GENDER AND DIGITAL DEVELOPMENT KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT NOTE 6 GENDER AND DIGITAL DEVELOPMENT IN THAILAND Introduction Gender and Digital Development The wave of digital transformation has swept across Worldwide, gender gaps in the digital domain persist the globe, with its pace significantly accelerated across various fronts. The recent World Bank Digital by the COVID-19 pandemic, which expedited the Development Note on Gender Equality3 pinpoints adoption of digital technologies by several years1. the following key issues: (i) Digital Infrastructure, However, this rapid digital metamorphosis is not which includes physical, social, and economic factors without the risk of escalating gender inequality. influencing digital access, such as affordability, The digital divide, defined as “the distinction usage, literacy, and social norms; (ii) Digital Public between those who have access to and can utilize Platforms, where many women across different digital communication services and those who are countries still face obstacles in obtaining digital excluded from these services”, exhibits a gendered national identification, leading to restricted access aspect. This gender digital divide “reflects the to public platforms and services; (iii) Digital Financial inequalities between men and women in Services; (iv) Digital Business, where female terms of access to and usage of digital digital entrepreneurs often encounter barriers and technology”2. This document offers an overview constraints similar to those in other sectors, such of the gender equality issues in digital development as difficulties in fundraising, restrictive social norms, in Thailand, drawing on a literature review, initial and challenges in balancing business, family, and findings from research conducted in Udon Thani well-being; (v) Digital Skills, encompassing gender province in 2022, and findings and recommendations gaps in ICT skills and women’s participation in from the 2023 Adult Skills Assessment in Thailand STEM education and careers; (vi) Online Safety (ASAT). and Security, which exposes women and girls with low levels of digital literacy to a range of online gender-based violence; (vii) Social Norms, referring to restrictive social norms and biases that affect the 1 McKinsey. (2020). How COVID-19 has pushed companies over the technology tipping point and transformed business forever. digital skills and participation of women and girls; 2 USAID. (2020). The Gender Digital Divide Primer. 3 World Bank. (2021). Accelerating Gender Equality in Digital Development. GENDER AND DIGITAL DEVELOPMENT (viii) Algorithmic Bias, which can inadvertently lower than for men, barring the use of computers perpetuate existing human biases in data if not (desktops, laptops, and tablets). properly addressed; (ix) Lack of Sex-Disaggregated data and research on the gender digital divide in Table 1: ICT Usage numerous countries. ICT Usage Urban Rural Thailand Digital Policy Male Female Male Female Thailand harbors ambitious plans for digital Mobile 96% 95.5% 94.3% 93.7% development. In 2016, the Thailand 4.0 initiative Phone was launched with the goal of fostering a ‘digital Internet 84.7% 82.5% 74.3% 72.0% economy and society’, aiming to transition the economy to a technology-driven and value-based Computer 31.9% 33.5% 20.0% 22.3% model4. The 20-Year Digital Economy and Society Source: NSO (2020) Development Plan (2017-2036) was established to steer the country’s long-term digitalization efforts, focusing on six strategies: (i) constructing Field research carried out in nine rural villages of a country-wide high-capacity digital infrastructure; Udon Thani province by Rajabhat University in 2022 (ii) invigorating the economy with digital technology; yielded initial findings indicating adequate access to (iii) cultivating a high-quality and equitable society mobile phones and internet services for both men through digital technology; (iv) transitioning into a and women. However, these findings also pointed digital government; (v) developing a workforce for out a deficiency in digital skills, which hampers the the digital era; (vi) establishing trust and confidence full utilization of income-enhancing opportunities in the usage of digital technology, which includes the and other potential benefits of the digital economy. development of standards, rules, regulations, and Key initial findings include: laws5. The establishment of the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society in 2016 further emphasized • While over 85% of adult women own a mobile Thailand’s commitment to digital development, phone, only about 10% of women own or use a supporting the growth of the digital economy and computer. The use of computers among women formulating policies to attract digital businesses. is primarily limited to students or government workers. Despite robust efforts in digital development, • The government’s Village Broadband Internet Thailand has encountered challenges related to (Net Pracharat) was installed in seven out of the digital inequalities, such as the urban-rural divide in nine surveyed villages. However, usage remains digital infrastructure, where most investments, such limited due to unstable signals and limited reach. as smart cities and digital parks, remain concentrated A majority of villagers (90%) opt for home Wi-Fi in urban areas. Additionally, a pronounced digital or mobile internet. divide exists across different age groups, mirroring • Most villagers can use basic applications on a global trend. mobile phones, including LINE, YouTube, Facebook, and online shopping