Abstract

India has witnessed a phenomenal growth in the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) for development. The present study aims to examine the gender differentials in the awareness, access, exposure, experience and use of ICTs in rural areas of district Kangra of Himachal Pradesh, India. The study found extremely poor ownership of computers and broadband connectivity. Despite limited differentials in ownership of mobile phones, there were gender differentials in the mobile phone usage pattern as more men owned smart phones with internet connectivity (60 percent) whereas women owned ordinary phones with only 6 percent having internet connectivity. The study also indicated low awareness of ICT initiatives which was limited to only one or two programs and very poor use of the existing ICT initiatives especially by women as overall only 21 percent women and 57 percent men had used any of the ICT enabled initiatives. The study also has pointed out that the trickle down impact of modern technology is very limited due to poor digital literacy as well as gender-digital divide. All these constraints to the use of ICTs need to be addressed with special focus on women to bridge the gender gaps in ICT usage.