Exploring the impact of digitalisation on rural women's socio-economic status: A bibliometric and scoping study

Abstract

The rapid development of digital technologies has the potential to accelerate the socio-economic change of rural women. This study provides insights obtained from a thorough scoping assessment and bibliometric analysis of the current literature on the topic. The study focuses on the diverse digital tools and platforms that have played a crucial role in improving the economic involvement, education, health, and social standing of women living in rural areas. The key findings suggest that digitalization enables rural women to easily access markets, financial services, and educational resources. As a result, it promotes entrepreneurial activity and self-employment among them. In addition, the study uncovers important recurring themes, specific geographic areas of interest, and key individuals who contribute significantly to the subject. This demonstrates a worldwide interest in utilizing digitalization for the advancement of gender equality and rural development. Notwithstanding the favourable results, there are still enduring hurdles in the form of limited digital skills, inadequate infrastructure, and socio-cultural obstacles. The digitalisation can challenge these persistent inequalities through its vast potential for education, financial inclusion, and health care access, also in entrepreneurial ways. In addition, services such as mobile banking or digital payment systems means that women now have better tools to manage their own finances and gain access to microloans for e-commerce. Education platforms and e-learning resources can improve literacy and develop skills to help women become more effective in employment. The study highlights the necessity of implementing focused policies and programs that tackle these difficulties to guarantee development that is both inclusive and sustainable. Proposed future research aims to enhance the comprehension of how digitalization affects the socio-economic transformation of rural women.