The purpose of the article is to address the relationship between digital literacy and women empowerment in Varanasi. Women empowerment is one of the most crucial challenges in India. This study explores how enhanced digital literacy contributes to increased empowerment among women. This study collected the data with authentic and well-developed questionnaires, and the samples size for the analysis consisted of 402 participants. The causal relationship between empowerment through digital literacy is being examined by estimating empirical data through structural equation modelling in SmartPLS. The result of this study found that digital literacy tools and techniques had positive contributions towards women empowerment. Statistical analysis shows that digital literacy has brought significant changes and development to women in economic, social and technological areas.
AnithaL. (2012). Information and communication technology (ICT) and women empowerment. International Journal of Advanced Research in Management and Social Sciences, 1(4), 143–152.
2.
AnzakS., & SultanaA. (2020). Social and economic empowerment of women in the age of digital literacy: A case study of Pakistan, Islamabad, Rawalpindi. Global Social Sciences Review, V(I), 102–111. https://doi.org/10.31703/gssr.2020(v-i).11
3.
ChadhaK. (2020). Digital literacy in India: Structural constraints and the NEP 2020. https://sprf.in/digital-literacy-in-india-structural-constraints-and-the-nep-2020/
4.
CharnessN., & BootW. R. (2009). Aging and information technology use: Potential and barriers. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 18(5), 253–258. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8721.2009.01647.x
5.
ChatterjeeS., Dutta GuptaS., & UpadhyayP. (2018). Empowering women and stimulating development at bottom of pyramid through micro-entrepreneurship. Management Decision, 56(1), 160–174. https://doi.org/10.1108/MD-04-2017-0296
6.
ChudgarA. (2014). The promise and challenges of using mobile phones for adult literacy training: Data from one Indian state. International Journal of Educational Development, 34(1), 20–29. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijedudev.2012.12.005
7.
CrittendenV. L., CrittendenW. F., & AjjanH. (2019). Empowering women micro-entrepreneurs in emerging economies: The role of information communications technology. Journal of Business Research, 98, 191–203. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2019.01.045
8.
DavisF. D. (1989). Perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and user acceptance of information technology. MIS Quarterly, 13(3), 319–340. https://doi.org/10.2307/249008
9.
DebbarmaA., Ajay SharmaC., & Sharma ChinnaduraiA. (2023). Empowering women through digital literacy and access to ICT in Tripura. International Research Journal of Advanced Engineering and Science, 9(1), 5–9. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/376892937
10.
DhanamalarM., PreethiS., & YuvashreeS. (2020). Impact of digitization on women’s empowerment: A study of rural and urban regions in India. Journal of International Women’s Studies, 21(5), 107–112.
11.
Di BucchianicoA. (2008). Coefficient of determination (R2). https://doi.org/10.1002/9780470061572.eqr173
12.
Directorate of Economics and Statistics. (2021). District statistical handbook: Varanasi. Government of Uttar Pradesh.
13.
EdenL., & WagstaffM. F. (2021). Evidence-based policymaking and the wicked problem of SDG 5 gender equality. Journal of International Business Policy, 4(1), 28–57. https://doi.org/10.1057/s42214-020-00054-w
14.
ErstadO. (2012). The learning lives of digital youth-beyond the formal and informal. Oxford Review of Education, 38(1), 25–43. https://doi.org/10.1080/03054985.2011.577940
15.
FalkS., RömmeleA., & SilvermanM. (2016). Digital government: Leveraging innovation to improve public sector performance and outcomes for citizens. In Digital government: Leveraging innovation to improve public sector performance and outcomes for citizens. Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-38795-6
16.
FauziF., AntoniD., & SuwarniE. (2020). Women entrepreneurship in the developing country: The effects of financial and digital literacy on SMEs’ growth. Journal of Governance and Regulation, 9(4), 106–115. https://doi.org/10.22495/JGRV9I4ART9
17.
GarciaP., FernándezC., & OkonkwoH. (2020). Leveraging technology: How Black girls enact critical digital literacies for social change. Learning, Media and Technology, 45(4), 345–362. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439884.2020.1773851
18.
GillR. (2007). Postfeminist media culture: Elements of a sensibility. European Journal of Cultural Studies, 10(2), 147–166. https://doi.org/10.1177/1367549407075898
19.
GonzalesA. (2016). The contemporary US digital divide: From initial access to technology maintenance. Information, Communication & Society, 19(2), 234–248. https://doi.org/10.1080/1369118X.2015.1050438
20.
HafkinN. J., & HuyerS. (2007). Women and gender in ICT statistics and indicators for development. Information Technologies & International Development, 4(2), 25. https://itidjournal.org/index.php/itid/article/download/254/254-590-2-PB.pdf
21.
