Pakistan’s Gender Gap in Mobile Phone Ownership: A Major Barrier to Financial Inclusion.

New Findex 2025 Data Shows Stark Divide in Smartphone Access Between Men and Women

The recently released Global Findex 2025 data reveals a striking gender disparity in mobile phone ownership in Pakistan — particularly in access to smartphones, a gateway to digital and financial services.
While Pakistan’s overall mobile ownership has increased, women remain significantly disadvantaged compared to men. The gender gap in smartphone ownership is even wider — posing a serious constraint on efforts to improve financial inclusion, digital literacy, and women’s participation in the formal economy.

A Regional Outlier

Perhaps most concerning is that Pakistan lags behind even Sub-Saharan Africa, where despite lower average incomes and infrastructural challenges, the gender gap in mobile and smartphone ownership is narrower. This makes Pakistan an outlier — not just economically, but culturally and structurally.

Underlying Causes: A Cultural and Economic Mix

Research and field surveys indicate that this disparity stems from a combination of:

Low female labor force participation: With few women engaged in formal work outside the home, smartphones are perceived as a “non-essential” investment.

Cultural restrictions: Surveys, including those by Gallup Pakistan, have shown that a lack of permission — from male family members — is a common reason cited by women for not owning a mobile phone.
Affordability: Even when access is not culturally restricted, women often lack control over finances to purchase or upgrade to smartphones.

Implications for Policy
Unless this structural barrier is addressed, Pakistan will struggle to improve outcomes in digital finance, women’s economic empowerment, and access to services that rely on mobile technology.