Digital Inclusion Index: A Measurement of ICT Advancements in Bahrain & GCC

Abstract

This paper deals with digital inclusion trends in Bahrain and GCC. Four digital inclusion variables were used for studying the digital inclusion in Bahrain. The same set of variables was used for all the GCC countries including Bahrain to rank them according to the Digital Inclusion Index. The digital inclusion trends show that mobile subscriptions and mobile internet users are the most popular amongst the variables. The digital inclusion index shows that the UAE is on top, followed by Bahrain. The correlational analysis shows that there is a significant association between the digital inclusion indicators and economic indicators. To conclude, the study observed that Bahrain is doing far better than the other GCC countries with regard to digital inclusion from the access point of view except the UAE. The study also suggested certain measures to improve digital inclusion in Bahrain.