HairJ. F., HultG. T. M., RingleC. M., & SarstedtM. (2017). A primer on partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) (2nd ed.). Sage Publications.
22.
HairJ. F., RingleC. M., & SarstedtM. (2011). PLS-SEM: Indeed a silver bullet. Journal of Marketing Theory and Practice, 19(2), 139–152. https://doi.org/10.2753/MTP1069-6679190202
23.
HairJ., SarstedtM., MatthewsL., & RingleC. (2015). Identifying and treating unobserved heterogeneity with FIMIX-PLS: Part I – method. European Business Review, 28. https://doi.org/10.1108/EBR-09-2015-0094
24.
HairJ., HultG. T. M., RingleC., SarstedtM., DanksN., & RayS. (2021). Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) using R: A workbook. Springer.
25.
HirmerS. A., MazzoneA., LeonardA., & ConfortiC. (2022). The power of language: Exploring values, empowerment dynamics and communication strategies for gender-inclusive energy service design in rural Uganda. Energy Research and Social Science, 85(1), 102379. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.erss.2021.102379
26.
HoldenS. T., & TilahunM. (2021). Mobile phones, leadership and gender in rural business groups. World Development Perspectives, 24. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wdp.2021.100370
27.
HooksB. (2000). Feminism is for everybody: Passionate politics. Pluto Press.
28.
HossainM., & SamadH. (2021). Mobile phones, household welfare, and women’s empowerment: Evidence from rural off-grid regions of Bangladesh. Information Technology for Development, 27(2), 191–207. https://doi.org/10.1080/02681102.2020.1818542
29.
HufadA., SutarniN., & RahmatA. (2019). Digital literacy of women as the cadres of community empowerment in rural areas. International Journal of Innovation, Creativity and Change, 9(7). www.ijicc.net
30.
International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS) & ICF. (2021). National family health survey (NFHS-5), 2019–21: Uttar Pradesh. IIPS.
31.
IslamM. K., & SlackF. (2016). Women in rural Bangladesh: Empowered by access to mobile phones. ACM international conference proceeding series, 1–3March2016, pp. 75–84. Association for Computing Machinery. https://doi.org/10.1145/2910019.2910074
32.
JuwitaR., RahayuD., RohmahA. N., & PawaeR. D. (2024). Unlocking women’s empowerment towards digital inclusivity in East Kalimantan through digital competence evaluation. Jurnal Ilmu Sosial Dan Ilmu Politik, 27(3), 260–276. https://doi.org/10.22146/jsp.78163
33.
KaurM., & SharmaJ. (2023). The role of digital literacy to promote the gender equality. Shodh Sari: An International Multidisciplinary Journal, 2(04), 315–327. https://doi.org/10.59231/SARI7642
34.
KerrasH., Sánchez-NavarroJ. L., López-BecerraE. I., & de-Miguel GómezM. D. (2020). The impact of the gender digital divide on sustainable development: Comparative analysis between the European Union and the Maghreb. Sustainability (Switzerland), 12(8). https://doi.org/10.3390/SU12083347
35.
KumarA., & AroraS. (2022). Female economic participation: A comparative analysis of BRICS nations. Hans Shodh Sudha, 2(4), 51–64.
36.
KumarS., KumarV., & DeviN. (2024). Digital literacy: A pathway toward empowering rural women. Global Knowledge, Memory and Communication. https://doi.org/10.1108/GKMC-08-2023-0295
37.
KumariM. (2020). Social media and women empowerment. International Journal of Scientific & Technology Research, 9(3), 626–629. www.ijstr.org
38.
MandalK. C. (2013). Concept and types of women empowerment. International Forum of Teaching and Studies, 9(2), 17–30. http://www.joe.org/joe/1999october/comm1.php
39.
MariniS., HanumF., & SulistiyoA. (2020). Digital literacy: Empowering Indonesian women in overcoming digital divide. In 2nd international conference on social science and character educations (ICoSSCE 2019), pp. 137–141. Atlantis Press.
40.
MariscalJ., MayneG., AnejaU., & SorgnerA. (2019). Bridging the gender digital gap. Economics: The Open-Access, Open-Assessment E-Journal, 13, 1–12. https://doi.org/10.5018/economics-ejournal.ja.2019-9
41.
MehraR. (1997). Women, empowerment, and economic development. The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 554(1), 136–149.
42.
Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, Government of India (2017). Key indicators of household social consumption on education in India. www.mospi.gov.
43.
MoorenaL., RabbM., RusdinarA., SchanerS., TangorenC., & TheysN. (2020). Towards inclusive digital finance in Indonesia. Inclusive Financial Innovation Initiative (IFII) White Paper.
44.
