The definition of “what is rural and what is not” impacts on people in a variety of ways, and even more so, if the definition varies. For example, there are as many as six definitions in Canada and three in the USA. These different definitions change the definition of populations of rural people and thus the projects, programs and findings that are generated from interventions geared toward the rural populace. They also could impact on how community issues of ownership, participation and decision-making is interpreted. The term “rural ICT4D projects” is a very broad term on its own, if we consider not only situational and cultural contexts, but also project scale, outreach and availability of resources and ready infrastucture. All of these aspects can and do impact on how and whether gender is considered in the conceptualization, planning and implementation of rural ICT4D projects, and certainly, the conduct of a gender evaluation. The wide-ranging possibilities of what is a rural ICT4D project and the critical interest that these have generated as a way of facilitating the extension of social services to rural populations, makes it all the more necessary to ensure that these consider and actively address gender. Women in rural communities are generally the most disadvantaged when they are poor, and whether access to ICTs empowers or further disempowers women becomes a critical factor if gender inequality is not to be further exacerbated and if the gender digital divide is to be effectively narrowed down.

GEM has been used by a number of organisations undertaking rural ICT4D projects, and most of them designed their evaluations to focus on addressing needs that went beyond issues of availability of ICTs to:

• whether or not women are in a position to actually reap the benefits of ICTs;
• how society's perceptions of women's roles can change;
• how women’s own perceptions of themselves (self-esteem) and their roles in society can change;
• determine the extent of women’s awareness of ICTs, and their comfort and use of ICTs;
• how gender issues and unequal power dynamics between men and women may have been further exacerbated or may have been reduced through the development intervention.

In developing the thematic adaptation guide, the research will specifically aim to:

• Identify gender considerations/issues in planning, developing and implementing rural ICT4D projects of various types and scale.
• Assess how women and men participate in rural ICT4D projects of various types and scale, and to understand how rural ICT4D projects contribute or not contribute to changes in gender roles among women and men.
• Assess how women and men benefit from rural ICT4D projects of various types and scale, and how these affect gender relations among women and men in communities.
• Develop recommendations for rural ICT4D projects in ensuring gender equality in their work.
• Identify what inputs, activities and learning can effectively build capacity of project implementors in gender evaluation.