While digital business is growing in Nepal, it has been found that gender inequality remains. According to the 'Global Findex 2025' report published by the World Bank on Wednesday, 58 percent of men use digital payment methods in Nepal, while the number of women users is only 36 percent.

While the average gender gap in South Asia as a whole is 15 percent, in Nepal, there is a 22 percent gap between men and women who use digital payment services. According to the

report, from the point of view of financial inclusion, there is no significant gender gap in the ownership of accounts in banking institutions in Nepal, India and Sri Lanka. This means, women and men have almost equal access to bank accounts or mobile money accounts. But despite having access to the account, there is a difference in using it digitally in Nepal.

The report points out that not all communities have received the full benefits of digital transactions in Nepal equally. When the issue of gender inequality in the digital financial sector is included in the report, voices are raised that people with different abilities are also affected by the 'digital divide'. 

It is mentioned in the report that such a gap is due to the widespread gender inequality in the ownership of mobile phones and SIM cards necessary for accessing the Internet and for digital transactions. Along with African countries including Comoros, Congo, Morocco and Tanzania, Jordan and Nepal also have more than 40 percent of telecommunications customers who do not have a SIM card in their own name. It has been found that only about 90 percent of men and 80 percent of women have mobile phones in Nepal.

The report pointed out that if the SIM card is not in your name, it will be difficult to use mobile banking, mobile money and other digital financial services. In such a situation, users have been warned that they may also be at risk of digital fraud. Among the main reasons for not having a SIM card in one's name are lack of financial ability to purchase a phone, complicated registration process, lack of required identity card or getting the phone and SIM card from a family member. According to the study, this tendency is especially seen in women and rural residents.

About 40 percent of women who carry mobile phones in Nepal cannot read or understand text messages written in Latin letters. In men, this ratio is around 20 percent. On the contrary, about 60 percent of women can read and understand such messages, while this ratio is about 80 percent for men. 

"If women's access to and ownership of mobile phones increases, it will reduce the existing gender gap in bank accounts," the report says, "although in low- and middle-income countries, women are 9 percent less likely to own a mobile phone than men." 

This means only 91 out of 100 women have a phone. While every one of a hundred men has a phone. The study emphasized the need to address such gender inequality seen in digital payments. 

Various reports have suggested for countries like Nepal to increase digital and financial inclusion and address inequality. Measures such as increasing access to mobile phones, simplifying the SIM card registration process, increasing digital literacy and improving consumer protection are suggested to help women take full advantage of digital financial services. These initiatives are said to play an important role in increasing the financial health and confidence of women.

"The problem of women having to depend on family members to withdraw money or make transactions should be addressed," the response said, "Banks and financial institutions should encourage women to open accessible and affordable accounts such as mobile money accounts with minimum balances and low service charges." Strong and reliable digital infrastructure, reliable connectivity and interoperable payment systems should be developed.'