Abstract

This paper examines why digital transformation in Central Asia produces uneven gender-related outcomes despite the growing prominence of inclusion and skills development in official reform agendas. Focusing on Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan, the study explores how state capacity, institutional coordination, and political priorities shape the incorporation of gender concerns into digital reform. Rather than treating women’s digital education as a separate policy field, the paper situates it within broader state-led modernization strategies and asks why gender priorities remain inconsistently embedded across sectors. Drawing on a comparative analysis of national policy documents, digital strategies, education reforms, and gender equality frameworks, the paper argues that uneven digital reform reflects not only differences in administrative resources but also distinct political choices about whose inclusion matters in development. While governments increasingly frame digitalization as a pathway to competitiveness and modernization, gender-sensitive implementation remains fragmented and often secondary. The paper contributes to debates on governance, power, and development in Central Eurasia by showing how digital reforms reveal broader hierarchies of state attention, institutional strength, and social inclusion.