Bhubaneswar: Internet usage among women in Odisha has doubled over the past five years, reflecting broader gains in digital access and women’s empowerment amid India’s push for digital inclusion.
According to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-6) for 2023-24, 51.8% of women aged 15-49 in the state have ever used the internet, up sharply from 24.9% in NFHS-5 (2019-21). Mobile phone ownership among women has also risen, from 50.1% to 63.6%.
These improvements align with national trends, where women’s internet usage has nearly doubled from 33.3% to 64.3%. Men’s internet usage stands at 80.5% nationally and remains significantly higher in Odisha at 73.2%, highlighting a persistent gender digital divide.
Urban-rural disparities are also evident. In Odisha, 66.7% of urban women use the internet compared to 49% in rural areas. Nationally, the figures are 77.3% urban and 58.6% rural for women. Mobile phone ownership follows a similar pattern: 79% among urban women in Odisha versus 60.7% in rural areas.
Odisha’s figures are close to or slightly below national averages, indicating steady but uneven progress.
Experts note that while 63.6% of women own mobile phones, only 51.8% use the internet, suggesting barriers such as limited digital literacy, lack of smartphone features for internet access, or financial constraints. Closing the gender digital divide is essential for enhancing women’s access to education, financial services, employment, and opportunities in a digitising economy. Shared device usage and literacy programme could help accelerate inclusion, particularly in rural areas where progress, though notable, lags behind urban centres as broader NFHS-6 findings for Odisha show gains in related empowerment indicators, including women’s bank account usage rising to 90.6% from 86.5%, and improved menstrual hygiene practices among young women.
The use of hygienic methods of menstrual protection among young women aged 15-24 years has improved significantly, from 81.7% to 88.7%.
