In almost half of the countries for which data are available for the 2018-2020 time-frame, more than 90 per cent of the population own a mobile phone.
For another 10 countries, that figure lay between 80 and 90 per cent.
In only 3 countries was the share below one-half of the population, the lowest at 45 per cent.
Ownership of mobile phones has been shown to be an important tool to empower women, and it appears that the world is moving to greater gender equality in this regard.
In one-half of the 60 countries for which data are available for the 2018-2020 time-frame, gender parity in mobile phone ownership has been achieved, and in ten more countries, more women than men own a mobile phone.
Nevertheless, in 21 countries, women lag behind men in mobile phone ownership, in some cases by a large margin.