The Gender Digital Divide

Abstract: Gender not only pervades how people use the ICT, but also influences whether or not and how much they use them. This study, making use of the latest possible secondary data, studies the possible gender digital divide among users of ICT in both developed and developing countries. I move the study of gender digital divide from an early narrow perspective of ICT access and usage patterns among biologically identifiable men and women to a wider exploration of its statistical evidences, its important aspects, and its crossing through four Es. Fewer economic resources, lower levels of awareness, literacy and education, gendered ICT training and gendered ICT sector are identified as important contributes to gender digital divide which can supposedly be bridged through four Es: education in ICT competency, equality of ICT access, employment in ICT-related occupations and ICT–enabled jobs, and empowerment by ICT use.