applications like Lazada and Shopee. However, there is a Gender and Digital in Thailand noticeable lack of digital skills training, which restricts villagers from harnessing the potential Access and Use. A household survey of digital technology for economic opportunities, conducted in 20206 on the use of Information and such as participating in e-commerce or online Communications Technology (ICT) in Thailand skill training. revealed that ICT usage for women was marginally • The custom application from the Ministry of 4 Bukht, R., & Heeks, R. (2018). Development Implications of Digital Economies. Public Health (MOPH), used by village health Centre for Development Informatics, Global Development Institute, SEED. 5 Ministry of Information and Communication Technology. (2017). Digital volunteers, serves as a good practice example Thailand: Thailand Digital Economy and Society Development Plan. of rural digital implementation programs. 6 National Statistical Office & Ministry of Digital Economy and Society. (2020). The ITU Indicators from the 2020 Household Survey on the use of Information Predominantly female volunteers can effectively and Communication Technology. GENDER AND DIGITAL DEVELOPMENT 2 (i) receive updated health-related information; is significantly larger than in formal employment (ii) send village-level health data to the Ministry; where the average wage gap is approximately 4%. (iii) communicate with other volunteers, doctors, local hospitals, and relevant health agencies. Compared to those in formal employment, women The MOPH implemented extensive coaching to in informal employment typically have lower levels ensure all volunteers can use the application. of education and are concentrated in low-skilled jobs. Digital development has been identified as a Women in ICT. In the ICT profession, among critical factor in economically empowering women the 473,462 ICT workforce in Thailand in 2020, in the informal sector10. men represented a higher percentage (64.7%) than women (35.3%). The nature of participation in ICT According to the 2019 ICT survey, despite men work varies by gender: men predominantly engage and women having roughly equal access to mobile in sales and technical roles, while women are devices and the internet, internet usage was concentrated in sales and services (see Table 2). notably higher for women in formal employment (88%) compared to women in informal employment Table 2: Types of ICT Work (69%)11 .The largest group of informal workers consists of home-based workers who subcontract work to be done at home. Home-based work is a Types of ICT Work Male Female more significant source of employment for women (%) (%) than men. While digital technology offers potential Software Development 14.7 8.4 for economic empowerment, the following concerns were outlined in a study titled ‘Women Homeworkers Network and data 6.6 5.1 in Thailand’s Digital Economy’12: Technical and helpdesk 17.9 7.7 • Invisibility of women: Home-workers, such as subcontractors or waged-homeworkers, are ICT communication 3.5 0.7 largely ‘invisible’ in the production process. They are often not seen as primary users of Sales and Services 57.3 78.2 technology and thus have limited opportunities Source: NSO (2020) to acquire or enhance digital skills. • Masculine culture of technology: There The existing gender gap in STEM education may are factors that hinder women from using and contribute to the lower participation of women in mastering technology. However, the situation in the technology industry. The enrollment of female Thailand has significantly improved, particularly students in STEM education has consistently been in terms of women gaining access to ICT. lower than that of male students, with women • Domestic work burden: The division of labor accounting for only around 30.1% of STEM within households primarily falls on women. graduates at the university level7. Unless domestic work responsibilities are shared, women will continue to bear the double Gender and Digital in the Informal burden of domestic work and economic activities. Introducing ICT usage without addressing this Sector issue may increase, rather than reduce, the burdens and responsibilities of homeworkers. Over half of Thailand’s workforce is engaged in the informal sector8,9. The distribution of male and 10 Hearle, D., Baden, S., & Kalsi, N. (2019). Promoting Economic Empowerment for Women in the Informal Economy. female informal workers shows little difference 11 Sasiwimon Paweenawat (2002). Gender and Informal Employment. (men at 52.7%, women at 51.2%); however, the 12 Intaratat, N. (2016). Women Homeworkers in Thailand’s Digital Economy. wage gap in informal employment is at 10%, which 7 World Bank. (2022). Gender data. 8 Paweenawat, S. (2002). Gender and Informal Employment. 