Extension strategies for bridging gender digital divide

Abstract

Women’s empowerment in India is hindered by gender disparities, particularly in rural areas where rural women are crucial contributors to sustainable development. The patriarchal society often suppresses women’s voices and expressions, leading to inequality in access to resources such as land, credit, and markets. Digital empowerment is also a challenge for rural women due to a triple divide: Digital, gender, and rural. The gender digital divide highlights the inequality between men and women in accessing technologies, with 48.7% of rural men and 24.6% of rural women privileged enough to access the internet. Social, cultural, mobility, access, control, and financial constraints hinder rural women’s technological empowerment. Agricultural extension and advisory services can address this by incorporating gender sensitization into their delivery services. Public, private, and civil society organizations are working to uplift and empower rural communities through innovative technical approaches to reform agriculture and rural people.