IT Boom Leaves Indian Women Behind?


Bangalore: The omnipresent mobile phone is everywhere, whether it is a busy street or a train or bus. Yet, one of India's major success stories, the use of mobile technology, has reached women only partially. A recent study revealed that 12 percent fewer women own mobile phones as compared to men.

The survey, 'Connectivity, how mobile phones, computers and the internet can catalyze women's entrepreneurship' by the International Center for Research on Women (ICRW) suggested that 20 percent women borrow mobiles through family and friends for use. The gender gap is even higher in internet use with women comprising just 17 percent of total internet users. Technology and women are not often linked, and both historical and current data indicate that women’s access to technology lags considerably behind that of men.

The study also revealed that female employment in the IT sector was estimated to be about 35 percent in 2008, which is much higher than in other sectors. However, women still are not consumers of the product. A 2008 study projected that the female workforce in the industry would grow to 45 percent after 2010-2011.

The study suggested that 28 percent women own cell phones in comparison with 40 percent men. While, 63 percent of women cell phone users were urban residents. The access and use among women still favors those with higher education and income groups, as well as those who live in urban areas.

A similar trend was noted with the internet use. As per a 2007 Internet in India (I-Cube) report 32 million active internet users in 30 cities suggested that the gender gap in internet use was much greater. Of the 32 million users, 11 percent were working women aged 18 to 45, and another 6 percent were non-working women.