The internet and mobile telephony: implications for women's development and empowerment in Zambia

This presentation of the author’s research concentrates on two ICTs, the internet and mobile phones, to discuss social and economic development as well as empowerment aspects or lack therefore resulting from the use and access of these two particular ICTs in Zambia.It highlights the fact that with the perceived social and economic development that such ICTs might bring comes to some extent continued subordination of women and therefore reinforcement of traditional gender stereotypes.

Key points:

• In Africa, the impact of the internet is disproportionately greater than its speed.

• The internet offers more potential for knowledge than mobile phones

• Some social and economic challenges include lack of knowledge of ICTs, infrastructure, maintenance, costs and awareness levels

• Although it is true that increased use of mobile phones in Zambia has brought about some degree of freedom for some women in terms of networking, the opposite might be true for others.

• This is especially true in the private sphere where some women face a degree of social strife such as physical abuse from their spouses due to their use of mobile phones.
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