Closing the digital gender gap
Closing the digital gender gap
Business Model Description
Provide Internet access services through pre-established fixed plans with subsidized funds from the public sector.
Expected Impact
Providing internet access to women will enable them to achieve social, economic and well-being development.
How is this information gathered?
Investment opportunities with potential to contribute to sustainable development are based on country-level SDG Investor Maps.
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Country & Regions
- Cibao Norte
- Cibao Sur
- Cibao Nordeste
- Cibao Noroeste
- Valdesia
- El Valle
- Enriquillo
- Yuma
- Higuamo
- Ozama
Sector Classification
Technology and Communications
Development Need
The digital divide persists in the DR. 91.7% of Households have access to an ICT device/service (1). However, only 56% of households have a fixed Internet connection (2). This limits their productive development and opportunities for access to quality services because they are on the margins of technological development, with this gap being more significant in rural areas (3).
Policy Priority
The National Development Strategy establishes in its specific objective 3.3.5 to achieve universal access and productive use of ICTs (4). Likewise, it established its roadmap towards digital transformation embodied in the Digital Agenda 2030 (5).
Gender Inequalities and Marginalization Issues
Only 39% of women were employed in the ICT sector in 2018, representing a high gap in access to specialized work, considering that this is a high-income sector (6). By 2021, the enrollment of women in the ICT knowledge area represented 21.6% in contrast to 78.4% of men enrolled in higher education (7).
Investment Opportunities Introduction
This sector represents an attractive, high-growth market with great investment potential. In 2022, the communications sector grew 4.6% in its contribution to GDP (8). In addition, the flow of foreign direct investment to the telecommunications sector in 2022 totaled USD 191.9 million (9).
Key bottlenecks Introduction
High infrastructure costs represent one of the main bottlenecks in projects related to telecommunications services. Regulatory issues such as licensing and spectrum allocation may limit investment projects in this sector (10).
Internet Media and Services
Development Need
The global gender gap in Internet use is 12.5% (11). In the DR, 60.1% of households in conditions of vulnerability and poverty are headed by women. The digital gap is more accentuated in households with higher levels of deprivation, such as rural area where 67% of the population indicated not having any computer knowledge (12).
Policy Priority
The Digital Agenda 2030 prioritizes in its Connectivity and Access Axis the objective of connecting all Dominicans to affordable broadband internet to close the digital divide and the development of an inclusive digital economy (13). This is supported by other policies such as the establishment of the national broadband plan and infrastructure (14) (15).
Gender Inequalities and Marginalization Issues
Women in vulnerable situations and areas with low levels of access and connectivity can contribute to higher levels of inequality. On average, women are less likely to have access to a cell phone. The latter being is an essential tool for combating inequality (16).
Investment Opportunities Introduction
Public-private partnerships to provide Internet access services through fixed, pre-established plans with subsidized funds from the public sector.
Key Bottlenecks introduction
Rural areas have the lowest mobile broadband coverage access due to territorial gaps because they are remote and upland areas (17). The ENHOGAR results show that 84.6% of households had access to a cell phone, but only 4.4% of households surveyed had access to a computer with an Internet connection (1).
Internet Media and Services
Pipeline Opportunity
Closing the digital gender gap
Provide Internet access services through pre-established fixed plans with subsidized funds from the public sector.
Business Case
Market Size and Environment
More than 2,000 women benefiting from social subsidy programs
43.1% of households in the country are in the highest deprivation levels (ICV 1 and ICV 2) where 60.1% are female-headed households (12).
By April 2023, women represented 65% of the beneficiaries of social subsidies (22).
Indicative Return
The project "Conectar a los no conectados" with INDOTEL's funds for development projects, has an amount allocated for the subsidy of an estimated USD $1.4 million (23).
Investment Timeframe
Short Term (0–5 years)
Projects are advertised through public bidding and the estimated execution time is 24 months (24).
Ticket Size
USD 1 million - USD 10 million
Market Risks & Scale Obstacles
Capital - Limited Investor Interest
Impact Case
Sustainable Development Need
Reducing the Internet access gap in households. Only 46.1% have access to fixed internet (26).
Gender & Marginalisation
The digital divide in the Dominican Republic is high. Only 26.28% of the rural population aged 5 years and older uses a computer and 75% uses the Internet (27)
Expected Development Outcome
Increase the percentage of households with internet access in the Dominican Republic.
Gender & Marginalisation
Reduce the digital divide in the Dominican Republic by increasing the percentage of the rural population with access to telecommunications services such as internet and telephone.
Primary SDGs addressed
9.c.1 Proportion of population covered by a mobile network, by technology
The population covered by at least one mobile network 35 for 2018 was 99.15% (28)
Increase the number of residents connected to broadband internet, the population's capabilities in digital technologies and to digital technologies and leave an integrated digital ecosystem (29).
17.8.1 Proportion of individuals using the Internet
The percentage of the population aged 10 years and older that used the Internet in the three months prior to the survey is 84.4% (1).
Increase the percentage of people using the Internet, from 74.82 to 90.69 (29).
