Women and Cybercafés in Uttar Pradesh
Nidhi Mehta, Balwant Singh Mehta · The MIT Press eBooks · 2015
The study was conducted in two mid-sized towns in India, namely, the Bhadohi and Ferozabad districts of Uttar Pradesh.We analyzed the outcome of structured in-depth interviews with 100 women users and 100 women nonusers of cybercaf é s.We identify the user profiles, usage patterns, and reasons for the low rate of cybercaf é usage by women in northern India.Our study reveals that cybercaf é usage by women is most common among female students, followed by educated women from the upper socioeconomic class.They access information mostly relating to education, employment, and entertainment.Users usually go to cybercaf é s during the afternoon and evening when they are relatively free from other duties.Overall, we observed that few women use cybercaf é s, and those who do have many socioeconomic restrictions placed on on them; these obstacles are tied to social, cultural, structural (time, location, illiteracy), and environmental issues.Women users, however, found cybercaf é s very useful.To close the gap between the value women perceive from cybercaf é usage and actual usage, several suggestions can be made:(1) enhance literacy and awareness among women, (2) sensitize cybercaf é operators to genderspecific issues and environment, (3) make content on gender issues available in local languages, (4) increase emphasis on English in schools, and (5) implement gender-specific welfare programs more thoroughly.These initiatives will not only enhance the sustainability of cybercaf é s but will provide wider Internet access to disadvantaged people in developing areas.