Paper short abstract:

Gendered gaps in access to and usage of digital technologies poses socio-human development challenges. They have a two-way relationship with structural and systematic inequalities. This paper attempts to explore the extent, nature, and implications of gender digital divide in the Pakistani context.

Paper long abstract:

Digital technologies have the potential to address the deep-rooted, systematic, and structural inequalities that have posed long-standing development challenges for women. However, increasing proliferation of these technologies has led to the emergence of a newer form of gender inequalities in development. namely the Gender Digital Divide. Rooted in structural inequalities, this gap in access to and usage of digital technologies poses threats to inclusive, equitable, and sustainable development. The inequalities in outcomes with respect to health, education, livelihood, etc. cannot be addressed through digitalization if inequalities in access to these technologies due to gaps in available opportunities, in terms of access and usage, for women are not accounted for. Ranking 151st on a list of 153 countries included in the Gender Gap Index of 2020, Pakistan is a country marred with stark gender disparities in access to resources and opportunities. For Pakistan to exploit the unmatched potential of digital technologies to address gender-based challenges to human development, it requires an assessment of the levels as well as the nature of gender digital divide prevalent in the country. Using secondary data from the Pakistan Social and Living Standard Measurement Survey 2019-2020, this paper explores the gender digital divide in Pakistan and discusses its two-way nature with existing inequalities in the society with reference to sustainable development implications.