2.6 billion people globally remain offline, with women and girls making up the majority. According to ITU’s Facts and Figures 2024, 70% of men use the Internet compared to 65% of women, resulting in 189 million more men online. The gap is slowly narrowing but remains especially wide in least developed countries, where only 29% of women have internet access.
Several developments in 2024 supported greater digital access. Global 5G coverage surpassed 2 billion users, improving connectivity for education and economic participation. In India, the telecom sector reached 1.2 billion subscribers, and initiatives like Jan Dhan Plus helped 12 million women access digital financial services, increasing savings by 50%. Research into 6G technology in early 2025 also suggests future improvements in connectivity.
However, challenges persist. Women still face online harassment, algorithmic bias, and hold only 26% of tech leadership roles globally, as reported by the 2024 Global Gender Gap Report.
World Telecommunication and Information Society Day 2025 will feature programs such as ITU160 Gender Champions, which brings nine young women to Geneva to contribute to digital policy discussions, and the Network of Women Ministers and Leaders in ICT, which will launch a platform to support inclusive tech governance.
Reducing the gender digital divide could boost global GDP by $1 trillion, particularly by empowering women in low- and middle-income countries. World Telecommunication and Information Society Day 2025 is a call to action to support equal digital access, promote digital literacy, and create safe online spaces for women and girls.