ITU Estimates 200m Fewer Women Online Compared to Men

The International Telecommunication Union ((ITU) said it will not relent in seeking ways to address gender digital divide, as it estimates that some 200 million fewer women are online compared to men.

Speaking at Gender Equality Mainstreaming - Technology (GEM-TECH) Award as part of prgrammes at the 2014 ITU Plenipotentiary Conference (PP-14) in Busan, Dr Hamadoun Touré, secretary-general, International Telecommunication Union (ITU) lamented that women are coming online later, and more slowly.

He said, “ITU estimates that some 200 million fewer women are online compared to men. Women are coming online later, and more slowly. And without remedial action, it is estimated that the internet gender gap could grow to 350 million within THREE or four years.

“Equality in access to broadband is not only an issue of right and wrong; it also makes commercial and economic sense. And this is why the Broadband Commission for Digital Development set a fifth advocacy target on achieving equality in broadband access by 2020.

“This is the time to get women to the tables where the decisions are being made – and we had an enriching debate on this subject during the GEM-Tech breakfast last week, with women ministers who are real role models and setting us a great example.

Speaking on the awards, he said that there were in recognition of excellence, “and they recognize outstanding performers and role models in Gender Equality and Mainstreaming in ICTs.

“We received 360 nominations from over 70 countries around the world, representing all regions, and coming from the public and private sectors as well as individuals from across the globe.

“And I have to say that choosing the WINNERS was one of the hardest things we have ever had to do, in my eight years as Secretary-General – because all of the entries we received were fantastic!

“As you know, gender equality is very close to my heart, and I passionately believe that women and men should have equal opportunities to prove their merit.

“To this end, one of my first actions as Secretary-General was to remove a single, discriminatory word from the ITU job vacancy announcements – and that word was ‘continuous’.

“Because up until then, we asked for ‘x’ years of ‘continuous experience’ – and that’s discriminatory to women, who may have taken time off to have a child, before coming back to work.

“So we removed the word ‘continuous’ from the job requirements, and I’m proud of that.

“I was also really pleased to see two highly COMPETENT women running for the Deputy Secretary General position.

“And I was even more pleased to see that yesterday the two women candidates for the Radio Regulations Board – Joanne Wilson from the United States and Lilian Jeanty from the Netherlands – both won their seats.

“So we are now back up to having two women on the RRB, and that’s a good thing – and I’m sure we will do even better NEXT time”.