Working
tocountries
includeon
Furthermore,nearlyimpossible
tooftrack
progress.
Currently,
onlyfail
64Groupgender targets(2013).
Genderfound
a vast majority of National
Plans
failUNto agency
includecurrently
submitthat
gender-disaggregateddata onBroadband
Internet use
to thegendertargets (2013). this indicator (the International Telecommunications Union
responsible
Furthermore,forit tracking
is nearly impossible to track progress. Currently, only 64 countries(ITU).
Colombia,
Indonesia
theonlyin oursampletoagency
do so.
Furthermore,currently
submitit isEgypt
gender-disaggregatednearlyandimpossible
toare
track
data
progress.
oncountries
InternetCurrently,
use
toonlythe64
UNcountries
The
ITU hasno tracking
gender-disaggregateddata
at allononInternet
otherimportant
ICTUN
indicators.
currently
responsible
submitforgender-disaggregatedthis indicator (thedataInternational
Telecommunications
use to theagencyUnion
This
to change.
SDG
commitstoincreasesignificantly
theresponsible(ITU).has
Colombia,
for tracking
Egypt
and
this17
Indonesia
indicator(thearegovernments
theInternational
only countries
Telecommunications
in our sample
to do
Union
so.
availabilityofhigh-quality,
timely,andreliablegender-disaggregated
data.
The ITU
has no gender-disaggregateddata
all onother important
ICT indicators.
(ITU).
Colombia,
Egypt and Indonesia aretheatonly
countries
in our sample
to do so.
The
ThisITU
hashasto change.
no gender-disaggregated
SDG 17 commitsdata
governments
at all on otherto increaseimportantsignificantly
ICT indicators.
theavailability
high-quality,
timely,and reliable
gender-disaggregateddata. theThis
has toofchange.
SDG 17
commits
governments
to increase significantly
availability of high-quality, timely, and reliable gender-disaggregated data.

AFFORDABILITYAVERAGE SCORE:

5/10
5/10
5/10

AVERAGE SCORE:
AVERAGE SCORE:
INDICATORS:• Internet affordability (price of 1GB of mobile
INDICATORS:
data as a proportion of average monthly income)
INDICATORS:ITU 4 and WorldBank)• (Source:Internet affordability(priceof 1GB of mobile•• Internet
data
as aaffordability
proportionof(price
averageofmonthly
1GBof income)mobileExistenceof specificpoliciestopromotefree4
data(Source:
as a ITU
proportion
andInternetWorldof averageBank)monthly
or low-cost
publicaccess(e.g.,income)budget4(Source: ITU
and WorldBank)forspecificInternet
accessintopublic
libraries,• allocations
Existence ofpolicies
promotefreeschools,andcommunity
centres;
provisionsof• Existence
ofpublic
specific
policiesto promotefreeor
low-cost
Internet
access(e.g., budget
free
spectrumfor Internet
communityorallocations
low-costforpublicInternet
accessaccessinWi-Fi)
public(e.g.,(Source:
libraries,
budgetAlliance
Affordable
Internet)
allocations
schools, forandforcommunity
Internet accesscentres;in public
provisions
libraries,ofschools,
free spectrum
and community
for community
centres;
Wi-Fi)
provisions(Source:offreeAlliance
spectrumfor Affordable
for community
Internet)Wi-Fi) (Source:
Alliance for Affordable Internet)

