Digital gender gap has cost over $1 trillion - so far

Men are more than half as likely to have internet access than women in the world's poorest countries

Unequal access to the internet between men and women has cost governments hundreds of billions of dollars over the last decade, and the losses will accelerate without action.

Men are 21 per cent more likely to be online than women globally, rising to 52 per cent in low-income countries. As a result, a new report says the 32 low and lower-middle income (LLMIC) countries covered have lost out on an estimated $1 trillion (£734 billion) over the last 10 years, due to the loss of potential digital skills.

The digital gender gap in these countries overall has barely improved at all in the last decade: just half a percentage point, from 30.9 per cent to 30.4 per cent.

The report's authors, the World Wide Web Foundation and the Alliance for Affordable Internet (A4AI), estimated that the gender gap cut GDP by $126 billion (£92.5 billion) in 2020 alone - and the loss between 2021 and 2025 could exceed $500 billion (£366.9 billion).

The study, which estimated the economic impact of women's digital exclusion to arrive at these figures, says that the lost productivity from leaving the gender gap open translates to a missing $24 billion (£17.6 billion) in taxes for the countries covered - tax revenues that could be re-invested in education, health and public services.

However, there seems to be little drive to adopt policies to close the digital divide. The A4AI's 2020 Affordability Report, for example, concludes that more than 40 per cent of the 72 low and middle-income countries studied 'had no meaningful policies or programmes to expand women's access to the internet'.

Money is one of the biggest barriers to online access for women worldwide, and especially in LLMICs. Globally, women earn on average 77 cents (56p) for every $1 (73p) earned by men. Smartphones and mobile data tarrifs are thus out of reach for many. Inequalities in education and digital skills, cultural and social norms that may limit women's behaviour, and concerns about privacy and safety also play a part.

Catherine Adeya, director of research at the World Wide Web Foundation, said: "As the internet becomes a more potent enabler for education, business, and community mobilisation, a failure to deliver access for all means failing to realise everyone's potential to contribute."

The lost revenue from ignoring these women is only part of the story. The world is also missing out on their other contributions to global knowledge: social and cultural, as well as economic.

Today is Ada Lovelace Day, a day to celebrate the achievements of women in science, technology, engineering and maths. Computing fully supports the important work women do in technology, and will continue to highlight it wherever we can.