Google, NRSP launch Internet Dost and Internet Zabardast event 

54%, Pakistanis have access to internet, of this 76% are in urban cities

ISLAMABAD, Feb 09,2022- National Rural Support Programme (NRSP) and Google have jointly launched an event called “Internet Dost and Internet Zabardast” on February 8 on the occasion of the global “Safer Internet Day”.

The objective of the programme is to bridge the digital gap between the skills of women of rural areas and also teach children about safe online practices.

Speaking on the occasion, the CEO NRSP Rashid Bajwa said that the event is celebrating safer internet day and promoting the responsible use of the internet and added that the digital and gender divide is actually very real in Pakistan,” he said.

.”Our project today aims to reinforce the safer use of the internet for socio-economic empowerment of the disadvantaged communities across Pakistan, especially women who are half of Pakistan’s population but have limited access to the internet as compared to men.

Some of the facts existing digital disparity between men and women in Pakistan and the use of the internet in the cities and rural areas:

• Only 54%, over 200m Pakistani’s have access to internet and of this 76% are located in urban cities.
• Only 51% of women own mobile of compared to 81% men that is equivalent to 22m fewer women than men.
• Women in Pakistan are 49% less likely to use mobile internet than men and this translates into 12m fewer women than men using mobile internet.
• For an estimated 11m women in Pakistan, family disapproval is the key barrier to owning a mobile phone.
• Due to covid-19 virtual education has only been viable and it has forced students to rely on virtual learning. For those with no internet access education can be out of reach.
• NRSP being the largest rural support program has teamed up with Google community and tied foundation to address the digital divide in Pakistan and to promote safe use of internet in Pakistan.
• Footprint’s in 72 district in Pakistan and is connected to almost 4m rural households.

Digital literacy and safety project.

• Digital literacy training for underprivileged women and children in the next 12 months the project will train 18000 women to use mobile phone and to access internet. They will be trained by local female activist.
• In educational curriculum has already been designed with Google according to the local environment. This would teach 25000 students as how to be safe explorers of the online world.