Digital divide hits women harder in poor countries —UN

UNITED NATIONS — Some 90 % of younger girls and teenage ladies on the earth’s poorest nations haven’t any entry to the web, a United Nations report revealed Wednesday mentioned.

The lack of entry—and disparity between the variety of ladies and boys offline —poses critical dangers that ladies shall be left behind economically in an more and more digitally related world, the report from UNICEF mentioned.

Adolescent ladies and younger girls are being “shut out when it comes to digital skills,” it mentioned.

About 78 % of younger males and teenage boys within the poorest nations are offline, in response to UNICEF, which in its report examined knowledge utilization in 54 principally low-income nations.

This interprets to about 65 million adolescent ladies and younger girls aged 15-24 who do not have entry to the web, versus some 57 million of their male friends.

“Closing the digital divide between girls and boys is about more than just having access to the internet and technology. It’s about empowering girls to become innovators, creators, and leaders,” Robert Jenkins, UNICEF director of training, mentioned in a press release.

“If we want to tackle gender gaps in the labor market, especially in science, technology, engineering and math fields, we must start now by helping young people, especially girls, gain digital skills.”

Even in circumstances when ladies had equitable entry to conventional academic alternatives, similar to math and studying, the report warned, “it does not always translate to digital skills.”

Disparities in entry to know-how persist even throughout the similar family. In a examine of 41 nations, UNICEF discovered “households are much more likely to provide mobile phones for boys than girls.”

Female youth are 13 % much less prone to personal a cell phone, UNICEF mentioned, “limiting their ability to participate in the digital world.” — Agence France-Presse

Source: www.gmanetwork.com