NSS 78th round of the Multiple Indicator Survey (conducted in 2020–21). (2024). Computer literacy in India needs a reboot. NSS.
45.
Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner. (2011). Census of India 2011: Provisional population totals. Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India.
46.
OrserB., RidingA., & LiY. (2019). Technology adoption and gender-inclusive entrepreneurship education and training. International Journal of Gender and Entrepreneurship, 11(3), 273–298. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJGE-02-2019-0026
47.
PradhanP., CostaL., RybskiD., LuchtW., & KroppJ. P. (2017). A systematic study of sustainable development goal (SDG) interactions. Earth’s Future, 5(11), 1169–1179. https://doi.org/10.1002/2017EF000632
48.
RahmanM. S., HaqueM. E., AfradM. S. I., HasanS. S., & RahmanM. A. (2023). Impact of mobile phone usage on empowerment of rural women entrepreneurs: Evidence from rural Bangladesh. Heliyon, 9(11). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e21604
49.
ReddyP., ChaudharyK., SharmaB., & HusseinS. (2022). Essaying the design, development and validation processes of a new digital literacy scale. https://doi.org/10.1108/OIR
50.
SaranyaS., & ChandrasekarK. (2023). Awareness of digital technology among rural women entrepreneurs. Vidhyabharati International Interdisciplinary Research Journal, 3046–3051. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/373106586
51.
SarstedtM., RingleC. M., & HairJ. F. (2017). Treating unobserved heterogeneity in PLS-SEM: A multi-method approach. In LatanH. & NoonanR. (Eds.), Partial least squares path modeling (pp. 197–217). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-64069-3_9
52.
ShettappanavarL., KrishnamurthyC., & Latha ShettappanavarK. (2019). Digital literacy among female postgraduate students of Karnatak University, Dharwad, Karnataka, India: A study. Library Philosophy and Practice, 1–16. https://doi.org/https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/libphilprac/2934/
53.
ShiraziF. (2012). Information and communication technology and women empowerment in Iran. Telematics and Informatics, 29(1), 45–55. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tele.2011.02.001
54.
ShowkatM., NaginaR., NoriU., BabaM. A., & ShahM. A. (2024). Empowering women in the digital age: Can digital financial services fulfil the promise of financial autonomy and gender equality in the attainment of sustainable development goal 5?Cogent Economics and Finance, 12(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/23322039.2024.2342459
55.
SiddiquiT., & BhartiyaA. K. (2022). A study on digital literacy of rural women. The Social ION, 11(2), 213–224. https://doi.org/10.5958/2456-7523.2022.00021.0
56.
SujarwoS., TristantiT., & KusumawardaniE. (2022). Digital literacy model to empower women using community-based education approach. World Journal on Educational Technology: Current Issues, 14(1), 175–188. https://doi.org/10.18844/wjet.v14i1.6714
57.
SummersK. H., BairdT. D., WoodhouseE., ChristieM. E., McCabeJ. T., TertaF., & PeterN. (2020). Mobile phones and women’s empowerment in Maasai communities: How men shape women’s social relations and access to phones. Journal of Rural Studies, 77, 126–137. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrurstud.2020.04.013
58.
SuwanaF., & Lily. (2017). Empowering Indonesian women through building digital media literacy. Kasetsart Journal of Social Sciences, 38(3), 212–217. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.kjss.2016.10.004
59.
TiwaahO. A., & KwapongF. (2008). An empirical study of information and communication technology for empowerment of rural women in Ghana. African Journal of Information and Communication Technology, 4(3) https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.5130/ajict.v4i3.970
60.
UNICEF. (2017). What we know about the gender digital divide for girls: A literature review. https://www.unicef.org/eap/media/8311/file/Whatper%20cent20weper%20cent20knowper%20cent20aboutper%20cent20theper%20cent20genderper%20cent20digitalper%20cent20divideper%20cent20forper%20cent20girls:per%20cent20Aper%20cent20literatureper%20cent20review.pdf
61.
VenkateshV., MorrisM. G., DavisG. B., & DavisF. D. (2003). User acceptance of information technology: Toward a unified view. MIS Quarterly, 27(3), 425–478. https://doi.org/10.2307/30036540
62.
VenkateshV., ThongJ. Y., & XuX. (2016). Unified theory of acceptance and use of technology: A synthesis and the road ahead. Journal of the Association for Information Systems, 17(5), 328–376. https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/Delivery.cfm?abstractid=2800121
63.
WajcmanJ. (2004). Techno feminism. Polity Press.
64.
YenD. C., WuC. S., ChengF. F., & HuangY. W. (2010). Determinants of users’ intention to adopt wireless technology: An empirical study by integrating TTF with TAM. Computers in Human Behavior, 26(5), 906–915. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2010.02.005
