- ADB Chief of Gender Equality Samantha Hung shares how accelerating digital inclusion for women and girls in Asia and the Pacific is critical to closing the digital gender gap.
- In Asia and the Pacific, there is a 6% gender gap in internet usage. Women are 1/3 of the workforce in the 20 largest tech companies in the world but hold only 1 in 4 leadership positions.
- Women & girls without digital access are cut off from the knowledge, employment opportunities, networks, products, services, & benefits the internet provides. It’s time to close the digital gender gap.
This year’s International Women’s Day and Gender Month focuses on digital innovation and technology for gender equality. ADB Chief of Gender Equality Samantha Hung discusses that it is time to close the digital gender gap and accelerate digital inclusion for women and girls in Asia and the Pacific.
Transcript
This year's International Women's Day focuses on digital innovation and technology for gender equality. Why is this important? Because globally there is a digital gender divide.
In Asia and the Pacific, there is a 6% gender gap in internet usage. While women are one third of the workforce in the 20 largest global technology companies, they hold only one in four leadership positions. In Southeast Asia and the Pacific, 59% of girls reported that online study was nearly impossible during the COVID- 19 pandemic; 60% of them had unreliable internet and 20% couldn't access any devices such as tablets or computers to learn. The digital revolution has not produced equitable benefits. Women and girls without digital access are cut off from the knowledge, employment opportunities, networks, products, services, and benefits that the internet provides.
It is time to close the digital gender gap.
