We use the internet for work, education, connecting with family and friends, shopping, and even going to the doctor or getting information about our health - including our sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). We see this increasing trend of getting SRHR information globally, including in the MENA region, especially during the pandemic. In a UNFPA study of Palestinian youth, most respondents said their sources of SRHR information were from digital platforms and social media. In our baseline survey, 89% of respondents believed that the internet/social media is the primary source of SRHR information.

It's no surprise that more and more people are turning to the internet to get information about SRHR. Doing so can help ensure confidentiality and privacy, which reduces the stigma some face when accessing SRHR information and services in person. In MENA, using the internet for SRHR can also help overcome other barriers like cost, human resources, and travel time (UNICEF). Barriers to accessing SRHR and other health services in person has only become more relevant with COVID-19. In our 2021 online survey in the MENA region, we found that respondents had an increased awareness of online SRHR platforms demonstrating the opportunity of reaching people in the region with digital tools and the internet.

43% of women globally don’t have internet access.

When women can’t get online, it means they are missing out on all the opportunities the internet has to offer, including access to SRHR information and services. The digital gender gap is a global issue, but the MENA region has the widest gap, with a 12% difference between men and women’s internet use.

Women aren’t online for many reasons, but gender inequality is at the heart of the digital gender gap. That’s why we see the gap affecting women, particularly women with low incomes and less education.

Many women aren’t online because they can’t afford to be. Due to the gender wage gap, women earn 77 cents for each dollar a man does. That means if it took a man 1 month of wages to buy a smartphone, a woman would have to work 10 extra days to purchase the same device (A4FI, 2021).

In our online survey in the MENA region, affordability was listed as a barrier to online access as many families cannot afford increasing prices for not only internet packages, but also electricity. The result is that women are 20% less likely to own a smartphone compared to men. When women do own mobile phones, their devices often do not support internet use. Women’s mobile phone ownership is significant for their access to the internet because mobile phones are the way most people get online.

Inequalities in education for men and women also contribute to the digital gender divide. Gender gaps in literacy are a global issue. In the Arab states, 80% of adult men can read compared to 66% of women.

Social norms around gender discourage women from being online. For example, women's husbands, fathers or brothers may prevent or restrict women from accessing digital tools and the internet.

It’s time to close the digital gender gap, but just having access doesn’t mean women can freely access SRHR information. Women must have a meaningful connection to online spaces. A meaningful connection is when a person can use the internet daily, on an appropriate device, with enough data, and a fast connection.

We think a meaningful connection also means that when women do go online, they don’t experience gender-based violence either. Too many women around the world face abuse and harassment online, and too often social media companies do not remove this harmful content. In the Arab states, 49% of women internet users reported feeling unsafe from online harassment.

Having a private connection also impacts women’s access to SRHR information online. Women are less likely to own their own mobile phone, which means they may borrow or share with others, reducing their privacy to search for personal SRHR information (GSMA, 2020; UNICEF, 2021). Our online survey also showed that security and privacy concerns were barriers to accessing SRHR online, with many participants responding they didn’t feel comfortable or safe discussing SRHR issues online.

When we have accurate SRHR information, we can make informed decisions about our bodies, our health, and our future. That’s why everyone must have multiple ways to get this information, including online. Having accurate knowledge of family planning and maternal health means healthier parents and babies. Menstrual health awareness reduces reproductive tract infections. When it comes to reproductive cancers, like cervical and breast cancer, knowing when to get tested saves lives.

Bridging the digital gender gap and ensuring SRHR for all has a positive impact not just on ourselves, but on our family, community, and society too. Did you know countries have lost out on $1 trillion in GDP due to women’s exclusion in the digital world? In 2020 alone, the loss to GDP was $126 billion! Everyone benefits from bridging the digital gender gap and ensuring SRHR for all.

It’s time to close the gap and ensure a meaningful internet connection for all.

Masarouna is calling for governments and tech companies to address gender inequality, the underlying cause of the digital gender gap.

Governments also need to invest more in inclusive digital policy that connects women to the internet and adopts the meaningful connectivity target as a minimum threshold for access.

We are also calling for more accountability and transparency from governments and tech companies when it comes to content moderation and censorship of SRHR-related information.

Lastly, governments and tech companies need to protect users’ privacy and prevent online abuse and harassment.

Young people in MENA are powerful forces of change. That’s why Masarouna mobilizes the power of young people so they can enjoy their SRHR.

Masarouna works on increasing access to SRHR information by producing youth-friendly SRHR resources in local languages, creating safe online and offline spaces for young people to discuss SRHR, and monitoring human rights violations online. We also work with our partners to increase our digital skills and advocate for digital SRHR rights, including online censorship of SRHR content. Our work on digital rights is also connected to our civic space work. Together with feminist activists and organizations, young people, and academics, we research the intersection between gender, technology, and online civic space. Our research informs our program interventions, and we use this research to inform our work.