Executive Summary Efforts to reduce barriers to meaningful access to ICT and internet for rural, based ICT coverage, not gender equality. Pragmatically, the recommendations hinge upon The ICT Sector Working Group comprises development partners, the Government, the Myanmar Computer Federation, Myanmar Development Resources Institute, Myanmar IT for Development Organization (MIDO) and the Myanmar Centre for Responsible Business (MCRB).” this interest. —MCRB 2015 ethnic, and very poor populations should also accommodate the specific needs and priorities of women and girls. A key finding is that access to ICTs in Myanmar at the aggregate level is more strongly associated with non-gender-related aspects of digital disparities such as geography and age. Lack of reliable and affordable access is primarily a barrier for the 17 percent of households that do not own a phone.13 While gender-based differences in access do exist for this group, the key stakeholders currently expanding “last mile” connectivity in isolated and/or conflictaffected areas and for the very poor are incentivized to maximize territorial and population- Prioritize Equitable Access in Ongoing Infrastructure Investments: The ICT Sector Working Group should serve as a focal point to develop high-level government capacity to ensure equitable access for all, most urgently to champion the expansion of policy language in the draft Universal Service Fund (USF) strategy and draft ICT Master Plan 2016–2020 to reflect the needs of vulnerable groups as well as underserved geographies and market segments. To this end, the Working Group should host non-ICT-sector digital divide allies to leverage parallel initiatives that also include (at least in part) digital access for vulnerable groups. At a minimum, this includes the Ministry of Education’s ICT Incentive Plan within ü QUICK WIN The ICT Sector Working Group should sponsor translation into Burmese of the World Bank’s the National Education Strategic Plan. UN Women could lead discussions on Checklist for the Planning, Design harmonizing priorities articulated in these documents with existing government and Implementation of an ICT commitments under CEDAW.14 For example, national and international Project Incorporating Gender commitments to equitable access to education and information can be translated Issues and distribute copies to into USF earmarks for female-friendly public-access computer venues like libraries and schools in conflict-affected and rural areas where the private sector lacks all ministerial ICT focal points. profit-based incentives. Leverage Political Momentum Behind the Peace Process: Efforts to prioritize closure of the gender digital divide must underscore the divide’s relevance to the administration’s most pressing problem, thus tapping into the powerful forces incentivized to achieve a lasting peace. Specifically, INGO and CSO advocates of equitable development in conflict-affected areas should provide evidence-based case studies of the peace dividends of expanded ICT access to peace process participants on both sides of the table, such as ICT-related employment or TVET opportunities for demobilized combatants or women-headed households that contribute to a more skilled local workforce. Such benefits present win-win negotiating points where they align local socioeconomic needs with government and private-sector drivers of “last mile” investments for universal coverage. According to research from 2016, 83 percent of households and 61 percent of individuals over age fifteen owned a mobile phone. Phone sharing is common within households, and women are twice as likely to use a shared device. Galpaya et al., Mobile Phones, Internet, Information and Knowledge. 14 The NSPAW 2016–2021 lacks both funding and an implementation plan to operationalize its objectives, making it an unlikely vehicle to make progress on closing the gender digital divide. 13 Ending the Gender Digital Divide in Myanmar: A Problem-Driven Political Economy Assessment | 6