Connected Resilience: Gendered Experiences of Meaningful Connectivity Through a Global Pandemic

This poster presents the state of women's digital inclusion across Africa and Asia.

While internet access is now a lifeline for billions of people around the world, internet access is not universal nor evenly distributed. The pandemic made it clear that meaningful connectivity is now a basic requirement for all. Yet, the stubbornness of the digital divide remains a constant undercurrent. Too many women, too many of the world’s impoverished, and too many people living in rural communities remain unconnected, underconnected, or simply left behind. Just as policymakers continue to anticipate digital transformations from these technologies, millions of people have yet to benefit. 

GDIP research set out to reflect on what we might learn from recent history to understand more about what the future of inclusive digital policy should be. We carried out focus group discussions in India, Mozambique, Nigeria, and the Philippines and surveyed over 6,000 women from Bangladesh, Cambodia, Ghana, Mozambique, South Africa, and Uganda. We interviewed policymakers in the digital sector from across Africa and Asia and updated our calculations on the costs of exclusion.

There are a range of strategies and policies that policymakers can adopt. As this report shows, no single combination of solutions will be universally correct: policymakers should engage with stakeholders and communities to design and implement the appropriate strategy within their context. Moving beyond mere infrastructure, the advancement of meaningful connectivity now hinges not only on technological development but also on fostering a supportive social environment and ensuring affordable costs for everyone.