1. Bridging the digital divide to EMPOWER WOMEN
Eng. Deepasika Seneviratne
B.Sc. (Eng.) Hons., MBA
Divisional Manager
Switching & Planning

2. Summary ICT and its popularity Envisaged benefits of ICT
The Digital Divide
Sri Lanka’s standing in ICT
Bridging the Divide
Empowering women

3. ICT and its popularity

4. 1. ICT and its Popularity What is ICT?
Information and Communications Technologies
an umbrella term which includes any communication device or application Encompassing :
radio
television
cellular phones
computers and networks
hardware and software
satellite systems etc.
And the various services associated such as videoconferencing and distance learning

5. 1. ICT and its Popularity only 4 years
The rapid growth and the dynamism of ICT
To reach 50 million people:
The printing press took over a century …..
Radio took 38 years
Television took 13 years
The World Wide Web ?
only 4 years

6. Envisaged benefits of ICT

7. 2. Envisaged benefits of ict
Universal access to information
Rationality of markets
Transparency of government
Sharing world’s many cultures
Formation of Global communities
Life-and health-enhancing information to ordinary people
Prosperity to world’s six billion citizens

8. However the technology itself is not important
The importance of ICTs lies in its ability to create greater access to information and communication in underserved populations.
The technology is practically worthless unless people are equipped with the know-how, and the willingness, to use it.
Those who cannot use it confidently, will become increasingly marginalised within the modern world.

9. The Digital Divide

10. 3. The Digital Divide
“the world can be divided into people who do and do not have access to - and the capability to use - modern information technology, such as the telephone, television, or the Internet”. the basic factor which leads to a digital divide is lack of access to computers and Internet

11. 3. The Digital Divide The digital divide exists between :
Cities and Rural areas
The educated and the uneducated
Different economic classes
More and less industrially developed nations
Between Generations

12. Sri Lanka’s standing in ICT

13. Sri Lanka’s standing in ICT
WORLD INTERNET USAGE AND POPULATION STATISTICS December 31, 2011
Copyright © , Miniwatts Marketing Group. All rights reserved worldwide
World Regions
Population
Internet users 2011
Penetration (% population)
Users %
Africa
1,037,524,058
139,875,242
13.50%
6.20%
Asia
3,879,740,877
1,016,799,076
26.20%
44.80%
Europe
816,426,346
500,723,686
61.30%
22.10%
Middle East
216,258,843
77,020,995
35.60%
3.40%
North America
347,394,870
273,067,546
78.60%
12.00%
Latin America / Carib.
597,283,165
235,819,740
39.50%
10.40%
Oceania / Australia
35,426,995
23,927,457
67.50%
1.10%
TOTAL
6,930,055,154
2,267,233,742
32.70%
100.00%

14. Sri Lanka’s standing in ICT …….
ASIA INTERNET USAGE AND POPULATION STATISTICS December 31, 2011
Copyright © , Miniwatts Marketing Group. All rights reserved worldwide
Country
Population (Est.)
Internet Users ( )
Penetration (% per population)
Users (% Asia) 1
Korea, North
24,457,492.00 -- 2
Korea, South
48,754,657.00
40,329,660.00
82.70%
4.00% 3
Japan
126,475,664.00
101,228,736.00
80.00%
10.00% 4
Brunei Darussalem
401,890.00
318,900.00
79.40%
0.00% 5
Singapore
4,740,737.00
3,658,400.00
77.20%
0.40% 6
Taiwan
23,071,779.00
16,147,000.00
70.00%
1.60% 7
Hong Kong *
7,122,508.00
4,894,913.00
68.70%
0.50% 8
Malaysia
28,728,607.00
17,723,000.00
61.70%
1.70% 9
Macao *
573,003.00
308,797.00
53.90% 10
Armenia
2,967,975.00
1,396,550.00
47.10%
0.10% 11
Azerbaijan
8,372,373.00
3,689,000.00
44.10% 12
Kyrgystan
5,587,443.00
2,194,400.00
39.30%
0.20%

