GSMA Says 810 Million Women in LMICs Remain Offline as Mobile Internet Gap Holds at 12%
Updated
Updated · Mobile Industry Review · Jul 13
GSMA Says 810 Million Women in LMICs Remain Offline as Mobile Internet Gap Holds at 12%
2 articles · Updated · Mobile Industry Review · Jul 13
Summary
810 million women in low- and middle-income countries still do not use mobile internet, leaving women 12% less likely than men to be online — about 200 million fewer women connected.
More than 90% of non-users already live under mobile broadband coverage, shifting the problem from network rollout to handset and data affordability, literacy and digital skills, online safety, and household control of phones.
13% fewer women than men own smartphones in LMICs, while rural gender gaps are two to three times wider than in cities; Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia account for more than two-thirds of unconnected women.
GSMA says closing the gap could add $1.3 trillion to LMIC GDP by 2030 and about $230 billion in mobile-industry revenue over eight years, but progress remains slow and uneven.
More than 50 operators have reached over 90 million additional women since 2016 through targeted commitments, yet GSMA warns rising memory prices could make entry-level smartphones less affordable and stall gains.
As AI demand drives up phone costs, is technology creating a new barrier for the 810 million women left offline?
Beyond providing phones, what truly dismantles the social norms that lock women out of the digital world?
Bridging the Mobile Gender Gap: Insights, Barriers, and Solutions for Women’s Digital Inclusion in Low- and Middle-Income Countries
Overview
The Mobile Gender Gap Report 2026 provides a comprehensive analysis of the digital divide, focusing on the gender gap in mobile ownership and mobile internet use across Low- and Middle-Income Countries. As a critical resource for understanding women's digital inclusion, the report highlights key trends and persistent barriers women face, such as affordability, digital skills, and social norms. It offers detailed insights into the scale and urgency of the gap by examining crucial metrics like mobile ownership and internet penetration among women, quantifying disparities, and identifying strategic opportunities to accelerate women's digital and financial empowerment.