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.
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But the gendered digital divide is not just about a lack of devices or internet connectivity. It is also about men and women having unequal opportunities to participate in and shape the digital economy. Today, almost all aspects of the economy are digital, from how machines do work, to how goods are sold, to payments, to how artificial intelligence is being used in business.
How does it affect women in Africa?
I was part of a team who reviewed the negative effects of the gendered digital divide in Africa. We wrote a policy brief recommending solutions.
In Africa, the gendered digital divide makes existing gender inequalities worse. It prevents many women from getting full access to education, financial services, health information, and opportunities to start or grow businesses.
These are the problems:
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In sub-Saharan Africa, 76% of men have access to mobile internet compared to 63% of women. Around 205 million women in the region do not yet have smartphones or access to the internet on phones.
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In Africa, only 23% of rural people have access to the internet. Women in rural and marginalised communities face the highest barriers to affordable internet connections. This means they are cut off from digital skills training and online education. This undermines their ability to compete in the labour market, access public services, and fully participate in governance and innovation.
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Women and girls may not get the opportunity to develop skills in using digital technology, because of social and cultural practices that discourage them. There aren’t enough gender-sensitive training programmes to help women overcome this.
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There is also a gendered digital divide in innovation, especially in artificial intelligence. This field is male dominated and so the tools it produces disadvantage women. An example is hiring algorithms that are biased towards men, meaning women are less likely to get the job.
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What needs to happen to close this gap?
Closing the gendered digital divide requires targeted investment in affordable digital infrastructure. The government, private sector actors, development practitioners and civil society should work together on expanding and subsidising broadband internet, especially in rural and working class or underserved communities.
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Also needed are:
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public-private partnerships that promote women’s access to affordable digital tools and internet services
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digital skills training for women and girls in the classroom and in informal education
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national campaigns to promote women’s participation in technology, science and maths fields
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mentorship and capacity-building programmes led by women in tech
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more women in digital policy-making, research and innovation
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gender-sensitive digital safety frameworks to keep women and girls safe online.
What can the South African G20 presidency do?
As the G20 president in 2025, South Africa must be the champion of gender equality in the digital age. It needs to place the gendered digital divide at the centre of its agenda. This means advocating for countries of the world to fund affordable connectivity for women, digital inclusion for women, and setting up innovation hubs that empower women entrepreneurs.
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Because private tech companies drive innovation, G20 countries should also offer incentives to tech companies if they hire more women. Governments should invest in women-led start-up businesses.
By ensuring digital policy frameworks reflect the varied experiences and needs of women, men, children and young people, South Africa can position the G20 as a platform for advancing inclusive digital transformation. It can take action to ensure that African women are not left behind in the global digital economy.
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