Technology: Friend or Foe for Women of Myanmar - is as follows: 28% of the respondents are from Yangon, 9.71% from Kachin State, 8.57% from Shan State, 8% from Sagaing Region and Tanintharyi Region, 6.24% from Mandalay Region, 4.57% from Karen State, 3.43% from Mon State, Bago Region and Magway Region, and 2.86% from Irrawaddy Region. Respondents who are based outside of Myanmar constituted 13.71% of the total. Since the research team had to opt for an online survey to collect data, they encountered some limitations in reaching out to women who reside in internet/mobile network shutdown areas such as Karenni/ Kayah State, Chin State and Rakhine State. Despite the limitations caused by the risks inherent to Myanmar’s political instability, the survey succeeded in acquiring responses from individuals of diverse backgrounds in terms of age, sexual orientation, marital status, income, education level and profession. Our respondents’ high education levels, heightened digital risk awareness and internet use habits are not representative of Myanmar women, but it can also offer a great insight into the online habits and behavior of women’s rights activists and the challenges faced by them in the digital space. The detailed demographic data of survey respondents can be found in Annex 2. Findings 3.1. Internet accessibility, usage and device ownership Myanmar has a history of internet blockages and disruptions, but until February 2021, internet shutdowns mainly targeted conflict-affected areas such as Rakhine and Chin States. These states had suffered 19 months of internet and (at times) telecommunications shutdowns between 2019 June and 2021 February that violated their population’s rights to information and impeded their access to humanitarian aid. Since February 2021, the entire country is experiencing access restrictions to the internet, social media platforms such as Facebook and virtual private networks (VPNs). 16

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