The Alliance For Affordable Internet’s (A4AI) 2014 Affordability Index has shown that women
are still far less likely to afford access to the Internet globally, reports
ITRealms.
The Affordability Index in its executive summary made
available to ITRealms indicated that across the board, “women
are far less likely to be able to access the Internet affordably than men.”
According to Index, research has also
shown that women, on average, earn between 30 per cent – 50 per cent less than
men.
This income disparity, ITRealms
gathered, diminishes the ability of women to afford to access, adopt, and benefit
from a broadband connection.
“The Internet access gender gap is
apparent throughout the world, although the extent of the gap varies from
region to region,” A4AI stated in the Index.
They also noted that in the 51
countries surveyed, there are approximately two billion people earning less
than $2 a day ($60 per month) according
to World Bank data.
But depending on the country in
which they live, these individuals have to spend anywhere between 5.5 per cent and
114.5 per cent of their average monthly income in order to access an
entry-level broadband package.
Those living in rural areas, A4AI
Index added, are often unable to secure affordable access to the Internet with
two primary reasons to buttress its point, namely that incomes tend to be lower
in rural areas, resulting in a higher real cost to connect; and secondly,
challenges associated with infrastructure deployment in rural areas result in
limited opportunities for access which particularly under current regulatory
environments or in access prices that are significantly more expensive than
those in urban areas.
Using statistical tools, A4AI has it
analysed the relationships between policies and regulations, and the
affordability environment in each country, and has identified five common
success factors.
These are, A4AI said include effective broadband strategies,
enhancing competition, efficient spectrum allocation, infrastructure sharing
models and universal access to affordable internet services.
A4AI in its Executive Summary of the Affordability Index,
pointed out that effective broadband strategies shows that clear and
comprehensive national broadband plans, which allow for increased private
investment, remove barriers to infrastructure deployment, and encourages
public-private partnerships.
On enhancing
competition, A4AI said a level playing field that encourages innovation and
gives consumers a range of choices as to their service provider; a unified
licencing framework is of particular value here.
Just as efficient spectrum allocation in a fair and
competitive way, with innovative spectrum tools considered, could spur infrastructure
sharing models, even as laws and partnerships will be designed to embed open
access methods and reduce sunk infrastructure costs.
In addition, A4AI said that universal access to affordable
Internet services inspires development of shared services, available at
community centres, schools, libraries and other anchor institutions; especially
important in rural areas.
A4AI further stated that given the transformative potential
that affordable access to the Internet holds, recommend that affordable access
to broadband Internet is enshrined as a sustainable development goal (SDG) by
the United Nations General Assembly when it meets later this year.
Emphasising that close collaboration between key players including
government decision makers, international development partners, private sector,
academia and civil society — on the five areas identified above will be
essential to making this a reality.
+Remmy Nweke (ITRealms)
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