3.3. Addressing the gender issue

Gender issues are not often discussed in relation to cybersecurity. However, many women become victims of cybercrime or other forms of cyberattacks such as cyberstalking, in part because they may have less awareness of security measures when using the internet compared to men. Many organisations are beginning to address the gender gap existing in some countries between women’s and men’s access to the internet, and to work to ensure that women are aware of safe practices when they go online. This topic and its connections with cybersecurity must be addressed in a more significant manner in digital policy forums, especially in the context of online speech and empowering women in the online arena.

Apart from being a significant human rights related topic, gender issue has a grave implication on the proliferation of e-commerce in Africa. While women across the continent do the majority of purchasing both offline and online, women are less likely to have a bank account or have access to credit cards or mobile money. For instance, In Kenya, the African leader in mobile money accounts, ownership of a bank account among women is 8% lower than among men, while credit card ownership among women (4%) is half that of men (8%).