This initiative uses evidence generation, thought leadership, and convening to ensure that digital interventions are impactful, accessible, scalable, and sustainable to all young people, especially adolescents are left behind in rural areas, indigenous communities, and minority groups. Through this initiative, we make existing evidence on adolescents’ digital technology use available and generate new data using mixed methods research in multiple settings reflecting varying levels of digital technology penetration. The strategic focus for this body of work will center marginalized, adolescent sub-populations and the voices of adolescents, especially those disadvantaged by gender inequity and influence programs and policies for girls in the digital space.
Why it Matters:
- The gendered digital divide is well-documented in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). We know less about the specific ways that digital access, opportunity, and risks play out for adolescent girls, boys, and non-binary adolescents.
- Evidence exists on inequitable access and digital skills.
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- For instance, UNICEF reports in low-income countries, pre-pandemic, 90 percent of adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) aged 15-24 were offline, versus to 78 percent of their male peers. Only 44 AGYW used the internet for every 100 adolescent boys and young men.
Approach:
What we are doing:
- Assessing the landscape of relevant organizations and initiatives and reviewing literature to identify evidence gaps.
- Scoping national digital technology policy.
- Networking and convening to promote coherence and advocate for adolescent-centered, evidence-informed research, policy, and programming.
- Generating new evidence to fill gaps on coverage and reach of digital interventions as well as adolescents’ digital technology use, especially in low-digital penetration settings, and others.
The Big Picture:
Given evidence that AGYW’s access to digital spaces reflects inequitable gender norms, the risk is high that advances in digital technology will leave many AGYW behind, exacerbating inequity. To reduce this risk, there is an urgent need for more evidence on adolescents’ use of and knowledge and attitudes about digital technology.