5.b.1 Proportion of individuals who own a mobile telephone, by sex
79.9% of men and 82.4% of women aged 10 years and older have access to a smartphone (1).
Increase the percentage of people at the poverty level with average digital skills (from 34.70%) (29).
Secondary SDGs addressed
Directly impacted stakeholders
People
Gender inequality and/or marginalization
Public sector
Indirectly impacted stakeholders
People
Gender inequality and/or marginalization
Planet
Corporates
Public sector
Outcome Risks
The subsidy is for a duration of 24 months and there is a risk of lack of sustainability of the beneficiaries' internet use after the project.
Gender inequality and/or marginalization risk: Increase in the number of cases of cybercrime or cyberattacks against vulnerable populations.
Impact Risks
Low adoption of ICT use due to lack of knowledge. Considering that in rural areas 67% of the population does not have any type of computer literacy (12).
Gender inequality and/or marginalization risk.
Impact Classification
What
Increased accessibility to broadband internet services for women.
Who
Women beneficiaries of social subsidies in the least developed provinces.
Risk
Failure to develop the project could lead to an increase in the digital divide and inequality in the Dominican Republic.
Contribution
24 months of broadband internet services subsidized by the public and private sector
How Much
An estimated budget of USD $1.4 million will be disbursed for the program.
Impact Thesis
Providing internet access to women will enable them to achieve social, economic and well-being development.
Enabling Environment
Policy Environment
National Development Strategy 2030 creates the basic conditions that favor the synergy between public and private actions for the achievement of the Long-Term Vision of the Nation and the Objectives and Goals of said Strategy (4)
Presidential Decree 539-20 establishes as a national priority to define a National Broadband Plan to guarantee universal access to last generation internet and the productive use of ICT (14)
The Digital Agenda 2030 established as a national priority to expand the national fiber optic network (5).
Financial Environment
Financial incentives: Foreign investors, whether natural or legal persons, have the right to remit abroad, in freely convertible currencies, without the need for prior authorization (32).
Other incentives: Residence Permits for Investment Program, through an agreement with the General Directorate of Migration, having as a prerequisite the Certificate of Registration of Foreign Direct Investment (32).
Regulatory Environment
Law No. 47-20 on Public-Private Partnerships that establishes the regulatory framework that regulates the initiation, selection, adjudication, contracting, execution, monitoring and termination of public-private partnerships throughout the national territory (29).
Law No. 153-98 – General telecommunications that created the Dominican Institute for Telecommunications to regulate the telecommunication sector (30).
The Supérate program coordinates, administrate and execute all social assistances subsidies towards vulnerable population (31).
Marketplace Participants
Private Sector
Telecommunications companies: CLARO, ALTICE, VIVA and others.
Government
The Dominican Institute for Telecommunications (INDOTEL), Supérate Program
Multilaterals
The Dominican Institute for Telecommunications (INDOTEL), Supérate Program
Target Locations
Cibao Norte
Cibao Sur
Cibao Nordeste
Cibao Noroeste
Valdesia
El Valle
Enriquillo
Yuma
Higuamo
Ozama
References
- (1) ONE, 2023. National Multi-Purpose Household Survey 2022. https://www.one.gob.do/publicaciones/2022/encuesta-nacional-de-hogares-de-propositos-multiples-enhogar-2022-informe-basico/?altTemplate=publicacionOnline
- (2) Srinivasan, S. et al., 2022. Internet access and use in Latin America and the Caribbean. Results of the LAC High Frequency Telephone Surveys 2021. https://www.undp.org/sites/g/files/zskgke326/files/2022-09/undp-brlac-Digital-ES.pdf
- (3) IBD, 2021. DR-L1147: Program to Improve Connectivity for Digital Transformation in the Dominican Republic. https://www.iadb.org/en/project/DR-L1147
- (4) Law 1-12 National Development Strategy 2030. https://mepyd.gob.do/estrategia-nacional-de-desarrollo-2030/
- (5) Agenda Digital 2030 – República Dominicana. https://agendadigital.gob.do/documentos/
- (6) ONE, 2020. Survey of Human Resources Demand in Information and Communication Technology and University Business Cooperation in the Dominican Republic 2019. https://www.one.gob.do/publicaciones/2020/encuesta-demanda-de-recursos-humanos-en-la-tecnologia-de-la-informacion-y-la-comunicacion-y-cooperacion-empresarial-universitaria-en-la-republica-dominicana-2019/
- (7) MESCYT, 2022. Higher Education Data 2021. https://mescyt.gob.do/transparencia/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/DATOS-DE-EDUCACION-SUPERIOR-2021-MATRICULASEGRESADOSDOCENTES-E-INVESTIGADORES.pdf