The
SDGs commit governments to strive to achieve universal, affordable Internet
AFFORDABILITY
access by 2020. But high costs are keeping billions offline. Women — who earn
AFFORDABILITY
almost25%
less thanmen globally— aretoparticularly
impactedby this highcost
The SDGs
commitgovernments
to strive
achieve universal,
affordable
Internettoconnectand,asaresult,face
limiteddigitalopportunities.
Countries
such
The
accessSDGs
by 2020.
commitBut
governments
high costs are
to strive
keepingto achieve
billions universal,
offline. Women
affordable— whoInternetearn
asUgandaandwithhighestInternet
costs
(asby
a thisproportionofaccessalmost25%
by 2020.
lessMozambique
Butthanhigh
mencosts
globally
arethe—keepingareparticularly
billions
offline.
impacted
Women
— who
high earn
cost
averageperand,capitaincome)have
numbers
of womenby
onlineandsuchthealmosttoconnect
25%
less asthan
a result,
men globally
facethelimited—lowestare particularly
digitalopportunities.
impacted
Countries
this highcostlargestInternet
gaps. faceIn
Uganda,1GBof opportunities.
mobilecosts
broadbandcosts moretoas connect
Ugandaand
and,gender
Mozambique
as a result,
withlimitedthe highest
digitalInternet(asCountries
a proportion
such
of
than
22%
of
averagemonthly
income.
In
Mozambique,
1GB
costs
aroundaverageperandcapitaincome) have
women
and10%
theas
UgandaMozambiquewiththethelowest
highestnumbers
Internet ofcosts(as aonline
proportionofof
averagelargestInternet
gendergaps.have
In Uganda,
1GBof mobile
costs
more
averageperincome.
capitaincome)the lowest
numbers
ofbroadband
women online
and
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than
of averagemonthly
income.
In Mozambique,costsforaround10%
largestInternet
gendergaps.
In
Uganda,1GB ofmeet
mobilebroadband
costs
more
Only 22%
Colombia,
Indonesia,
andthe Philippines
the1GB
Alliance
Affordableofaverageincome.
than
22%of
averagemonthly
income.
In
Mozambique,
1GB
costs
around10%Internet’s new proposed affordability target of 1GB data priced at 2% or lessofincome.
of average
averagemonthly
income.andEgyptclosemeetat 2.15%,
but hasgroundOnly
Colombia,
Indonesia,
the comes
Philippines
the AllianceforlostAffordable
since
2014,
when
it was actually
under
the 2%
target.
Internet’s
newproposedaffordability
targetofmeet
1GB thedataAlliancepriced forat 2%
or less
Only
Colombia,
Indonesia,
and thePhilippines
Affordableofaveragenew
income.
Egypt
comes
close
atto2.15%,
butfreehas
lostgroundInternet’s
proposedtargetof 1GBdata pricedator
2%
or less
Colombia
ismonthly
makingthe affordability
mostextensive
efforts
promotelow-cost
since
2014,
when
it income.
wasactually
the
2% target.
ofaveragemonthly
Egypt
comes
close
at 2.15%,
has lost groundpublicInternet
access,followed
byunder
Egypt,
Indonesia,
and thebut
Philippines.
Recentsince
2014, when
it wastoactually
under
the 2%
target.
commitments
in
Kenya
roll
out
free
Wi-Fi
in
libraries
andtowns
nationwide
Colombia is making the most extensive efforts to promote free or low-costarea signofColombia
publicInternetis progress.
makingaccess,thefollowedmost byextensive
Egypt, Indonesia,
efforts to andpromotethe Philippines.
free or low-cost
Recentpubliccommitments
Internet access,in Kenyafollowed
to roll out
by Egypt,
free Wi-Fi
Indonesia,
in libraries
and theandPhilippines.
towns nationwide
Recentcommitments
are a sign of progress.
in Kenya to roll out free Wi-Fi in libraries and towns nationwide
are a sign of progress.

3This is a composite indicator including data on the percentage of women who have used the Internet to: a) look for work, b) seek information, c) voice opinion online.