15. Sri Lanka’s standing in ICT …….
ASIA INTERNET USAGE AND POPULATION STATISTICS December 31, 2011
Copyright © , Miniwatts Marketing Group. All rights reserved worldwide
Country
Population (Est.)
Internet Users ( )
Penetration (% per population)
Users (% Asia) 13
China *
1,336,718,015.00
513,100,000.00
38.40%
50.50% 14
Kazakhstan
15,522,373.00
5,448,965.00
35.10%
0.50% 15
Vietnam
90,549,390.00
30,516,587.00
33.70%
3.00% 16
Philippines
101,833,938.00
29,700,000.00
29.20%
2.90% 17
Maldives
394,999.00
114,100.00
28.90%
0.00% 18
Georgia
4,585,874.00
1,300,000.00
28.30%
0.10% 19
Thailand
66,720,153.00
18,310,000.00
27.40%
1.80% 20
Uzbekistan
28,128,600.00
7,550,000.00
26.80%
0.70% 21
Indonesia
245,613,043.00
55,000,000.00
22.40%
5.40% 22
Pakistan
187,342,721.00
29,128,970.00
15.50% 23
Bhutan
708,427.00
98,728.00
13.90% 24
Sri Lanka
21,283,913.00
2,503,194.00
11.80%
0.20%

16. Sri Lanka’s standing in ICT …….
ASIA INTERNET USAGE AND POPULATION STATISTICS December 31, 2011
Copyright © , Miniwatts Marketing Group. All rights reserved worldwide
Country
Population (Est.)
Internet Users ( )
Penetration (% per population)
Users (% Asia) 25
Mongolia
3,133,318.00
355,524.00
11.30%
0.00% 26
Tajikistan
7,627,200.00
794,483.00
10.40%
0.10% 27
India
1,189,172,906.00
121,000,000.00
10.20%
11.90% 28
Laos
6,477,211.00
527,400.00
8.10% 29
Nepal
29,391,883.00
2,031,245.00
6.90%
0.20% 30
Afganistan
29,835,392.00
1,256,470.00
4.20% 31
Bangladesh
158,570,535.00
5,501,609.00
3.50%
0.50% 32
Cambodia
14,701,717.00
491,480.00
3.10% 33
Turkmenistan
4,997,503.00
110,924.00
2.20% 34
Myanmar
53,999,804.00
110,000.00 35
Timor-Leste
1,177,834.00
2,361.00
TOTAL ASIA
3,879,740,877.00
1,016,799,076.00
26.20%
100.00%

17. 4. Sri Lanka’s standing in ICT
Africa (13.5%) and Asia (26.2%) are lowest in world internet penetration (as a % population), even below the world average of 32.7%
Even in Asia region, Sri Lanka only 24th among 35
However,
Out of the world’s196 countries, with the available statistics of 183, Sri Lanka ranks at 32 in literacy rate!

18. Bridging the Divide

19. 5.Bridging the Divide
The basic factor which leads to a digital divide is lack of access to computers and Internet.
Although it is essentially necessary to provide avenues to information and knowledge, it is not sufficient .
Empower people with appropriate educational, cognitive and behavioural skills and tools

20. 5. Bridging the Divide….. ICT to villages : Nena Sala
Computer laboratories : schools & villages
Flagship ICT programme e-Sri Lanka initiative
Distant learning
Broadband to all
Training older generation through television & radio progrmmes

21. Empowering women

22. Women are better multi taskers  Present :
6. EMPOwering women
Women are better multi taskers 
Present :
Call Centres
Customer Care
Marketing
Engineering
Future :
Work from home
Self employment & entrepreneurship
Improved household living standards
Shopping through internet
Generation gap & Mom’s Role: Disciplining younger generation

23. Thank you!