Who’s got the phone? Gender and the use of the telephone at the bottom of the pyramid

Zainudeen, Ayesha; Iqbal, Tahani; Samarajiva, Rohan

doi:10.1177/1461444809346721

Cited by 46 publications

(35 citation statements)

References 21 publications

(36 reference statements)

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“…The first theme relates to transformative influences on gender relations, representing positive relational changes which empower women as well as negative relational changes brought by gender-based tensions [11,13,16,33]. The second theme relates to non-transformative influences on gender relations, representing ways in which participation in mobile health interventions perpetuate rather than challenge gendered-based inequalities [11,12,16,34]. …”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Influence of mhealth interventions on gender relations in developing countries: a systematic literature review

Jennings

Gagliardi

2013

Int J Equity Health

104

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IntroductionResearch has shown that mHealth initiatives, or health programs enhanced by mobile phone technologies, can foster women’s empowerment. Yet, there is growing concern that mobile-based programs geared towards women may exacerbate gender inequalities.MethodsA systematic literature review was conducted to examine the empirical evidence of changes in men and women’s interactions as a result of mHealth interventions. To be eligible, studies had to have been published in English from 2002 to 2012, conducted in a developing country, included an evaluation of a mobile health intervention, and presented findings on resultant dynamics between women and men. The search strategy comprised four electronic bibliographic databases in addition to a manual review of the reference lists of relevant articles and a review of organizational websites and journals with recent mHealth publications. The methodological rigor of selected studies was appraised by two independent reviewers who also abstracted data on the study’s characteristics. Iterative thematic analyses were used to synthesize findings relating to gender-transformative and non-transformative experiences.ResultsOut of the 173 articles retrieved for review, seven articles met the inclusion criteria and were retained in the final analysis. Most mHealth interventions were SMS-based and conducted in sub-Saharan Africa on topics relating to HIV/AIDS, sexual and reproductive health, health-based microenterprise, and non-communicable diseases. Several methodological limitations were identified among eligible quantitative and qualitative studies. The current literature suggests that mobile phone programs can influence gender relations in meaningfully positive ways by providing new modes for couple’s health communication and cooperation and by enabling greater male participation in health areas typically targeted towards women. MHealth initiatives also increased women’s decision-making, social status, and access to health resources. However, programmatic experiences by design may inadvertently reinforce the digital divide, and perpetuate existing gender-based power imbalances. Domestic disputes and lack of spousal approval additionally hampered women’s participation.ConclusionEfforts to scale-up health interventions enhanced by mobile technologies should consider the implementation and evaluation imperative of ensuring that mHealth programs transform rather than reinforce gender inequalities. The evidence base on the effect of mHealth interventions on gender relations is weak, and rigorous research is urgently needed.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Influence of mhealth interventions on gender relations in developing countries: a systematic literature review

Jennings

Gagliardi

2013

Int J Equity Health

104

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“…Also, concerning the general ICT adoption and use, several authors argue that women face a level of inequity when it comes to the access and use of ICTs (Hilbert, 2011;Zainudeen et al, 2010). For this reason, calls have been made for policies that will ensure equity for women in ICT adoption and usage.…”

Section: 3mentioning

confidence: 99%

Alignment of Human Competencies with Mobile Phone Technology and Business Strategies by Women‐LED SMEs in South Africa

Ajumobi

Kyobe

2017

E J Info Sys Dev Countries

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Women-led SMEs are faced with challenges that inhibit the performance of their businesses. By aligning their human competencies, mobile phone technology and the appropriate business strategy, they can steer their businesses to better performance. However, there is a scarcity of studies providing insight into how they can achieve this. Given the existence of the interplay between human competencies, mobile technology and business strategy, the perspective of alignment as Gestalts was adopted to determine the best way women-led SMEs may align these three aspects. Data was collected from 70 women-led SMEs in four provinces in South Africa and analysed using cluster analysis. Of the four clusters that emerged, one performed highly. This study contributes to theory by showing the value of Gestalts theory in assessing the configuration and patterns of organisational variables; and to practice, by providing insight into ways women-led SMEs can combine these three variables to achieve high business performance.

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“…Number of mobile phones: while mobile phones represent a medium for effective agricultural extension services, existing literature highlights a relative difference between men's and women's access and use. For example, there is a strong gender divide in access in India and Pakistan, yet no significant difference in the Philippines and Thailand, where mobile phones are more prevalent (Zainudeen et al 2010). In terms of mobile phone use, men typically use mobile phones as a symbol of social status, while women use them as instrument of expression and sociability (Plant 2001).…”

Section: Surveymentioning

confidence: 99%

Gender influences decisions to change land use practices in the tropical forest margins of Jambi, Indonesia

Villamor

Amaruzaman

Noordwijk

2013

Mitig Adapt Strateg Glob Change

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This study explores the role of gender as a factor in decision making about alternative land use options and in responses to new investment opportunities, which has received little attention to date. An observational study to determine the different factors affecting male and female decisions to change land use at the individual level in a forest margin landscape in Jambi (Sumatra, Indonesia) was combined with a set of role playing games (RPGs) designed to assess participant responses in a simulated social setting of women-only and men-only groups. The RPG included simulated agents offering new opportunities to convert or conserve agroforest. In the study area, rubber (Hevea braziliensis) agroforests that support high biodiversity and carbon storage are giving way to monoculture rubber and oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) plantations. When women from both the upland and lowland villages played the RPGs, external investors proposing logging or oil palm conversion were approached very positively and the resulting land use change was more dynamic and extensive than in the equivalent men-only groups. Consequently, women outperformed men in achieving income targets. In lowland areas gender is strongly associated with land use change, while in the uplands the level of conservation awareness plays a more crucial role in the maintenance of rubber agroforests. Based on the data, and contrary to expectations and gender stereotypes, it is expected that the greater involvement of women in landscape level decision making will increase emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in the area, posing further challenges to efforts to reduce such emissions.

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Who’s got the phone? Gender and the use of the telephone at the bottom of the pyramid

Cited by 46 publications

References 21 publications

Influence of mhealth interventions on gender relations in developing countries: a systematic literature review

Influence of mhealth interventions on gender relations in developing countries: a systematic literature review

Alignment of Human Competencies with Mobile Phone Technology and Business Strategies by Women‐LED SMEs in South Africa

Gender influences decisions to change land use practices in the tropical forest margins of Jambi, Indonesia

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