A new report from the GSMA reveals that 810 million women in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) still do not use mobile internet, compared to 595 million men. The 'Mobile Gender Gap Report 2026' shows a slight narrowing of the gender gap in 2025, but progress remains slow and uneven.
Gender Gap Persists
Women across LMICs are 12% less likely to use mobile internet than men, translating to 200 million fewer women online. The total number of women not using mobile internet in these regions stands at 810 million. Geographic disparities are stark: over two-thirds of these women live in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, where gender gaps are widest at 26% and 25%, respectively. Rural areas face gaps two to three times wider than urban areas.
Barriers to Digital Inclusion
Mobile phones are the primary means of internet access in LMICs, yet a 13% gender gap in smartphone ownership means 210 million fewer women own smartphones. Key barriers include affordability of handsets, literacy, and digital skills. Women are disproportionately affected due to social norms and structural inequalities like lower education and income.
Claire Sibthorpe, Head of Digital Inclusion at the GSMA, emphasized: "While there has been a slow narrowing of the mobile gender gap since 2022, much more is needed to address persistent and significant gender gaps. Technologies like AI are creating greater digital divides, elevating the need to ensure digital inclusion for all."
Economic Impact of Closing the Gap
Closing the mobile internet gender gap in LMICs from 2023 to 2030 could add $1.3 trillion in GDP. Access to mobile internet can transform women's lives, increasing resilience against economic, climate, and political shocks. Over 50 mobile operators have joined the GSMA Connected Women Commitment Initiative, reaching over 90 million additional women with mobile internet or mobile money services since 2016.
