According to Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) statistics, men continue to dominate in the mobile broadband sector, though women are catching up in social media and mobile banking.
In the past four years, the number of male mobile broadband users has increased by 21%, while female users grew by 12%, bringing their total share to 33%. In online banking, male usage increased by 26%, while female participation grew by 13%.
On social media platforms such as Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram, men continue to lead, while women remain behind. The report highlights that societal norms and the requirement for national identity cards have hindered women’s broadband usage. However, there has been noticeable growth in women’s participation in social media and digital banking.
According to PTA, the number of broadband users has increased, with the male share growing by 21% over the last four years, and subscriber rates now nearing 100%. On Facebook, 76% of users are men, while 24% are women. The gender gap is 68% on Facebook, 59% on YouTube, 71% on TikTok, and 41% on Instagram.
The report recommends making smartphones more affordable and encouraging the use of digital services among women.
