Role of the ICT in Women's Empowerment and Achieving SDGs 2030: A Case Study of Pakistan by using PDHS Data

Abstract

The frequent use of information and communication technology (ICT) has significantly reduced the gender inequality manifold within and across the countries. The study examines the association between ICT and women’s empowerment in Pakistan in the light of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The data for study has been taken from Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey (PDHS) 2017-18. The study uses logistic regression in determining the factors that influence women’s empowerment by examining the relationship between ICT and women’s involvement in decision-making with other control variables. The study found that there is positive and significant association between ICT and women’s empowerment. Moreover, ­employment, age, residence, higher educational attainment, wealth index and women with two or more number of sons are also significant factors of women’s empowerment.

Key Words, ICT, Women Empowerment, SDGs, PDHS, Decision-making, logistic regression