The digital gender divide: A study of mobile phone use in rural India
The mobile phone has become an integral part of the everyday life of almost everyone in this world. Through the identification of differences in accessibility and use of technology including the mobile phone, a digital divide is seen to be emerging, and what is of great concern is the emergence of a digital gender divide. Various boundaries of age, place of residence (urban/rural), and sociocultural–economic factors can be identified.
Mobile phones have brought in connectivity to areas and people without landline phones, especially in developing countries. People across all age and income groups are using mobile phones. Not only age and economic barriers, but the mobile phone has also dented geographical boundaries. If not connected to the outside world, people in far-off areas are at least able to speak and reach out to their near and dear ones or seek amenities to improve daily life.
The social barrier of gender also seems to have been blurred by the use of the mobile phone. In India, the mobile phone was first adopted by men; only then was its use passed to women. The question remains: What is the level of penetration of the mobile phone among women in rural areas where gender and illiteracy are combined, and how and why do they use it? There is a need to study mobile phone use in disadvantaged areas and among disadvantaged people as many studies acknowledge that the privileged sections of society have access to new sources of information, placing them in an even more privileged position.
This article is based on a study of mobile phone use by rural illiterate women in India, exploring whether three different parameters, namely, place of residence (rural or urban), gender, and illiteracy, are hindering the use of the mobile phone or not. A village with a very low female literacy rate was selected as ideal for the study. According to India Census 2011, Raike Khurd village had the lowest female literacy rate at 40.35 percent in the Bathinda division of the Bathinda district located nearly 30 km away from Bathinda city. A survey was deployed to different age groups and family income levels, and interviews with at least 10 percent of the women surveyed were conducted. The interviews include open-ended questions where respondents were asked to explore the habits and perceptions of women using mobile phones. Various aspects of mobile phone use came to light.
Nearly 85 percent of the rural illiterate women studied were found to be using a mobile phone without necessarily owning it. It was their quickest means of communication and receiving information. It was their quickest means of communication and receiving information. The mobile phone represents a technology that can be harnessed for rural development. This small hand-held device has the potential to be used in the development process as it has reached almost every woman in rural areas. The accessibility of the mobile phone to women, who generally take care of the household and are responsible for the health and education of the family, can be used to further the cause of development.
The concept of the digital divide is well-accepted now and efforts are being made to reduce this gap. The advent of the mobile phone which is less expensive than other technological mediums seems to be filling up the gap to some extent. A community radio service should be started in villages that can be heard on ‘feature phones; this service could be started by a nearby college or university. The aim of the radio should be to focus on the specific needs of the villagers. Radio can work on phones even when there is no electricity and broadcasts can be understood even by an illiterate person.
Community listening can be promoted to further enhance discussion among listeners. Various kinds of information can be provided to women to help them run their households efficiently since women who are not agricultural labourers are for the most part confined to their homes. They should also be given information regarding job and business opportunities as many of the girls/women in villages are being educated now.
Article details:
Is Mobile Phone Use Invading Multiple Boundaries? A Study of Rural Illiterate Women in India
Chhavi Garg
First Published January 20, 2021 Research Article
DOI: 10.1177/0971521520974845
Indian Journal of Gender Studies