Closing the divide: How Kenyan women use the Internet

A study released recently showed Kenya women are narrowing the gender gap on the use of mobile Internet.

The Mobile Gender Gap Report 2023, published by the international association for mobile network operators GSMA, indicates that 59 per cent of Kenyan men have adopted mobile internet, a stagnation from last year, while the figure for women has risen from 36 to 39 per cent.

Overall, more women in low and middle-income countries are using mobile internet than ever before, but their rate of adoption has slowed for the second year in a row and a significant gender gap remains.

This means the number of women using the Internet in the country is increasing by the day. And so what do they mostly use the Internet for? We spoke with several women to get insights.

Christian Odhiambo, a teacher at a public school in Kiambu County, says the Internet has helped sharpen her teaching skills and make her life livelier.

Christine says the Internet has been a reliable source of information for both learners and teachers, and sharing information on social media platforms like WhatsApp.

“I also, these days, do shopping online and enjoy entertainment as I am able to listen to my favourite music and watch movies. It also helps me to stay updated on what is happening locally and internationally,” the mother of two tells Nation.Africa.

Marketing

For Susan Njau, the founder of Favourite Magazine, a quarterly social magazine, the Internet is godsend. Susan tells Nation.Africa she has been using it to market her magazine and branding business, something she notes has helped her raise her revenue.

“The Internet has been very instrumental in the marketing of my magazine and branding business. I also use it to post motivational materials, as well as for entertainment,” says Susan, the editor-in-chief of the magazine.

Nancy Mungai, the CEO and founder of Uppercut Digital Media, a social enterprise that offers free Wi-Fi in downtown Nairobi has been using the Internet to do business. Her company offers Wi-Fi advertising services through its AdSimu Wi-Fi-integrated platform and AdSimu free public Wi-Fi network.

Adsimu Wi-Fi offers 24-hour free public Wi-Fi in high traffic areas in the city centre and reaches more than 120,000 Wi-Fi users, mostly adults aged 18–45.

“AdSimu rewards users with free Wi-Fi and the incentives for accessing the free Wi-Fi to consume advertising/marketing communication,” said Ms Mungai in an earlier interview with Nation.Africa.

Francisca Syombua, a fruit vendor on Umoja estate, has been using the Internet to enhance her knowledge on reproductive health. As a young woman, she says she accesses different mobile applications (apps) to gather more information on reproductive health that is of benefit to her.

Some of the apps that she uses provide a safe confidential space for young people, where they can have questions about sexual and reproductive health answered by professionals.

“The Internet has also enabled me to use a period tracking app that has helped me to better understand my health and have close control over my menstrual cycle. I am able to know my unique patterns. This would not be the case if I was not in the digital space,” Francisca says.

Also read: Digital divide hits women in poor countries harder

The report, which was generated after a sample survey that engaged more than 13,800 face-to-face interviews with people from 12 low- and middle-income countries, identified Ethiopia as having the widest gender gap at 57 per cent, while Mexico had the slimmest at four per cent.

“From 2018 to 2020, the gender gap was narrowing because of changing market dynamics, more affordable handsets and a notable increase in women’s adoption during the Covid-19 restrictions and lockdowns,” the report notes.

The countries involved in the study from Africa included Kenya, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana and Senegal. Those from Asia included Bangladesh, India, Indonesia and Pakistan, while Mexico and Guatemala were from Latin America.

Expenditure

The Mobile Gender Gap Report shows that on average, female mobile owners in Kenya, Ethiopia, Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal and Egypt spend 32 per cent less on mobile services than male mobile owners do.

“This gap is widest in sub-Saharan Africa (32 per cent), where mobile data and services are least affordable. The gender gap in mobile services spending is significant in every region even when other mobile gender gaps are relatively low,” the report says.

Kenyan men spend more money on mobile phone services such as data and airtime than their female counterparts, the study shows.

Overall, mobile phone usage in Kenya in 2022 was higher among men at 6.8 average number of mobile use cases per week against 5.1 in women, which is, however, a drop from last year’s 7.5 and 5.0 in men and women respectively.

Globally, women are still 19 per cent less likely than men to use mobile internet. Of the 900 million women who are still not using it, almost two-thirds live in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa.

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