This is a short Description related to Gender Gap understanding, and the opportunities that brings the reduction of the digital divide. The industry have to take in account the barrier that women face for owning a mobile or getting access to internet. Regulators must be facilitators & play active roles together with other stakeholders to assure a good implementation of Actions Plans and activities to reduce Gender Gap and to verify the metric used in order to avoid any kind of “embellishment”. The communities have to participate actively & effectively in any kind of action/activities/to empower women in lower income areas/populations.

1. Bridging the Mobile Gender Gap
Regulator-Society: Engagement & Commitment
INDEX
1. INTRODUCTION
2. UNDERSTANDING GENDER GAP
3. GENDER CONTEXT AND INTEGRATION INTO POLICIES
4. GENDER GAP BARRIERS
5. WORKING AND DEVELOPING AN ACTION PLAN
6. INDUSTRY, COMMUNITY & REGULATOR INICIATIVES/CHALLENGES
7. REFERENCES

2. 1. INTRODUCTION
Gender Gap refers to: How less likely is a woman to own amobile phone
than a man.
“Women’s equal and meaningful participation in the digital society is seen as
both integral to the realization of women’s rights in the 21stcentury, as well
as the realization of a just, inclusive and rights-based information society and
to achieve global objectives around gender equality and women’s
empowerment by 2030”.
ITU & UNWOMEN, Action Plan to Close the Digital Gender Gap
Bridging the Mobile Gender Gap
Regulator-Society: Engagement & Commitment

3. 2. UNDERSTANDING GENDER GAP
Gender Gap does not end at ownership of a mobile phone – it also account
for exclusion, discrimination that women have to pass through in many
developing countries, so, speaking of this new digital era the ultimate aim of
digital inclusion through mobile is the empowerment that it provides to
individuals (especially women)and societies.
Bridging the Mobile Gender Gap
Regulator-Society: Engagement & Commitment
Image Credit: GSMA Training

4. 3. GENDER CONTEXT AND INTEGRATION INTO POLICIES
Mobile services can help to reduce the Gender Gap, becuase it support
the SDG´s agenda which is set to be fully accomplished by 2030.
The SDGs #1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8 y 10 are related to Gender equality.
Bridging the Mobile Gender Gap
Regulator-Society: Engagement & Commitment
Image Credit: GSMA Training
1 2 3 4 5 8 10
No Poverty Zero Hunger
Good Health &
Well Being
Quality
Eduaction
Gender
Equality
Decent Work &
Economic Growth
Reduce
Ineqqualities

5. 3. GENDER CONTEXT AND INTEGRATION INTO POLICIES
The Gender Gap in mobile is as shown in the image:
Bridging the Mobile Gender Gap
Regulator-Society: Engagement & Commitment
Image Credit: GSMA Training

6. 3. GENDER CONTEXT AND INTEGRATION INTO POLICIES
“Closing the gender gap in mobile internet use across low- and middle-
income countries could add $700 billion in additional GDP over the next five
years. This would represent an additional 0.7 per cent of GDP growth in these
countries by 2023”. (GSMA Estimate)
One tool to help on this mater is Mobile money which is a service for the
underserved (i.e. those without a bank account) to allow them to make and
receive payments using a mobile phone
Bridging the Mobile Gender Gap
Regulator-Society: Engagement & Commitment

7. 3. GENDER CONTEXT AND INTEGRATION INTO POLICIES
The estimate is that women in low- and middle-income countries are 10 per
cent less likely to own a mobile phone than men.
Bridging the Mobile Gender Gap
Regulator-Society: Engagement & Commitment
Image Credit: GSMA Training
10 per cent is just
an average. The
gender gap can be
substantially higher
in certain regions;
in certain countries,
and in certain areas
within countries

8. 4. GENDER GAP BARRIERS
On this there are two main barrier, one is mobile ownership and the
second is mobile internet access.
Bridging the Mobile Gender Gap
Regulator-Society: Engagement & Commitment
Images Credit: GSMA Capacity Building

9. 4. GENDER GAP BARRIERS
Bridging the Mobile Gender Gap
Regulator-Society: Engagement & Commitment
In order to change the
gender gap, our efforts
have to begin with
education of our people,
from school kids to adults,
and at the same time we
have to reflect that change
on ourselves, like the say
“if you want to change the
world, you have to change
the man in the mirror”
Images Credit: GSMA Capacity Building

10. 4. GENDER GAP BARRIERS
One barrier sometimes not aaccounted is the regulatory policies oriented
to reduce Gender Gap.
Bridging the Mobile Gender Gap
Regulator-Society: Engagement & Commitment
Images Credit: GSMA Capacity Building

11. 5. WORKING AND DEVELOPING AN ACTION PLAN
To start closing the Gender Gap here are some issues to take into account in
implementing an Action Plan.
Bridging the Mobile Gender Gap
Regulator-Society: Engagement & Commitment
Images Credit: GSMA Capacity Building

12. 5. WORKING AND DEVELOPING AN ACTION PLAN -DRIVERS
Governments policies to reduce the digital divide by implementing:
Bridging the Mobile Gender Gap
Regulator-Society: Engagement & Commitment
Type of initiative Focus on Example
Subsidies Subsidise handsets for
marginalised populations
The Pakistan government utilised its Universal
Access and Service Funds (USF) to provide
smartphones to 30,000 low income women
Tax policy Removing handset import
duties to reduce the cost
of handsets for consumers
In 2009, the Government of Kenya, exempted mobile
handsets from VAT, resulting in a 200% increase in
handset purchases, and a 20% increase in the
penetration rate
Capital for asset
financing
Partner with financial
institutions, including
MFIs, by providing risk
capital for smartphone
loans at lower interest
rates
TameerBank, Telenor and the Government of Punjab,
Pakistan, have partnered to disburse Rs79 billion
(~$11,.4million) in interest-free loans for nearly
485,000 farmers in the state to buy smartphones

13. 5.WORKING AND DEVELOPING AN ACTION PLAN –THREATS
In third world countries, Key factors that prevent women from
embracing transformational technologies remain unaddressed
Bridging the Mobile Gender Gap
Regulator-Society: Engagement & Commitment
Image Credit: GSMA Capacity Building
Types of initiatives to address threats
•Education and awareness programmes
•Anti-harassment legislation
•Improved data and reporting
•Anonymous top-up services
•Emergency credit
•Female-friendly distribution networks and
public access
•Call and message blocking services
•Online service provider security settings and
policies

14. 6. INDUSTRY, COMMUNITY & REGULATOR INICIATIVES/CHALLENGES
It is important to define a Framework of Actions/ Rules.
Bridging the Mobile Gender Gap
Regulator-Society: Engagement & Commitment
Image Credit: GSMA Capacity Building

15. 7. REFERENCE
Mobile phones, internet, and gender in Myanmar
https://www.gsma.com/mobilefordevelopment/resources/mobile-phones-internet-and-gender-in-myanmar/
LIRNEasia
https://lirneasia.net/
Broadband Commission Working Group on the Digital Gender Divide Report
https://www.broadbandcommission.org/Pages/default.aspx
Bridging the Gender Gap: Mobile access and usage in low and middle-income countries
https://www.gsma.com/mobilefordevelopment/resources/bridging-gender-gap-mobile-access-usage-low-middle-
income-countries/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDg8m_yf8Nw
https://www.gsma.com/mobilefordevelopment/wp-
content/uploads/2016/02/GSM0001_03232015_GSMAReport_NEWGRAYS-Web.pdf
Bridging the Mobile Gender Gap
Regulator-Society: Engagement & Commitment