Gender intentionality in large-scale digital public infrastructure in India
Digitalization has taken place at an unprecedented rate in many low- and middle-income countries (L&MICs), including India. However, the gender gap is still substantial as 265 million fewer women than men in L&MICs use mobile internet (GSMA 2024). They face critical barriers in accessing, using and benefitting from digital technology and platforms. 3ie’s ongoing research in India, supported by Gates Foundation, focuses on understanding the barriers and facilitators related to accessibility, affordability, gender norms and design in the uptake of various digital platforms. It aims to provide insights on how the platforms can be made more gender intentional.
Background
3ie’s formative research study aims to provide insights into what drives gender intentionality in large-scale digital platforms in India. We will study two key platforms in the sphere of e-commerce and financial inclusion to understand the drivers and barriers to gender intentionality and the inclusion of women on these platforms.
The findings and recommendations will inform key stakeholders within India’s digital ecosystem, including government-backed digital e-commerce platforms, donors, for-profit businesses, global design firms, think tanks, buyer-seller onboarding enablers, implementers and public policy experts.
Findings
Research on women’s access and use of digital services across the globe, and L&MICs in particular, emphasizes significant inequalities persisting in the use and access of digital and financial technologies, despite the accentuated growth of digital services during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our research project focuses on understanding the challenges women face in relation to infrastructure access, digital literacy, trust and safety concerns, as well as affordability considerations from the lens of gender intentionality and inclusion.