Exploring the Gender Digital Divide in Jordan

Abstract

Connecting with citizens is invariably the aim of almost all e-government projects. Still, governments face multiple challenges in their pursuit of reaching out to their diverse citizenry spread across an equally varied geographical terrain. The digital divide refers to the unequal access of citizens to information and communication technology (ICT), and unequal possession of the skills and experiences needed to optimize this technology. The digital divide is a social challenge that keeps people from taking advantage of public services through the Internet or other ICT channels. This article will explore the concept of the digital divide in Jordan, with a particular focus on the gender digital divide (GDD). The authors conducted an empirical study of this divide within a specific group represented in Jordanian society (University students) to find out how e-government and GDD intersect in developing countries. Results point to the existence of GDD in the Jordanian society with even university educated men uncomfortable with the thought of allowing women equal access to the Internet and computers. The GDD, we found, was being reinforced by cultural mores and educational institutions in a country that otherwise boasted of commendably high computer literacy rates. The results have implications for the Jordanian Government in general and policymakers behind e-governance projects in particular as well as proponents of gender equality.