4
3

We used 2015 price basket estimates released by ITU in July 2016. The final version of this data will only be available in November 2016, and there may be some revisions.
Nevertheless,we feltindicator
it was preferable
useon
thethemost
recent available
comparable
prices.
Evenreadersshouldb)beaware
that prices
someof theonline.
countries
This is a composite
including todata
percentageof women
who havedata
usedonthe
Internet
to:so,
a) look
for work,
seek
information,
c) in
voice
opinioncoveredfallen further
asincludingof the dateof onpublication.
This
is a havecomposite
indicatordata
the percentage of women who have used the Internet to: a) look for work, b) seek information, c) voice opinion online.
We used 2015 price basket estimates released by ITU in July 2016. The final version of this data will only be available in November 2016, and there may be some revisions.
Nevertheless,feltbasket
it was preferable
to use theavailable
ondataprices.
Evenbeso,available
readersinshould
be awarethatsomeof the revisions.
countries
We
used 2015we
priceestimates released
bymostITU inrecent
July 2016.
Thecomparable
final version dataof thiswill only
November
2016,
andprices
thereinmay
be some3
4
4

DIGITAL SKILLS AND EDUCATIONAVERAGE SCORE:

3/10
INDICATORS:• Proportion of ICT-qualified teachers in schools(Source: UNESCO)• Percentage of women in technology andengineering research and development (Source:
UNESCO)“Not knowing how” to use the Internet was the barrier most widely cited bypoor, urban women who don’t use the Internet in our study. Digital capabilities
are also increasingly critical to maximise women’s earnings and employment
prospects. As Melinda Gates recently pointed out, “public schools are the only
place we can ensure that all students, from all walks of life, have the chance” toacquire technology skills, starting with basic digital and data literacy.
So, we took a close look at what countries are doing to promote digital literacy forall. Colombia, Egypt, and Indonesia have connected at least 50% of secondary
schools to the Internet — a positive, but not sufficient, first step. Disappointingly,
the majority of countries surveyed provide little or no Internet access in schools,
teacher training in ICTs, or community digital literacy training, and/or collect nodata to monitor progress in these areas.

• Secondary schools with Internet access 5(Source: UNESCO)RELEVANT CONTENT AND SERVICESAVERAGE SCORE:

4/10
INDICATORS:• Availability of user-friendly, locally relevant
information via ICTs about reproductive andsexual health rights and services for womenand girls (Source: Web Index, with recent review)

Due to the extra burden of unpaid care work that women carry, they not only
have less income than men but also less free time. As a result, time and money
spent on the Internet come at a high opportunity cost, and many women weinterviewed said they simply don’t feel that what they find online is worth their
while. While there are many kinds of content and services that might inspire,
entertain, or assist women, we singled out two that are particularly critical totheir rights and opportunities, and are also directly relevant to SDG targets: (1)online availability of sexual and reproductive health information 6 and (2) digitalfinancial services.7 Kenya fares well in this area, with 55% of women using
mobile financial services (World Bank). However, women’s access to mobilebanking remains low in most other countries, and user-friendly, locally relevant
information on sexual and reproductive health rights is also surprisingly scarce.

• Percentage of women personally using mobile
financial services (Source: World Bank Global
FinDex Database)

ONLINE SAFETY
AVERAGE SCORE:

3/10
INDICATORS:• Extent to which law enforcement agencies andthe courts are taking action in cases where ICT
tools are used to commit acts of gender-based
violence (Source: Web Index, with recent review)• Existence and robustness of national dataprotection laws (Source: Open Data Barometer)

Women we surveyed said they value the Internet as a safe space to accessand share ideas and information of any kind, and express themselves without
fear. Although vital to SDG 16 — Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions — theInternet’s role as a safe space for expression is being undermined by an epidemicof harassment and violence against women online, as well as growing intrusions
on Internet users’ right to privacy. As Lyon (2003:1) notes, “Surveillance today
sorts people into categories, assigning worth or risk, in ways that have real effects
on their life-chances. Deep discrimination occurs, thus making surveillance notmerely a matter of personal privacy but of social justice.” If these trends do notchange, the spread of ICTs could ultimately reinforce offline patterns of female
subordination and silence.
However, legal frameworks to protect the right to privacy in the digital era are
ineffective or missing across countries reviewed. While several countries, like Uganda,
have pending legislation to protect the privacy of personal data, it is importantthat these are reviewed to ensure they are robust enough to stop discrimination
or repression based on misuse of personal data and private communications. In
addition, the law enforcement response to ICT-based violence against womenremains unacceptably weak. The Philippines is an exception among the countries
reviewed, with specific laws in place for victims to seek legal recourse.

