Technology: Friend or Foe for Women of Myanmar Executive Summary Information and communication technologies (ICTs) are powerful tools that can enhance coordination, networking, participation and advocacy within society and the quality of human life. Unfortunately, the benefits of ICTs are not evenly distributed due to several factors such as inadequacy of telecommunication infrastructure, affordability and differences in knowledge/skills including digital literacy. These differences are further exacerbated by structural inequalities and the digital gender divide making women less likely to benefit from ICTs. Systematic gender biases are evident in three ways: i) women are rarely involved in the needs assessment of ICTs for development; ii) attitudes that high-end information technology is ‘not for women’ who are still “consumers” or passive recipients of information and not seen to be information users/communicators; and (iii) there is considerable delay in addressing the limitations faced by women in accessing information (Hambly, 2005). These factors have been proven to be true for women in Myanmar, as well. According to the 2018 digital gender gap audit report of the Myanmar ICT for Development Organization (MIDO, 2018), women in Myanmar were 28% less likely to own a mobile phone than men. The audit also acknowledged the limitations of understanding the digital gender divide in Myanmar, as sex-disaggregated statistics/data on internet use was, and still is, almost impossible to find, and gender issues have not been articulated in the country’s internet-related legislations and policies. This study on “Technology: Friend or Foe for Women of Myanmar” serves as an introductory overview of the implications of the military’s digital repression on women’s rights and gender equality in Myanmar, while acknowledging and measuring the benefits ICTs have brought for women and women’s rights organizations in the country. Quantitative and qualitative data collection for the study was undertaken in February 2023 through an online survey and key informant interviews (KIIs). The survey was conducted via Google Forms and utilized the Convenience Sampling Method and Snowball Sampling Method to mitigate the security risks imposed on the participants - a total of 175 individuals. Twelve people working on women’s rights and digital rights in various capacities were interviewed for the KIIs to ensure a comprehensive range of perspectives. 6