Women are often the beneficiaries of mobile health projects in low-income countries but they are not usually equal participants in how such services are developed, said the mHealth Alliance (mHA), a non-profit organisation promoting health using mobile technology.

In response, the mHA has released a gender analytical framework to improve the understanding of such issues among organisations planning mhealth launches.

Women in low-income countries are missing out even as the so-called digital divide is shrinking, said the mHA. For instance, a woman in such a country is 21 per cent less likely than a man to own a mobile phone. Many women’s health problems, such as maternal mortality and unintended pregnancies are linked to gender inequality, said the organisation.

The framework was informed by the experience of organisations including that of Villagereach, which is supported by the mHA.

“Having experienced first-hand the challenges associated with taking gender into account when designing mhealth programs, such as our toll-free maternal health hotline in Malawi, we were keenly aware of the need for global learning on this topic,” said Emily Bancroft (pictured), program director of Villagereach’s Health Systems Group.