- (8) Banco Central, 2023. Dominican Economic Report 2022. https://cdn.bancentral.gov.do/documents/publicaciones-economicas/informe-de-la-economia-dominicana/documents/infeco2022-12.pdf
- (9) ProDominicana, 2023. Report on foreign direct investment performance in the Dominican Republic year 2022. https://datamarket.prodominicana.gob.do/Documentos/2022%20-%20Comportamiento%20de%20la%20Inversi%C3%B3n%20Extranjera%20Directa%20en%20Rep.%20Dom..pdf
- (10) World Bank, 2021. Dominican Republic Leveraging Competition in the Telecom Sector to Accelerate Economic Growth. https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/203161623989071011/pdf/Dominican-Republic-Leveraging-Competition-in-the-Telecom-Sector-to-Accelerate-Economic-Growth.pdf
- (11) ITU, 2022. Girls in ICT: Access and Safety. https://www.itu.int/women-and-girls/girls-in-ict/international-girls-in-ict-day-2022/
- (12) SIUBEN,2018. Third Socioeconomic Survey of Households 2018. https://siuben.gob.do/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/siuben-calidad-de-vida-2018-digital.pdf
- (13) Agenda Digital 2030 – Connectivity and Access Pillar. https://agendadigital.gob.do/ejes/conectividad-y-acceso/
- (14) Decree No. 539-20 which orders the preparation of a National Broadband Plan (PNBA). https://presidencia.gob.do/decretos/539-20
- (15) MEPYD, 2020. National Infrastructure Plan 2020-2030. https://mepyd.gob.do/wp-content/uploads/drive/DIGEDES/Publicaciones/Plan%20Nacional%20de%20Infraestructura.pdf
- (16) Rotondi, V., et al, 2020. Gender digital inequality in Latin America and the Caribbean. https://repositorio.iica.int/handle/11324/12489"
- (17) Indotel, 2021 National Broadband Plan Dominican Republic Connected 2030 (Preliminary version). https://digitalrd.citizenlab.co/uploads/d8f0f30c-439c-49b0-9f82-32bef8a0d6ae/idea_file/file/12cebc3a-9c50-484b-ba56-779d010098a2/Versi%C3%B3n_preliminar_PNBA.pdf"
- (18) Martínez Coral, P. E., 2018. Gaps in Internet use: a lagging front for action in Colombia. https://repositorio.uptc.edu.co/bitstream/handle/001/2450/PPS_Brechas_uso_internet1035.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y"
- (19) MINTIC, 2023. Internet subsidy scheme for strata 1 and 2. https://mintic.gov.co/portal/vivedigital/612/w3-propertyvalue-654.html"
- (20) Zuo, G. W., 2021. Wired and hired: Employment effects of subsidized broadband Internet for low-income Americans. http://econweb.umd.edu/~zuo/files/Broadband_Zuo_AEJ_Submit.pdf
- (21) Wang W. & Zhang S., 2022. The Impact of Internet Use on Rural Women’s Off-Farm Work Participation: Empirical Evidence from China. Sustainability. https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/24/16972
- (22) Wang W. & Zhang S., 2022. The Impact of Internet Use on Rural Women’s Off-Farm Work Participation: Empirical Evidence from China. Sustainability. https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/24/16972
- (23) INDOTEL, 2022. Infographic of the two-year development projects plan for the period 2021-2022. https://transparencia.indotel.gob.do/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/infografi-a-plan-bianual-2021-2022.pdf
- (24) INDOTEL, 2023. Monitoring and Budget Report for the Transparency Portal: project to connect the unconnected. https://transparencia.indotel.gob.do/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/0_abril_junio_2023_conectar_a_los_no_conectados_pb_21_22_final.pdf
- (25) Indotel, 2022. Indotel entrega Canasta Digital Social a 2,000 mujeres jefas de hogar, beneficiarias del programa SUPÉRATE. https://indotel.gob.do/indotel-entrega-canasta-digital-social-a-2000-mujeres-jefas-de-hogar-beneficiarias-del-programa-superate/
- (26) INDOTEL, 2022. Annual Telecommunications Performance Report 2021. https://transparencia.indotel.gob.do/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/informe-desempeno-de-las-telecomunicaciones-2021.pdf"
- (27) ONE, 2022. General report ENHOGAR 2021. https://www.one.gob.do/publicaciones/2022/informe-general-enhogar-2021/?altTemplate=publicacionOnline
- (28) Comisión ODS. 9.c.1 Proportion of population covered by a mobile network, by technology http://ods.gob.do/Indicador/Index/121?fromMenu=True
- (29) National Multiannual Public Sector Plan 2021–2024. https://mepyd.gob.do/publicaciones/plan-nacional-plurianual-del-sector-publico-2021-2024/
- (30) Law 47-20 on Public-Private Partnerships. https://dgapp.gob.do/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/LEY-47-20.pdf
- (31) Law No. 153-98 – General telecommunications. https://transparencia.indotel.gob.do/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/ley-no-153-98-ingles-1.pdf
- (32) Decree 377-21 creates Supérate program. https://www.superate.gob.do/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Decreto-377-211.pdf
- (33) Law No. 16-95 on Foreign Investment. https://prodominicana.gob.do/wp/wp-content/themes/ceird/ceirdpdf/Ley-16-95-sobre-Inversion-Extranjera.pdf