The Dynamics of Digitalization and Women’s Empowerment in the MENA Region

Abstract

This paper examines the link between digitalization and women’s empowerment in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region using panel data from 21 countries between 1992 and 2019. The study employs the autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) technique to analyze the impact of information and communication technology (ICT), specifically mobile phone subscriptions and internet use, on women’s empowerment as measured by the female labour force participation rate. The findings show that mobile phone subscriptions have a positive and significant short- term effect but become insignificant in the long run. In contrast, internet use does not show significant impacts in either the short or long term. However, when considering the interac- tion term, mobile phone subscriptions have a positive and significant impact on women’s empowerment in the long run, although the interaction term itself is negatively significant in the long run. Internet use remains insignificant in both the short and long term, but the interaction term displays a positive and significant relationship with women’s empower- ment in the long run. These results suggest that laws and regulations supporting women’s rights enhance the effectiveness of digitalization, particularly internet use, in promoting women’s empowerment. In conclusion, this study deepens our understanding of the re- lationship between digitalization and women’s empowerment in the MENA region. By considering ICT variables and the moderating role of women-supportive laws, the research underscores the importance of mobile phone subscriptions for long-term women’s empow- erment and highlights the positive influence of legal frameworks in facilitating the impact of digitalization, especially internet use, on women’s empowerment.