Connecting Opportunities: The Role of Mobile Phones in Empowering Rural Women

The ADB study by IDE-JETRO, ADB, Bangladesh Agricultural University, and IFPRI finds that mobile phone ownership significantly boosts rural Bangladeshi women’s off-farm income and employment opportunities, narrowing the gender gap. It concludes that digital access empowers women across education, wealth, and geography, making mobile connectivity a driver of inclusive rural development.

A collaborative study by the Institute of Developing Economies–Japan External Trade Organization (IDE-JETRO), the Asian Development Bank (ADB), Bangladesh Agricultural University, and the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) explores how mobile phone ownership is transforming the lives of rural Bangladeshi women. Published as ADB Economics Working Paper No. 811 (October 2025), titled “Mobile Phones, Off-Farm Income, and Employment of Rural Women: Evidence from Bangladesh,” the research examines how digital connectivity influences women’s participation in off-farm employment and income generation. Using nationally representative panel data from the Bangladesh Integrated Household Survey (BIHS) between 2012 and 2019, the paper employs an instrumental variable approach to measure the direct impact of women’s mobile phone ownership (WMPO) on income and employment outcomes.

Bridging the Gender Divide Through Technology

Bangladesh, like many South Asian nations, faces a persistent gender gap in labor participation; over 80% of men are active in the labor force compared with just over 40% of women in 2022. Deep-rooted social norms confine women to domestic roles, limiting access to employment and information. The researchers argue that information and communication technologies (ICTs), particularly mobile phones, can help close this gap by reducing transaction costs, expanding access to information, and improving women’s safety and social networks. Although mobile ownership in households has been studied before, this paper is distinctive in focusing on individual female ownership, which better captures empowerment effects.

The BIHS data reveal striking growth in digital access: women’s mobile ownership in rural Bangladesh rose from 8% in 2012 to 30% in 2019, while men’s ownership grew from 66% to 84%. Yet, women’s off-farm employment increased only slightly, from 8% to 10%, indicating that while technology provides opportunities, it must be complemented by supportive social and economic policies.

How Mobile Phones Transform Rural Economies

The study’s econometric analysis shows that mobile phone ownership significantly boosts women’s off-farm income. Using an instrumental variable Tobit model, the authors find that women’s ownership raises monthly off-farm income by Tk 189, a 153% increase over nonowners. Men’s income rises even more in absolute terms (Tk 3,443), but the relative gains for women are more meaningful in narrowing the gender gap.

Crucially, the benefits are broadly inclusive. Women from poorer households, older women, and those living far from towns all experience income growth from owning mobile phones. Educated women benefit most, as their literacy and digital awareness enable them to use phones effectively for job searches, small business management, and networking. Even among low-asset households, mobile phones substitute for physical capital, connecting women to buyers, employers, and financial services.

The Pathways: From Connectivity to Opportunity

The study identifies the mechanisms through which mobile ownership influences women’s economic participation. Phone-owning women are more likely to engage in salaried or self-employment rather than casual wage labor. Educated women use phones for professional networking and accessing formal off-farm jobs, while less affluent women employ them to manage small-scale trade, craftwork, or production businesses.

Importantly, the research finds that geography no longer confines opportunity. Women living in remote areas benefit equally, as phones help them overcome spatial barriers to market participation. Digital connectivity enables rural women to coordinate with buyers, negotiate wages, and access business information without needing to travel long distances, a major advantage in contexts where social norms restrict mobility.

Robustness checks strengthen the findings. Lagged models show that higher incomes do not precede phone adoption, confirming that mobile ownership drives income growth, not vice versa. Even after accounting for household-level differences, the effect remains significant for women but not for men, highlighting mobile phones as a distinct tool for female empowerment.

Policy Lessons for Inclusive Digitalization

The findings carry powerful implications for policymakers and development agencies. Expanding women’s digital access could directly improve welfare and gender equity. The authors recommend affordable handset financing, mobile literacy programs, and targeted subsidies to reach women in poor and remote households. They cite examples like Kenya’s Juhudi Kilimo and Malawi’s TNM installment plans, which made mobile phones accessible through microloans and staggered payments, models that Bangladesh could replicate.

Bridging the gender digital divide would not only raise women’s incomes but also strengthen household resilience, encourage entrepreneurship, and enhance social inclusion. Policies linking ICT expansion with women’s skills training, microfinance, and employment programs could multiply the impact.

Toward a More Connected and Equal Future

The study demonstrates that mobile phones are far more than communication devices, they are gateways to empowerment and economic mobility. By providing access to markets, networks, and opportunities, they enable rural women to break long-standing barriers of isolation and dependency. The benefits extend beyond individuals to entire communities, as women’s earnings contribute to household welfare, education, and local economies.

While the authors acknowledge that more experimental research is needed to strengthen causal evidence, their findings are unequivocal: digital access can be a cornerstone of inclusive development. As Bangladesh and other South Asian countries advance their digital transitions, ensuring that women are not left behind will be essential. Connectivity, when coupled with empowerment, can transform the rural landscape into one of opportunity and equality.