Section 3 | RULES OF THE GAME FEE-BASED PUBLIC INTERNET ACCESS POINTS As discussed above, the technology ecosystem currently includes very few free public access points via government institutions such as schools and public libraries (see section 2.3). Rather, cyber cafes, telecenters,236 and tea houses are important for the urban poor; notably, they are not considered female-friendly due to gender norms governing appropriate public spaces and digital security concerns. Not all offer digital skills training or have trained staff. ICT TRAINING INSTITUTES AND BOOTCAMPS Urban centers offer a range of private ICT-skills training options, including intense short courses known as bootcamps. For example, the KMD training company has a countrywide network of private institutes offering short- and long-term in-person ICT courses. In Yangon, “Skills differences are especially marked for poorer women who cannot afford ICT training. The only places for them to learn digital skills are male-dominated internet cafes where they feel uncomfortable.” —Urban CSO representative enrollment figures are approximately 5,000 per month in short courses and 2,000 per year in year-long courses (professional/advanced). In Taunggyi, KMD offers only basic ICT skills such as office productivity software (e.g., Microsoft Office); students who desire advanced training must travel to Yangon or Mandalay. While KMD does not collect sex-disaggregated data on students, key informants noted that their hardware courses (such as networking) are male-dominated, whereas more women pursue short-term courses (such as graphic design). This gender divide was reflected in the staff: although most of KMD’s instructors are female, only two of the networking/hardware training courses offered in Yangon are taught by women. Interestingly, when asked to explain the difference, one key informant claimed it was not due to differences in skill level. Rather, young men have aspirations for ICT technician careers that often require travel, while most female students prefer to learn software for office jobs—echoing gender norms around public and private space and expectations of women’s availability to perform unpaid household labor (see section 2.2 above). “The unstructured business environment creates an unpredictable atmosphere for any business to operate. From creating unscheduled appointments to highvalue verbal deals done without a contract, doing business in Myanmar really depends on [the] mood of key decision makers, not the processes and policies. This creates both opportunities and challenges, but as we try to create a business environment for international investors, these will have to be changed.” —Codeboratory leader Kaung Sitt 236 MIDO plans to increase its network to 200. Ending the Gender Digital Divide in Myanmar: A Problem-Driven Political Economy Assessment | 70