By Nuzhat Nazar
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan鈥檚 mobile internet gender gap has reduced from 38 per cent to 25 per cent – marking a major step forward in the country鈥檚 digital gender inclusion efforts. Women鈥檚 mobile internet usage has also increased from 33 per cent to 45 per cent, according to the latest GSMA report.
Federal Minister for IT and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja during second meeting of the Steering Committee on Digital Gender Inclusion in Islamabad, where a detailed review of the implementation progress of the Digital Gender Inclusion Strategy was conducted, said that building a gender-inclusive digital society is at the heart of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif鈥檚 digital vision.
Highlighting another key success, she shared that under the Prime Minister鈥檚 Ramadan Package, a pilot project of digital wallets for 800,000 women was successfully executed. She said the initiative had brought visible improvements in financial inclusion and women鈥檚 empowerment.
Khawaja directed that all sub-committees and departments of the IT Ministry must submit quarterly reports on the implementation of the strategy. 鈥淥ur KPIs must be based on outcomes, with clear deadlines for every goal,鈥 she emphasised. She added that increased gender-related budgetary allocations are essential for bringing real change.
鈥淭his is not just about policies or meetings. When a woman is empowered, it doesn鈥檛 just change her life鈥攊t transforms the lives of entire families,鈥 she said.
The PTA chairman also participated in the meeting and was commended by the minister as a 鈥渃hampion of gender inclusivity.鈥 The PTA appreciated the role of the Secretariat and described its performance as exemplary.
Representatives from UNESCO, PTA, GSMA, GDIP, ISOC, EPIC, NCHR, NCSW, Jazz, LUMS, HEC, Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, and the Ministry of Federal Education were also present.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025