5	In some cases, on-the-ground roll-out of Internet access in schools may lag behind the data that governments report to UNESCO for this indicator
6	SDG 3, Good Health and Well-Being, commits countries to “ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health-care services, including for family planning, informationand education” by 2020.
7	SDG 1, No Poverty includes this target: “By 2030, ensure that all men and women, in particular the poor and the vulnerable, have…access to financial services including
microfinance”. SDG 5, Gender Equality, also includes a target on women’s access to financial services.

CONCLUSIONOUR ACTION AGENDA: COMMON RECOMMENDATIONS FROMACROSS THE 10 NATIONAL ACTION PLANS
Progress towards gender equality online must be grounded in solutions thatare led and owned by local stakeholders and respond to local realities. Each of
the 10 country action plans presented here was developed by Women’s Rights
Online country partners, in consultation with other local stakeholders such as
government officials, community groups, and business, and so each one isdifferent. However, they do share some strong common priorities.
We propose these shared priorities as a starting point for broad regional andglobal consultation, in order to agree an international action agenda. By working
together to close the gender digital divide, we can ensure that the full powerof ICTs and the Internet is harnessed by women, putting their agency at theforefront of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
TARGETS• Incorporate concrete gender equity targets, backed by adequate budget
allocations, into national ICT policies and/or broadband plans.
• Monitor gender equality in the implementation of ICT strategies by collecting
data disaggregated by gender, income, and location. Develop quantitativeand qualitative indicators that measure public ICT initiatives and theirimpact on women.
ACCESS• Prioritise policy reforms to cut the prohibitive cost of connecting. Work
towards the Alliance for Affordable Internet affordability target: 1 GB of prepaid
mobile data costing no more than 2% of average per capita monthly income.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This initiative was funded by UN Women and theSwedish International Development Cooperation
Agency (Sida)• Expand free Internet access in public places, including all schools, clinics,
job centres, and community centres.
• Improve infrastructure and support the development of innovative last mileconnectivity models, including by women’s collectives and organisations.
• Consider access measures specifically targeting women, such as a freebasic data allowance focused on women.
CAPABILITIES• Integrate basic digital literacy in school curricula at all levels — from primary
to tertiary — and ensure that teachers are qualified and supported to teach it.
• Ensure digital literacy goes beyond technical skills to support the ability ofwomen and girls to participate in society and make life choices.
• Support female micro-entrepreneurs to gain digital capabilities.
CONTENT• Expand availability of government services and data online, as well aschannels for citizens to engage leaders and officials through ICTs.
• Prioritise wide online availability of user-friendly, local-language information,
services and products that empower women and enhance their livelihoods.
• Audit all government websites to assess the relevance of their content for
women, and their effectiveness in supporting women to access information.

Research and analysis for the report cards wasdone jointly with the members of the Women’s Rights
Online Network:-

Foundation for Media Alternatives
Fundación Karisma
ICT WatchInternational Association of Womenin Radio and Television
IT for Change
Media Foundation for West Africa
Paradigm Initiative Nigeria
Science Innovation Information andCommunication Technology ResearchInstitute (SIITRI)
Tadwein Gender Research Centre
Women of Uganda Network (WOUGNET)RIGHTS• Strengthen legal protection of the online rights and privacy of women andmen, including through stronger data protection laws.
• Ensure that women and girls are able to take legal action against perpetratorsof online violence, and that police and judiciary have training and resources
to pursue such cases.
• Invest in large-scale, ongoing national awareness campaigns to stamp out
online gender violence and educate users on their rights, privacy, and security.

Measuring Progress, Driving Action