Closing the Digital Gender Divide: Why Action in South Asia is Critical
- umesh55
- Sep 9
- 6 min read
Updated: Sep 11
Digital access is no longer a luxury — it’s the lifeline for education, work, health services and participation in public life. Yet, for millions of women and girls across South Asia the reality is stark: persistent gaps in access, skills and opportunity keep them out of the online economy and shut off from life-changing tools. With 937.5 million women and girls, including 171 million adolescent girls—the biggest population of females of this age in the globe—South Asia is home to the second-largest female population in the world. However, when it comes to gender equality, South Asia comes in second from the bottom globally.
Keep reading as we examine how the digital gender divide plays out in the region, why Pakistan stands out as a critical focal point, and how private companies can and must step up — not just as a philanthropic gesture, but as a strategic investment in sustainable growth.
The Problem in Plain Terms
Digital connectivity is shaping economies, public services and social life. But access and use are uneven — and gender is a major fault line. South Asia ranks 7th out of 8 regions overall globally, with a gender parity score of 63.7% in 2024, with even Sub-Saharan Africa ranking higher.
While globally women and girls represent a significant portion of the 2.6 billion people without internet access, in South Asia, these disparities are even starker: women are 31% less likely to use mobile internet compared to men. Adolescent boys in this region are 1 and 1/2 times more likely to own a mobile phone and nearly twice as likely to own a smartphone than adolescent girls. Studies have also shown that adolescent girls are 35% less likely than adolescent boys to possess basic digital skills.
That gap isn’t abstract: it translates into fewer employment opportunities, reduced access to digital health and finance, and limited ability to start or scale businesses.
A few headline facts to keep in mind:
The region still carries one of the highest burdens of offline people globally; women and girls make up a disproportionate share of the unconnected.
Women in many parts of South Asia are roughly one-third less likely than men to use mobile internet — a gap that persists despite steady overall growth in connectivity.
Adolescent girls are far less likely than boys to own smartphones or have basic digital skills; this compounds barriers to education, jobs and entrepreneurship.
Why the digital gender gap is an economic and social crisis
In terms of online users and the growing impact of the digital economy and culture, South Asia now leads all other areas. Regretfully, this area also has the greatest burden of the digital divide between boys and girls.
Lost economic potential. According to research, providing internet access to 600 million females globally might increase global GDP by $13–18 billion in just three years. Almost one in four of these girls, or 170 million, are in South Asia. Women entrepreneurs and workers who can’t connect or build digital skills miss access to higher-value jobs, digital marketplaces, online training and business finance. This is not just a personal loss — it is an economy-wide shortfall in productivity and innovation.
Education and skills pipeline at risk. Low and middle-income families in this region frequently believe that technology-related jobs are better suited for boys than for girls, which delays girls' access to technology. Additionally, the likelihood of girls participating in digital training programs is only half that of boys. Girls' employment prospects are limited by their lack of digital skills in a world where 90% of professions require them. Digital literacy and basic digital access also increasingly determine whether young people can access modern curricula, remote learning and career pathways. Girls who fall behind early face lifelong disadvantages.
Health and safety consequences. Improving connectivity and digital literacy for girls and women improves health outcomes and enhances the general quality of life for women and their families. Mobile access provides critical channels for health information and services. Without it, women and girls are less able to benefit from telemedicine, maternal health programs, and emergency information — all of which can have acute real-world consequences.
Perpetuation of inequality. In Nepal, the rate of internet usage among boys is double that of girls, and in Pakistan, it is quadruple that of girls. Women and teenage girls are being denied the chance to participate in the digital world because of this stark disparity. Digital exclusion compounds existing social and economic disadvantages and reinforces gendered power imbalances, limiting women’s voice and choice in households and communities.
Root causes: Why connectivity alone isn’t enough
It’s tempting to frame the issue purely as “connectivity,” but the reality is multi-dimensional:
Affordability. Even where coverage exists, costs of devices and data can put reliable access out of reach for many households.
Digital literacy. Owning a phone is not the same as knowing how to use it for productive tasks. Girls and women often lack targeted training.
Social and cultural norms. Household decision-making, expectations around gender roles, and concerns about online safety influence whether girls are permitted or encouraged to go online.
Relevance and content. Platforms, learning tools and services are often not designed with women’s needs in mind — or available in local languages.
Safety and trust. Concerns about harassment, privacy and safety deter women from engaging fully online.
The returns from investing in girls and women are high
Barriers that keep women and girls from using the internet have cost developing countries an astounding $1 trillion in the past 10 years. And with research indicating that providing internet access to 600 million females globally might increase global GDP by $13–18 billion in just three years, connecting girls and women is not only a moral imperative — it also delivers economic payoff:
Greater female digital participation expands the talent pool for digital jobs and entrepreneurship.
Improved access for girls boosts educational outcomes and future earning potential.
Enabling women’s financial inclusion via digital channels opens up new markets and increases household resilience.
One oft-cited estimate suggests that connecting hundreds of millions of girls worldwide could generate billions in GDP growth within a few years: a clear signal that private-sector investment in this space is economically sensible as well as socially responsible.
What private companies can and should do — a practical playbook
Governments and multilaterals are essential partners — but private companies play an outsized role in scaling solutions quickly and sustainably. Here’s how the private sector can act now:
Subsidized device and data programs. Offer low-cost or subsidized devices and affordable connectivity packages targeted to women, students and low-income households. Partnerships with local carriers and NGOs can increase reach and uptake.
Digital skills for women and girls. Fund and deliver tailored training programs — from basic digital literacy to marketable tech skills — delivered in community centers, schools, and online formats that respect local needs and schedules.
Safe, localized content and platforms. Invest in platforms and services that reflect local languages, cultural contexts and practical needs (education, health, business tools), and that prioritize safety and privacy.
Mentorship and entrepreneurship pathways. Sponsor mentorship, incubation and micro-finance programs for women entrepreneurs to help translate digital access into real business outcomes.
Inclusive procurement and hiring. Companies serving the region should commit to inclusive procurement and hiring policies — training and putting women into roles across the supply chain, sales, and technical teams.
Public-private partnerships. Work with governments and NGOs to scale proven pilots across regions. Private firms can contribute funding, technical skills, and distribution channels.
Measure and report impact. Track KPIs like device distribution, digital literacy completion, women’s income growth, and platform engagement to ensure programs are effective and scalable.
A call to action: why business must act now
Closing the gender digital divide in South Asia — and in countries where gaps are most acute — is a shared responsibility. For private companies, the case is compelling:
Investing in women’s digital inclusion opens new markets, builds brand trust and creates a more resilient workforce.
Sustainable interventions that bundle affordable hardware, connectivity and training deliver measurable returns.
Doing so aligns with corporate purpose commitments and the global development agenda — and it’s simply the right thing to do.
The opportunity costs of inaction are huge: entire cohorts of girls and young women risk being left behind as the digital economy accelerates. For business leaders and investors, the question is straightforward: will you treat digital inclusion as a philanthropic sidebar, or will you make it a strategic pillar of growth?
Closing thoughts
Tech isn’t neutral. How it’s distributed, who has the skills to use it, and whether services are built for safety and relevance — these choices shape who benefits from the digital revolution. South Asia’s future will be determined by whether women and girls are included. Private sector leadership — through device access, training, mentorship and meaningful partnerships — can be the multiplier that finally closes the gap.
If you’re a company leader, investor, or funder interested in practical ways to partner on this mission, VIG is ready to work with you. Let’s turn connectivity into opportunity — for girls, for women, and for the region’s shared prosperity.