The Impact of Digital Literacy on Rural Women’s Non-Agricultural Employment—Evidence from China

Su Peng and Xihao Feng ()
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Su Peng: College of Economics and Management, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing 401331, China
Xihao Feng: College of Economics and Management, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing 401331, China

Economies, 2025, vol. 13, issue 11, 1-26

Abstract: The rapid popularization of digital technology is profoundly altering the employment landscape; especially in rural areas, the digital economy has opened up unprecedented channels to narrow the gender gap in non-agricultural employment. This study utilizes data from the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) from 2014 to 2020, employing a two-way fixed effects model to systematically examine the impact of digital literacy on the non-agricultural employment transition of rural women. The findings demonstrate that integrating social learning theory with digital empowerment theory establishes a dual-pathway analytical framework for examining psychological capital and information environments. Through skill development and resource optimization, digital literacy significantly enhances rural women’s employment participation and occupational re-adaptability, with these effects varying across regions and generations. Furthermore, the study reveals how household economic resources and regional development levels exert differential influences on these outcomes by affecting the acquisition and application of digital skills. These findings expand theoretical understanding of non-agricultural employment mechanisms in the digital era and offer practical policy insights. They also provide evidence-based strategies for enhancing women’s employment quality, advancing gender equality, and promoting rural revitalization, offering valuable guidance for developing countries navigating employment challenges through digital transformation.

Keywords: digital literacy; rural women; non-agricultural employment; social learning theory (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: E F I J O Q (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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