17. Gender and Internet use

[Assignment- First Two Year Batch-MEd. 2015-17

- Govt. College of Teacher Education, Thiruvananthapuram]

900 million Indians can't get online

India boasts many of the world's top IT companies, tech entrepreneurs and digital startups. Yet, it's also home to nearly 900 million people who do not have access to the internet.

There is a large gender gap among India's internet users. While 27% of India's men use the internet, only 17% of India's women do.

 http://money.cnn.com/2016/03/09/technology/india-internet-access/

There is a large gender gap among India’s internet users. While 27% of India’s men use the internet, only 17% of Indian women’s do. Access to the Internet is critical for women’s empowerment. So it is very essential to aware the society on the benefits of using internet.

Rajan Anandan, Managing Director and Vice-president, sales and operations, Google India, says, "Lack of easy access to internet, lack of knowledge on how to use the internet and its relevance in their daily lives are the biggest barriers for women to get online”. 

Solutions and  suggestions

1.National policies should encourage increased access, training and use of the Internet for women and girls.

2.Women should be empowered and encouraged to pursue careers in technology with concrete targets for gender equity in this area.

3.Take initiatives by the governmental and non governmental agencies to aware the society on the benefits of internet. For example, Google India has launched a campaign in association with Intel, HUL and Axis Bank, to spread awareness among women on the benefits of internet.

4.Provide free classes and training for women to use internet. Women should make use of such classes. Best example is Google India's latest initiative, 'Help Women Get Online', aims to help women to understand internet in a more profound way and attempts to spread digital literacy to bring more women online.

5.Women, who remain lower earners, are hit the hardest. Establish specific policies to promote free or low-cost public Internet access, such as budget allocations for Internet access in public libraries, schools and community centers, or provisions for spectrum use by community Wi-Fi options can start to close the gap.

6.Provide awareness to the people on cyber ethics, cyber laws and cyber security.

7.The existing laws on gender-based violence must be effectively applied to Internet-based violence, new and specific laws are to be passed to penalize cyber offences. It is important that these laws should be adequately protecting women without encouraging or promoting excessive censorship.

Reference

*http://webfoundation.org/2015/06/five-barriers-five-solutions-closing-the-gender-gap-in-ict-policy/

*http://www.afaqs.com/news/story/39263_Google-India-teaches-internet-to-women

Submitted by Ms. Raji V.R.