abstract
- We evaluate the impact of Internet access on educational backwardness in rural Mexico, with a focus on gender differences. Based on data from Mexico¿s National Survey of Household Income and Expenditure in 2020 (Encuesta Nacional de Ingresos y Gastos de los Hogares, ENIGH 2020) and a treatment econometric model, our results indicate that in the total sample of the rural sector, Internet access decreases up to 3.28% points the probability that an individual will experience educational backwardness. With respect to gender differences, our results suggest that the effect of Internet access on educational backwardness is greater for women than for men, due to prevalent gender inequality in rural Mexico. Our findings point to the need for better policymaking to narrow the digital divide and educational gap that have expanded during the COVID-19 pandemic in Mexico¿s rural sector.