9 Department of Labor Protections and Welfare. (2018). Informal workers are workers who are not protected by labor protection and social security laws equivalent to formal workers. In S. Paweenawat (Ed.), Gender and Informal Employment. GENDER AND DIGITAL DEVELOPMENT 3 Adults Skills Assessment to evaluate the digital and other foundational skills necessary for success in the labor market. The As Thailand strives towards its strategic vision, findings, regrettably, highlight a pronounced skills Thailand 4.0, it faces a significant challenge in deficit. This shortfall is mainly concentrated among digital skills development. Despite the government’s individuals over 40, those lacking higher education, commitment to prioritize foundational skills as residents of rural areas, and inhabitants from the an essential aspect of economic and social Northern and Southern regions of Thailand. In development, a considerable deficit in these skills, economic terms, this deficit accounted for 1.4% of particularly digital skills, is evident among a large Thailand’s GDP in 202213, emphasizing the urgent segment of the population. The first large-scale need to address this issue. assessment of adult skills in Thailand conducted in 13 World Bank, Equitable Education Fund (EEF), & Thammasat University. (2022). Fostering Foundational Skills in Thailand: From a Skills Crisis to a 2022, ASAT, focused on six demographic groups Learning Society. Figure 13: Targeted Demographic Groups (ASAT 2022) Men below age Women below age Men below age Women below age Men at or Women at or 40 without college 40 without college 40 with college 40 with college above 40 above 40 The report identified four population subgroups without tertiary education, young men without particularly lacking in foundational skills, leading to tertiary education, older women, and older men. sub-optimal labor market outcomes: young women Figure 14: Proportion of youth and adults below the threshold levels of foundational skills, by demographic group (ASAT 2022) 90 Older women 80 Older men 70 Young men without tertiary education 60 Young women without tertiary education 50 Young men with tertiary education 40 Young women with tertiary education 30 Source: Miyamoto and Sarzosa (2023) 20 10 0 Literacy Digital Skills Socio-Emotional Socio-Emotional Skills (engage) Skills (explore) The assessment revealed that those deficient in levels of digital skills. Similarly, young women and foundational literacy and digital skills are primarily men without tertiary education displayed high young adults without tertiary education and older proportions of individuals below the threshold levels adults. 84.5% of older women and 85.8% of older of digital skills, at 63.1% and 68.9%, respectively. men had proportions of adults below the threshold GENDER AND DIGITAL DEVELOPMENT 4 Moving forward in closing the digital Specific recommendations for Women gender divide Homeworkers in Lampang, Chiangrai, and Srisakate, focusing on the challenges in ICT Digital progress should be coupled with efforts to usage: reduce digital inequality gaps. In Thailand, gender gaps persist in digital development. Although the • The need for digital skills training: While gender divide in access to digital technology is homeworkers have some access to online relatively narrow, challenges remain for women ICT resources, there is still a need for training, to fully participate in the potentials of the digital particularly with a curriculum tailored to economy. home-based learners. Incorporating gender considerations into the content and delivery of training, and providing flexible scheduling for To address these gender gaps in digital women home-based workers, is encouraged. development, potential areas of focus might • Peer training and networking at the community level: Establishing peer training and include: networking opportunities within the community can support ongoing learning and the application • Addressing gender in national digital policies of ICT skills. and strategies: Implementing digital policies could help bridge remaining and emerging • ICT training for business development: Enhancing understanding of ICT usage gender digital divides in areas such as women’s for community and business advancement STEM education, women’s participation in the through training programs focused on business technological side of digital development, and development would be beneficial. online safety. • Enhancing digital empowerment for women: Recommendations from the Adult Skills Digital technologies present opportunities for women to increase employment and income. Assessment: Support for capacity building, digital upskilling, and the use of digital tools to enhance earnings • Developing digital skills programs for target and business development will be necessary, groups: To improve market outcomes, develop particularly among women in the informal digital skills programs specifically designed for economy. the target groups identified in the Adult Skills • Addressing remaining gender bias and Assessment, such as young women and men without tertiary education, and older women and raising awareness: Deep-rooted gender bias and stereotypes still exist, preventing women men. and girls from benefiting equally and fully from • Mobile training units for rural areas: digital development. Special support programs, Deploying mobile training units to provide digital such as funding and networking for women in literacy training and resources in remote regions digital technology and women tech startups, can can help bridge the digital divide for those living strengthen women’s participation. Additionally, in rural areas. promoting fair redistribution of unpaid childcare • Region-specific digital training programs: and housework among male and female Collaborating with local communities and household members would allow women to institutions to develop region-specific digital participate more fully in economic activities training programs that cater to unique needs and enhanced by the digital economy. cultural nuances of the Northern and Southern • Collecting sex-disaggregated data and regions would be beneficial in closing the skills gap. monitoring progress: Sex-disaggregated and evidence-based data will offer clearer insights into remaining gaps and trends, benefiting policies, strategies, and actions aimed at closing the gender gaps in digital development. GENDER AND DIGITAL DEVELOPMENT 5