BRIDGING THE GENDER DIVIDE: EMPOWERING WOMEN THROUGH INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY IN SOUTH PUNJAB, PAKISTAN

Abstract

This study examined the role of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in determining women's empowerment across social, cultural, educational, and economic dimensions. Using a quantitative research design, the study collected data from N=384 women through multistage sampling. The study analyzed data using two software packages: SPSS and Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM-4). The findings indicated a generally high level of ICT-related empowerment, with an overall mean agreement of 79.24%. The PLS-SEM findings showed that ICT access and digital literacy had a strong, significant positive effect on educational empowerment (β = 0.729, p < .001) and social empowerment (β = 0.606, p < .001). However, the direct relationship between ICT access/digital literacy and economic empowerment was statistically insignificant (β = 0.100, p = .156). Mediation analysis further showed significant indirect effects through educational empowerment (β = 0.210, p < .001) and social empowerment (β = 0.271, p < .001), whereas the indirect pathway through economic empowerment was also insignificant (β = 0.064, p = .335). Overall, the model explained 51.5% of the variance in women's overall empowerment process. In conclusion, social, economic, and institutional interventions can drive women's empowerment and help bridge the digital divide in South Punjab, Pakistan.