The After Access qualitative study on gender and digital technologies explores the lived experiences of female teachers, nurses, entrepreneurs, and adolescents in Ghana, Nigeria, Uganda, and Ethiopia to understand how women access and use digital technologies, and what continues to constrain meaningful digital inclusion.
In the Ghana report, the study shows that while connectivity and affordability indicators place the country among the stronger performers on the continent, women’s digital access and use remain uneven and deeply shaped by geography, income, education, and gendered social norms. Women rely heavily on mobile phones for communication, learning, work, and income-generating activities, demonstrating adaptability and agency in navigating digital spaces. However, disparities between urban and rural areas, high data costs for low-income women, limited digital skills among older and rural women, and persistent gender gaps in smartphone ownership and internet use continue to restrict the full benefits of digital technologies.
The report highlights the need for coordinated, gender-responsive policy interventions — including improved infrastructure in underserved areas, more affordable data and devices, digital literacy initiatives in local languages, and targeted support for women’s professional and economic use of digital tools — to ensure that Ghana’s digital transformation delivers inclusive outcomes for women across different regions and life stages.
