Women’s Sim Card Ownership and Credit Refill

1. Please think about the first SIM card that you ever owned (carried with you most of the day). When did you purchase/were given this SIM card?

Response Options:
Less than 3 months ago - 1
3 to 6 months ago - 2
7 months to a year ago - 3
A year to 2 years ago - 4
More than 2 years ago - 5
Do not know – 98

2. When did you purchase/were given your main [the one you use the most] SIM card?

Response Options:
Less than 3 months ago - 1
3 to 6 months ago - 2
7 months to a year ago - 3
A year to 2 years ago - 4
More than 2 years ago - 5
Do not know – 98

3. Is your main SIM card registered under your name?

Response Options:
Yes - 1
No - 2
Do not know – 98

4. What role, if any, did you play in selecting your main SIM card?

Response Options:
The decision was made by another person(s) (without any input from me) - 1
I contributed my input, but another person(s) made the final decision - 2
I made the decision - 3

5. Which person was most influential in making or helping you make the decision on your main SIM card?

Response Options:
The dealer/shopkeeper - 1
Local leader or community organization/group - 2
My spouse (husband or wife) - 3
My son - 4
My daughter - 5
My father/father-in-law - 6
My mother/mother-in-law - 7
Another male family member (brother, cousin, uncle,…) - 8
Another female family member (sister, cousin, uncle,…) - 9
A male friend (including neighbors) – 10
A female friend (including neighbors) - 11
Nobody influenced my choice of my main SIM - 12
Other (please specify):____ - 97

6. In the past four weeks, how has your credit been refilled on all the SIMs that you own?

Response Options:
I didn’t refill credit in the past four weeks - 1
Scratch card - 2
E-top-up - 3
Purchase of credit through mobile money - 4
Monthly bills for postpaid SIM - 5
Credit sent electronically to my SIM by a friend or relative - 6
Other (please specify):____ - 97
Do not know – 98

7. If answered “2. Scratch card” or “3. E-top-up” or “4. Purchase of credit through mobile money” to previous question: In the past four weeks. Who refilled your credit balance on all the SIMs that you own?

Response Options:
I have refilled my credit at the dealer(s) on my own (without any help from anyone) - 1
A friend or relative came with me to a dealer(s) and helped me to refill my credit - 2
I have refilled my credit at a dealer(s) with some assistance from the dealer(s) - 3
A friend or relative went to a dealer(s) to refill credit on my behalf - 4
I have refilled my credit through mobile money on my own (without any help from anyone) - 5
I have refilled my credit through mobile money with some assistance from a friend or relative - 6
I have refilled my credit through mobile money with some assistance from the dealer(s) - 7
Other (please specify):____ - 97

8. If answered “2. A friend or relative came with me to a dealer(s) and helped me to refill my credit” or “3. I have refilled my credit at a dealer(s) with some assistance from the dealer(s)” or “4. A friend or relative went to a dealer(s) to refill credit on my behalf” or “6. I have refilled my credit through mobile money with some assistance from a friend or relative” or “7. I have refilled my credit through mobile money with some assistance from the dealer(s)” to previous question: Why do you need help from a friend or a relative or the dealer to refill your credit balance?

Response Options:
Dealers selling credit are far away from where I live - 1
I feel unsafe or uncomfortable travelling out to the dealers’ shop - 2
I feel uncomfortable interacting with dealers - 3
It is not appropriate for me to go to the shop on my own - 4
It is not convenient for me to go to the shop (inconvenient opening hours, no time, etc.) - 5
The person who pays for my credit goes to the shop himself/herself - 6
I am uncomfortable giving my phone number to the dealer(s) myself - 7
My family does not want me to buy credit myself - 8
I was never explained how to buy credit and I don’t know how to do it - 9
I am worried that if I refill credit myself that I will make a mistake or accidentally lose money - 10
Other (please specify):____ - 97

9. Where does the money to refill your credit balance or pay your monthly bill usually come from?

Response Options:
My own money - 1
The general household budget - 2
My spouse (husband or wife) - 3
My son - 4
My daughter - 5
My father/father-in-law - 6
My mother/mother-in-law - 7
Another male family member (brother, cousin, uncle,…) - 8
Another female family member (sister, cousin, aunt,…) - 9
A male friend (including neighbors) - 10
A female friend (including neighbors) - 11
Other (please specify):____ - 97

10. Only if answered “1. My own money” or “2. The general household budget” to previous question: Do you usually have to ask the permission to spend the money?

Response Options:
Yes, always - 1
Yes, most of the time - 2
Sometimes - 3
No - 4

Not Applicable

PRIMARY CITATION:

Santosham, S. & Lindsey, D. (2015). Bridging the gender gap: Mobile access and usage in low- and middle-income countries. https://www.gsma.com/mobilefordevelopment/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Connected-Women-Gender-Gap.pdf