Access to mobile phones has benefited women in multiple ways from enabling them to remain connected with their family to helping them to access information available through internet. However, mobile has also become a channel through which women experience harassment from strangers, especially men. In some Middle Eastern countries, men randomly dial mobile numbers till they reach a woman. In many emerging markets in Asia, Africa and Latin America, women have to think twice before sharing their number with retailer because of the fear of being overheard by a stranger. Often the number is sold by the retailer to miscreants, multiplying the problem. These miscreants are known to call up women frequently and pass derogatory comments, leading to a feeling of fear and insecurity in these women. For example, in Indias largest state Uttar Pradesh, some recharge retailers are known to sell mobile number of their women customers for a hefty price. The mobile number of women can fetch a price ranging from INR 50 (US$ 0.77) to INR 500 (US$ 7.72), depending on looks. This has led to sharp increase in harassing and abusive calls in the state. Between 15 November 2012 and 31 December 2016, Uttar Pradesh Police received 582,854 complaints on Womens Help Line 1090 related to harassment on phone. Complaints related to harassment on phone constitute 88% of the total complaints received by police on Women Help Line 1090.[1]
In case male members of the family come to know about the harassment calls, they usually suspect the women of being a willing victim. Thus, restrictions are put on women and they become dependent on the men in their family for recharge. As men recharge womens phone as per their convenience, women have zero balance for long duration leading to decline in their mobile usage. In some cases, women are completely restricted from using the mobile phone broadening the mobile ownership gender gap. GSMA report Bridging the Gender Gap: Mobile Access and Usage in Low- and Middle-Income Countries also highlights harassment from strangers as one of the key barriers for women in owing or using a mobile phone.
Recharge service. Private Recharge enables women to recharge at retailers without disclosing their mobile number. Private Recharge service masks woman’s actual mobile number and enable her to share an alias number with retailer for recharge. To get the alias number (also called as Private Code or OTP) the female customer has to send a keyword to SMS shortcode. The female customer receives the alias number as a reply SMS. The female customer shares the alias number with retailer for electronic recharge concealing her actual mobile number.
The USPs
Overcomes educational and financial constrains: As customers just need to send a simple SMS to generate alias number, hence, anyone can use this service. Unlike mobile apps which require smartphone and internet, SMS-based Private Recharge works with both feature-phones and smartphones. Moreover, SMS to generate alias number is offered free of cost by operators, eliminating any financial burden on customers. Thus, Private Recharge can be used by all women irrespective of their age, education and financial status.
A proactive approach: There are a number of mobile security apps or services that allow women to block unwanted callers or seek help through SOS Messages during danger or emergency. However, most of these services are reactive, which women use during distress. On other hand, Private Recharge is a proactive service as it enables women to prevent exposure of their mobile number thus helping them to proactively avoid harassment and spam calls. Private Recharge is a unique service as it addresses basic concern of maintaining secrecy of females mobile number during recharge.
Complete secrecy: Exposure of mobile number can be prevented even at channel-user level that is operators administrative users and distributors. The reports generated for channel-users show alias number instead of customers actual mobile number, ensuring complete secrecy.
Commercially live Private Recharge services
 and Uttarakhand. Sakhi in Hindi language means female friend. Vodafone Sakhi package includes Private Recharge facility, 10 minutes free talk-time during zero balance, free health and beauty tips for 90 days and an on-boarding call in vernacular language. The package is targeted at women who follow a shared phone concept and do not get their own mobile phone due to security concerns.</p>
<p><strong>Private Recharge marketing material</strong></p>
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https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/girls-mobile-numbers-up-for-sale-in-uttar-pradesh-price-rs-50-to-rs-500/story-5lYPcav12h7rnW6A6UDLLI.html [2] https://www.gsma.com/mobilefordevelopment/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Connected-Women-Gender-Gap.pdf [3] https://www.vodafone.in/documents/Pdfs/Pressreleases/PRESS_RELEASE_Vodafone_Sakhi_UPW.pdf
Other references:
https://www.mahindracomviva.com/idea-cellular-mahindra-comviva-enable-security-empowerment-women-private-recharge.htm/
https://www.grameenphone.com/business/see-also/payment-recharge/private-recharge
https://www.banglalink.net/en/personal/offers/recharge-offers/pin-recharge
