ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s mobile internet gender gap narrowed dramatically from 25 percent to just 8 percent, while the mobile ownership gender gap narrowed from 37 percent to 27 percent, the largest improvement among the 14 low- and middle-income countries, says GSMA Mobile Gender Gap Report 2026.
Telecom Operators’ Association (TOA) Chairman Aamir Ibrahim welcomed the findings of the GSMA Mobile Gender Gap Report 2026, which show that Pakistan recorded the largest improvement among all countries surveyed in narrowing the mobile ownership gender gap and one of the most significant reductions in the mobile internet gender gap globally.
Speaking at the launch of the report hosted by TOA, Ibrahim described the findings as evidence that sustained collaboration across government, regulators, mobile operators, development partners, and civil society could help accelerate progress in closing longstanding gender gaps in digital access.
According to the report, Pakistan reduced its mobile ownership gender gap from 37 percent in 2024 to 27 percent in 2025, the largest improvement among the 14 low- and middle-income countries surveyed. The countries included Bangladesh, India, Ethiopia, Nigeria, and Mexico.
The report also showed that Pakistan’s mobile internet gender gap narrowed dramatically from 25 percent to just 8 percent in a single year. Women’s mobile internet usage increased from 45 percent to 53 percent, while usage among men remained relatively stable at 58 percent.
“Pakistan’s progress shows what is possible when government, regulators, industry, and development partners work toward a shared objective,” Ibrahim said.
“Reducing the mobile internet gender gap from 25 percent to 8 percent in a single year is not just a telecommunications milestone – it is a development milestone. Every woman who comes online gains access to information, opportunity, financial services, and a greater ability to participate in the economy.”
Ibrahim said the results reflected years of focused efforts to expand women’s access to mobile and internet services across Pakistan.
Smartphone ownership showed similar progress, with the gender gap declining from 48 percent to 30 percent, while the proportion of women owning smartphones increased from 30 percent to 40 percent. Male smartphone ownership stood at 57 percent.
While welcoming the progress, Ibrahim said the findings also highlighted areas that required continued attention.
“Usage is moving much closer to equality, but further work is required to narrow the gap completely,” he said. “Many women still rely on borrowing a phone from a male family member to get online. Closing that ownership gap must be the next priority.”
The report noted that approximately 47 million women in Pakistan still did not use mobile internet. It also found that 28 percent of female mobile internet users relied exclusively on someone else’s phone to access the internet, compared to just 4 percent of men.
“Whether through installment plans or lower device costs, we need to find ways to increase smartphone ownership among women,” Ibrahim said. “It has become increasingly clear that when people gain access to the internet, opportunities for education, income generation, financial services, and economic participation expand significantly.”
He added that for women, connectivity was increasingly becoming a gateway to financial inclusion, entrepreneurship, education, healthcare, and broader participation in the formal economy.
Ibrahim acknowledged the contributions of the government, the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority, mobile operators, and development partners in advancing efforts to reduce the gender gap in digital access.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026