Women and men have different patterns of using computers and Internet, says Eva Rathgeber. From this perspective, national governments should launch gender sensitive e-Government initiatives.
She perceives that most of the e-Government initiatives have been designed without recognising this fact. In many industrialised countries, female use of the Internet is comparable to that of males, but women use it mostly for practical purposes, i.e. to find specific information or to shop. Women and girls are less likely to spend time surfing and playing computer games. In most developing countries, women are less likely than men to use the Internet because they do not have access, they do not have skills, they do not have disposable income or they do not have time and/or interest. More over, the move towards digitisation of government services may be further marginalising women.