Mobile-based digital technology adoption, gender, livelihood diversification, and poverty reduction in the Global South: a scoping review

Abstract The adoption of mobile phones in this century is essential for enhancing inclusion in access to livelihood assets and facilitating information flow, which are vital for improving income and reducing poverty in the Global South. However, there are insufficient efforts to comprehensively integrate mobile technology into development strategies. This review aims to enhance our understanding of the relationships between mobile technology, gender, livelihood diversification, and poverty alleviation in the Global South, utilising 92 studies. The findings reveal that different regions exhibit varying success stories in mobile technology, such as e-commerce in Asia, mobile money in Africa, and bridge the gender gap in South America, but they lack universal success. While specific factors such as gender and marital status vary across the Global South, common themes including education, income, electricity access, network coverage, mobile phone ownership, and internet accessibility significantly influence the digital divide, which in turn affects livelihood diversification and poverty. This review underscores that the ongoing challenges of mobile technology usage remain inadequately addressed. These challenges include inadequate digital infrastructure, skill gaps, gender disparities, and other socio-economic obstacles. Context-specific studies employing robust methodologies are essential for enhancing our comprehensive understanding of how mobile adoption influences livelihood strategies and poverty levels.