Toolkit for Researching Women's Internet Access and Use

"Although internet access is expanding, there is a persistent digital gender gap. Gender-disaggregated data on internet access and use is critical to measuring and understanding this gap and informing policy and actions to address it. However, this data is still limited."

This toolkit from GSMA has been designed to help researchers collect comparable, accurate data from women, as well as men, that is reliable and valid, by using example questions, for both qualitative and quantitative research approaches in low- and middle-income countries in order to understand and measure differences between women's and men's internet access and use.

Because "the lack of gender-disaggregated data and insights on internet access and use masks the true extent of the digital gender divide", there is a lack of clarity on adoption, use, and barriers including:

• "cost of devices and data;
• lack of awareness and understanding of the internet;
• lack of education;
• low confidence;
• lack of digital skills;
• poor literacy;
• a feeling that the internet is not relevant;
• concerns around safety and security; and
• lack of access to infrastructure, such as quality network coverage and electricity."

The toolkit outlines both core and supplementary research topics to gain insights into women’s internet access and use, linked to the core list of indicators for information and communication technology (ICT) access and use produced by the Partnership on Measuring ICT for Development. Topics include: 1) Internet awareness, understanding, access and use; 2) Internet-enabled device access and ownership /control; 3) Barriers to internet access and use; and 4) Types of online activity. Supplementary topics include: 5) Use of specific internet products and services; 6) Type of internet connection; 7) Digital skills; 8) Barriers to increased internet use; 9) Aspirations for internet access and use; 10) Perceptions of the internet; and 11) Online safety and harassment experiences and concerns.

The example research questions are intended to be used for researching women and men (aged 18+), and for individuals rather than households, to obtain gender-disaggregated insights and data - face-to-face interviews being the preferred methods, with adaptability for online or telephone surveys or other methodologies. The "non-device" methodology of response collection "enables more accurate and representative data collection on internet access and use, capturing users and non-users, both male and female (using online or telephone surveys is unlikely to reach respondents who do not use a mobile or the internet)."

Questions cover the core list above in a chart beginning on page 13 and begin with the question: "Have you ever heard of the internet?" An example question addressing barriers is the following: "Please listen to the following statements about why someone might not use the internet. For each statement, please tell me how much it is true for you." The twenty possible responses include, for example: my family doesn't approve; I have difficulties reading; I worry that strangers will contact me; the internet uses too much of my device's battery, and there is not sufficient information in my language, among others.

Considerations on respondent selection and location selection follow the questions. Considerations for a successful interview include, for example: "Conduct research close to women’s homes....Use the local language / dialect....Make sure the research location is safe and secure.....Be aware of social and cultural norms." 

This toolkit is the result of a collaboration "between A4AI, the Web Foundation, the GSMA and APC, which have committed to advance the recommendations for action of the Broadband Commission Working Group on the Digital Gender Divide."