Digital Gender Gap Persists in Mobile Access: World Bank

By: GWL Team | Friday, 16 January 2026

Women’s mobile internet access has improved but still trails that of men.
Cost and safety issues have always been major impediments for the adoption of mobile and smartphone technology by women.
The number of women who use digital payments remains lower, thereby restricting inclusive digital and financial development.

According to the World Bank Group’s Global Findex 2025, there is still a digital divide despite increased access to mobile phones by women. Mobile accessibility and usage among women stand at 80 percent globally, a gap of eight percentage points between them and men. Many women still rely on shared devices, the WBG said, reflecting strong pent-up demand.

In South Asia, the gap is even wider: in Sri Lanka, in 2024, access to mobile phones was 70 percent among women and 80 percent among men, but only 43 percent of women and 45 percent of men used smartphones.

In India, the percentage for women who owned mobile phones was 54 percent, while 77 percent for men. Moreover, in Bangladesh, 74 percent women possessed mobile phones, but 91 percent men in the country could access mobile phones.

The WBG says the biggest barrier for more than half the adults who do not have access to mobile phones, especially smartphones, is the cost, and the issue is particularly pronounced among women and poor users. The concern for safety and harassment prevents many females from using mobile phone communication.

The WBG claimed that filling these gaps is vital for an inclusive digital future. In addition, the WBG noted that mobile phones drive the usage of digital financial services.

A look at the global percentage reveals that over 50% of adults use accounts on mobile or cards, with 42% of adults making online payments for both online and offline purchases. In Sri Lanka, the percentage of women is 42% who have made online payments by 2024, compared to 54% of men. For India, the percentage is 36% women and 54% men, whereas in Bangladesh, the percentage is 27% women and 45% men.