Women's Economic Empowerment Through Access to Mobile Internet

Abstract

This research investigates the impact of mobile Internet usage on economic empowerment of rural women in Morocco. Data were gathered from 37 women in a rural area near the metropolis of Casablanca. Results show a high adoption rate of mobile internet among the surveyed women. However, the survey indicates that women in this sample have rudimentary smartphone usage. Their usage was primarily limited to basic communication such as calls and messages. Very few used their devices for online selling, job searching, and accessing public services or educational resources. Additionally, 90% of respondents reported not generating any income through their smartphones. The remaining 10% occasionally managed to sell homemade goods online. Consequently, favorable policies are needed to enhance digital skills and knowledge of rural women to guarantee their access to the full potential of using technologies.