Developing Gender-aware Policy and Regulatory Frameworks: the case of telecommunication regulation in Mozambique Sonia Jorge IAFFE Conference Boston, June 26, 2009 Jorge International Consulting

Jorge Consulting2 Overview Telecom and ICT policy and regulation: policy vs. implementation Market analysis to inform the development of a new regulatory framework in Mozambique –Small demand study to inform decision making: gender aware instruments and results Gender aware policy and regulatory processes and decisions

Jorge Consulting3 Telecom/ICT Policy and Regulation: policy vs. implementation Policy and regulation in the ICT sector are critical and set the stage for developments in the sector. Policy and regulation can promote access and use of ICT, but also increase barriers to access. The most basic policy goal should be to provide universal access (available and affordable) to ICT for all women and men, regardless of geographic locations, language, age, race, social stratus, etc. How can gender analysis and awareness facilitate that process and, in fact, take policy and regulation to a new level where it becomes not only improved and gender aware on paper, but more effective in practice? How can gender aware policy translate into affordable and equal universal access to ICT in practice?

Jorge Consulting4 Telecom/ICT Policy and Regulation: policy vs. implementation To better understand how and where is the gender component in ICT policy and regulation, it is helpful to look at policy and regulation from two perspectives: –the process by which policy is developed and how gender is integrated into the policy’s vision and goals –the implementation of the policy (i.e., how gender is carried through the specific programs and projects and/or the set of regulations and regulatory frameworks to implement the policy and address each particular telecommunications market).

Jorge Consulting5 Telecom/ICT Policy and Regulation: policy vs. implementation Unless gender analysis is done in a systematic manner, policy decisions and implementation of those policies will not contribute to gender equality and will fail to meet development goals (e.g., the MDGs) in different respects. Lack of gender disaggregated data does not help, but these processes must also be seen as drivers for development in multiple ways, including for example, in the establishment of gender aware indicators and national statistics for the ICT and other sectors. Once policies are developed, the real test is the process of implementation, the commitment towards the policy goals and the actual impact of the policy. From a gender perspective, the harsh reality is that there is a huge gap between the policy, its goals and what actually is implemented.

Jorge Consulting6 Telecom/ICT Policy and Regulation: policy vs. implementation The Mozambique Experience 2002 ICT Policy and Telecom Policy ( ), address gender equality as a specific and as a cross cutting goal. The Implementation Strategy for the 2002 ICT policy has one single mention to women in the whole document (in regards to violence against women) and none of the projects planned for the 5 years implementation period focus on women or gender issues specifically. The Mozambique ICT policy implementation strategy is a comprehensive plan, addresses critical areas of need, and the ICT Commission is doing interesting work, but if gender equality is truly a goal, gender analysis needs to be part of the process and needs to be addressed seriously.

Jorge Consulting7 Telecom/ICT Policy and Regulation: policy vs. implementation The Mozambique Experience (cont.) None of the regulations or aspects of the universal access and the UAF regulations resulting from the telecom policy address gender directly. None of the analysis conducted by the regulator for purposes of regulatory monitoring or implementation in the sector integrates or consider any gender variables or considerations. Without gender considerations, the impact of the policies will most likely have a less then desirable effect on the lives of women in Mozambique.

Jorge Consulting8 Market Analysis to Inform the New Regulatory Framework in Mozambique The 2007 Market Study and New Regulatory Framework (Project Director) Included extensive market analysis, new regulatory framework (licensing, spectrum, monitoring and compliance), organizational roadmap and capacity building plan. An opportunity to integrate gender concerns in the analysis but most important a critical opportunity to train the regulatory agency’s staff on gender-aware market analysis and planning Where does gender come into play? –The team –The research plan (interviews, stakeholdres, the data, the type of information used, case studies, public forums, the questions asked) –The research instruments –The research and analysis results and recommendations

Jorge Consulting9 Market Analysis to Inform the New Regulatory Framework in Mozambique Mozambique: some facts Human Development Index rank of 168 out of 177 countries (2006) low per capita income (USD$325), high levels of poverty (55% of the population living under the poverty line and 60% with less then $2 a day), low literacy levels, particularly among women and girls (with 68% being illiterate), limited and difficult access to basic public services (e.g., only 7% of households have electricity and less then 50% of the population with access to water source), close to 80% of the population engaged in subsistence agriculture; 50% of the state budget dependent on development aid, and facing an unprecedented HIV-AIDS and malaria crisis (with 16% HIV-AIDS infection rates nationally, up to 26.5% HIV-AIDS infection rates in the province of Sofala, and only 18% of mothers of young children own a mosquito net).

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Jorge Consulting11 Market Analysis to Inform the New Regulatory Framework in Mozambique The Small Demand Study: Some interesting findings Large gender and rural – urban divide in telephone and internet access and usage Higher male literacy rates in Portuguese, especially rural areas Portuguese is webcontent language Females more cost sensitive, shorter calls (lower income) Lower female access to telephone and services Higher % of males own telephones, particularly rural Mobile as status symbol Market women own mobile phones (pre-paid) Fixed vs. mobile availability to women: men do not share

Jorge Consulting12 Market Analysis to Inform the New Regulatory Framework in Mozambique The Small Demand Study: Some interesting findings Large gender and rural – urban divide in telephone and internet access and usage (cont.) Less female contact outside the community Low female education levels and low disposable income correlate with lower female usage of telecom/ICT services Expenditures on “non-basics” (soap, beer, hotel, restaurants) = disposable cash = available for telecom

Jorge Consulting13 Market Analysis to Inform the New Regulatory Framework in Mozambique The Small Demand Study: Some interesting findings Lower Female Internet Usage Less awareness and usage in smaller cities and rural Females not comfortable with technology Females use Internet more for social purposes, men use for wider range – social, research, job search, education 94% of females want to use Internet if access in community. Only 69% of males Females less computer or Internet training

Jorge Consulting14 Gender Aware Policy and Regulatory Processes and Decisions How are the analysis results used in developing the new regulatory framework? How is gender integrated? It determines how to establish priorities: –at the market structure level (the need for competitive service options in rural areas), –at the licensing level (through built in obligations; through incentives for women owned enterprises, geographic reach), –at the institutional and capacity levels (the need for gender experts on staff and gender analysis) –at the regulatory framework level (pricing policy, network deployment goals), and –at the program and project levels (types of projects, project criteria/selection, gender specific projects) It clarifies the need to focus on universal access to telecom and ICT services (and all its components).

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Jorge Consulting16 Gender Aware Policy and Regulatory Processes and Decisions How are the analysis results used in developing the new regulatory framework? How is gender integrated? (cont.) Focusing on Universal Access Strategy and Programs Public shared access to multipurpose facilities –Affordability, local entrepreneurs, gender concerns (location, schedules, training), literacy and language Public institution connectivity –Improve service provision and programs at health, education, and community organizations Capacity building programs –Specific to community needs and an element of all projects Content and application development –Targeted projects, stimulate/promote local entrepreneurship and knowledge

Jorge Consulting17 Developing Gender-aware Policy and Regulatory Frameworks: the case of telecommunication regulation in Mozambique Thank you! Sonia Jorge