Just as technology facilitates us with various functions in our daily lives, it also plays a great role in impacting the status of gender equality in our society. Nowadays several women are raising issues regarding gender equality on various social media platforms and this has only been made possible with the help of technology. Women residing in rural areas who are unable to raise their voices by joining protests are coming out through social media, speaking up against the injustices done to them and joining hands with other women virtually. They are able to connect with a large mass of people online, and convey their thoughts and opinions in all parts of the world. They are able to form a big movement online, allowing women to expose the abused faces by them and raise funds for the same. Technology have proved to be an effective tool to raise awareness about gender equality.
However, not everyone has access to it. There are a large number of women who do not own a simple smartphone. They do not have the necessary digital literacy, have less understanding of technology and have no presence on social media platforms. Lack of education, affordability and prevalence of socio- cultural norms are the key factors restriction women’s online presence. In fact, the availability of technology has it pros and cons too. When on one hand it can do wonders in reaching out to millions without having to put much efforts, on the other hand it can pose a lot of threats on women. They become an easy target for men with their online presence. Women’s ability to employ technology and social media proficiently—and protect themselves from targeted online attacks and propaganda—is a critical building block for peace and gender equality.