Is Digitalization Gender-Neutral? Gender Digital Divide Status in EU
Abstract
This paper examines the matter of gender digital divide, a phenomenon which limits the equitable realization of digital transformation benefits. A synthesis of deep root causes is presented to better understand the issue and the factors contributing to women’s exclusion from digitalization. The case study examines the gender gap in the European Union by analyzing three indicators: percentage of the population who has used the internet in the past 12 months, percentage of the population who has used the internet to interact with public authorities, and percentage of population who has used the internet for online banking and e-commerce. Based on the indicators, gender gap was calculated in absolute and relative terms and the beta convergence is also analyzed. Results show the remarkable evolution in terms of both digital transformation and reducing the gender gap at EU-27 level and a distinct pattern of β-convergence, proving that countries which start with lower ICT indicators achieve higher growth over time. Most of the EU member states focused on the issue and created gender-adaptive policies which helped them reduce the gap in the past ten years. Finally, the paper displays a collection of such best practices and measures that promote complete participation and inclusion of women and girls in the digital revolution.