SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS (SES) AND CLIMATE LITERACY AMONG RURAL WOMEN OF GILGIT CITY: A MEDIATING ROLE OF USE OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES (ICTs)

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Saturday 1:45 pm - Gold 3
  In Roundtable Session: Digital and Multimodal Gendered Explorations

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between socio-economic status (SES) and climate literacy among 215 rural women in Gilgit City, focusing on the mediating role of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). Guided by Van Dijk’s Resource and Appropriation Theory (2005), data were collected using Simple Random Sampling and analyzed through SPSS v21 and SmartPLS 4 with Structural Equation Modelling. Findings revealed no significant direct relationship between SES and climate literacy; however, ICT use—especially mobile phones and internet—significantly mediated this relationship. The study concludes that digital inclusion plays a critical role in enhancing climate literacy among marginalized women. It recommends localized climate education, gender-sensitive ICT infrastructure, and community engagement to promote equitable climate resilience in rural Pakistan.

Authors

• Irfan Nawaz, Ministry of Human Rights, Islamabad

• Nazir ullah, Centre of Engineering Research Advancement and Technology (CEERAT)

• Nisha Irfan, Quaid-e-Azam University, Islamabad