Stratified Connectivity: A Descriptive Study of The Digital Divide in Kathmandu Valley

Abstract

Objective: This paper examines the digital divide in Kathmandu Valley, Nepal, concerning the impact of socio-demographic variables, including age, gender, education, occupation, and place of origin, on digital access, capabilities, and engagement.

Methodology: Relying on modernization theory and previous research on the issue of digital inequality, a quantitative survey with 125 respondents was based on structured questionnaires.

Results: The results show that young, male, urban-born workers are more digitally active when they have jobs in the private sector, whereas women and rural-born respondents are structurally constrained. However, perceptions of digital exclusion are uniform across groups, indicating that people are aware of the phenomenon. The digital inclusion practice was also found to have sustained associations with the demographic characteristics, and strong interconnections between the digital inequalities were established.

Conclusion: The paper points to the necessity of inclusive policy and connects infrastructure investment with digital literacy, particularly for marginalized populations. The study highlights internal inequalities that are readily neglected in urban narratives of digital inclusion in an ostensibly advantaged place like Kathmandu.