Independent Advanced
Navigates digital tools independently across contexts, including more complex and evolving systems.
Pathways Segment
Of Reproductive Age Women
18%- Largely Smartphone
How do they use their phones?
Women use their phones to stay connected, manage financial transactions, consume entertainment, express themselves, and access information for everyday needs. Patterns of use are shaped by relevance, familiarity, and the constraints of their social and material contexts.
Mobile Ownership (DHS-8 2023)
98%Smartphone Ownership
98%Uses Mobile for Financial Transactions
77%
Reach and Connection
Uses WhatsApp to stay in touch with friends, family, or customers, communicating via text, voice or videos.
Entertainment and Stress Relief
May use social media and watch videos for entertainment, making deliberate choices about what to stream or download. Access may be more on-demand and data-intensive, enabled through Wi-Fi or mobile data.
Learning and Growth
May actively use TikTok, Youtube, WhatsApp groups to search for information and news. As a self motivated learner, she may independently conduct online research for learning or practical needs.
Transactions and Financial Security
Uses mobile money, primarily the Wave app, for sending and receiving payments. May be comfortable handling basic apps with integrated payments.
Self Promotion and Expression
Uses platforms such as WhatsApp Status or TikTok to promote business activities and share personal milestones.
How do they get access to their phones?
Access to phones is often mediated through family and social networks, with devices acquired, shared, or supported through these relationships. Patterns of ownership, control, and continuity vary across geographies and reflect broader gendered and economic conditions.
Is in the Top 40% by Household Wealth Nationally
47%Has Year Long Employment or Livelihood Activity
34%
Access to Device and Consumables
Likely to have had early access to a phone, either shared with or given by a parent or sibling.
Has a smartphone and may aspire to upgrade to a newer or more advanced model, often linked to a sense of belonging or modernity. Upgrades may occur through receiving a device, purchasing one independently, or exchanging an older model.
May purchase mobile data and airtime independently or rely on others. May also have relatively stable Wi-Fi access through shared networks when available.
How do they learn how to use their phones?
Women build digital capability over time through a combination of early exposure, literacy, and support from others. Facilitators, such as family members, peers, or intermediaries often play a role in shaping how skills are developed and how confidence is built.
Can Read Full Sentences
42%Cannot Read at All
51%
Base Capabilities
Early exposure may support comfort with navigating smartphones and relative independence in managing most digital tasks.
Learning Style
Highly curious and motivated to explore new functions. Learning is largely self-directed, often through following instructions or experimenting independently. May quickly pick up new skills after a one-time demonstration and transfer learning across contexts and devices.
Learning Needs
Largely independent in use and may attempt to troubleshoot before seeking facilitation. May require one-time support to set up apps, email accounts, or the Google Play Store, after which she continues independently.
Facilitators
May occasionally seek assistance from friends or family to resolve specific issues.
What are the challenges they navigate?
Women navigate interruptions in access, limitations in resources, and a range of digital risks. Their use of phones is shaped by social expectations and relationship dynamics, which influence when, how, and how freely they are able to stay connected.
Has Internalised Domestic Violence
18%Participates in Household Decision Making
28%Household has Electricity
89%
Disruptions caused by Financial Shocks, Damage, Degradation and Loss
Disruptions, when they occur, may be felt more acutely due to broader and more integrated use. Minor issues are often addressed relatively quickly through repair or device replacement.
Managing Recurring Costs (data, airtime etc.)
Having access to Wi-Fi makes data disruptions less of a concern. But when data depletions can affect use, usage is planned carefully and alternate options are actively used to manage depletion, resulting in shorter disruptions. May be dependent on others for recharging, which can result in temporary interruptions.
Charging Cycles
Is very likely to have access to electricity at home. During outages, interruptions may be minimal, as she adapts by charging at nearby centres or using backup sources.
Norms, Control and Coercion
May experience normative advice rather than direct coercion and may feel confident and capable to negotiate acceptable boundaries. Rare disruptions linked to norms may arise from social scrutiny or gossip.
Perception of Risk
Aware of financial scams and reputational risks and understands that increased online visibility may heighten exposure.
Response to Digital Risk
May recognise digital threats and navigate them with relative confidence, balancing engagement with discretion. May take proactive steps, such as verifying sources and blocking unknown contacts when necessary.