New Study Highlights Digital Gender Gap in Government Services
A special issue of Information Polity, dedicated to Digital Government and Gender Differences, has been published. It delves into crucial topics such as gender and technology in governance, e-government service usage, and AI policy frameworks. The issue underscores the digital gender gap, with women 10% less likely than men to use the internet globally, including in the EU.
The special issue highlights the persisting perception of technology as a male-dominated field, calling for a broader gender perspective. Integrating a gender perspective in designing public services can help assess women's needs and prevent gender biases in emerging fields like AI.
Currently, the digital gender gap in e-government research and practice has been largely overlooked. Future research should explore how inequalities impact women's adoption and use of digital government services, and how this affects their quality of life. While most studies have focused on women's adoption of technology, deeper insights into the impact on their quality of life are needed. Further research could also focus on gender-based use of different technologies and participation in technology-based initiatives.
The Special Issue of Information Polity on Digital Government and Gender Differences, while not specifying its guest editors, brings to light the urgent need to address the digital gender gap. It calls for a more comprehensive understanding of gender in technology and governance, and encourages further research to understand and improve women's access and use of digital government services.
