Subject: Addressing the special problems of women and IT
The area of which I speak is the ability of women to access IT and use it
to improve their lives and the lives of their families. In many cultures,
when training is available, it is directed at men only. Women, in general,
have a lower literacy rate because many cultures still forbid formal
education. Even when education is accepted, the emphasis remains upon the
male, with females dropping out due to societial or familial pressures.
It is my concern that these restrictions will be magnified as the male
population gains access to IT and women do not. There are many ways in
which IT could be used to circumvent adverse conditions on behalf of women.
Women Artists and Writers International, which I represent, has already
enjoyed success with our online publication, Moondance, and we now want to
expand into an online learning resource center which would provide the
opportunity for women to teach their indigenous knowledge or field of
specialization to other women on a global basis. This would be a
for-profit center, with fees charged and instructors paid. For this and
other female enterprises to be successful, women must be a part of the
solutions for IT problems.
If anyone on this list can direct me to sites where this may already be
under discussion, I would appreciate it. I would also appreciate hearing
the views of those on this list. Following is the declaration put together
by the Independent Committee on Women and Global Knowledge which was
presented, with a few modifications, at the GK'97 Women's Breakfast on
Tuesday June 24th.
It would be useful to have your feedback especially on the "three basic
principles" and "three critical priority actions".
Loretta Kemsley
Editor In Chief
Moondance
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GENDER, PARTNERSHIPS AND ICT DEVELOPMENT
PREAMBLE
In no other more far-reaching aspect of development do we have such an
opportunity as we do at this point in time, to forge and present a catalytic
vision that will build upon, enhance and ratify, the work that women have
done until now to establish and maintain their place in global development.
The Independent Committee on Women and Global Knowledge recognises the
importance of new information and communication technologies (ICTs) as a
medium for gathering and distributing our shared knowledge and heritage. We
agree that gender equity must be embraced in all facets of engineering,
design, development and delivery if the new information technologies are to
be fully effective.
BUILDING ON EXISTING FRAMEWORKS
This statement of principles builds upon the momentum created by important
international understandings of the perspectives and concerns of
marginalised groups with respect to science and technology in development.
The international community has already articulated and presented these
understandings and recommendations in a number of statements and reports
including;
* the Platform of Action of the Fourth UN World Conference on
Women (1995)
* 'Science and Technology for Sustainable Human Development, the
Gender Dimension', the Gender Working Group report to the UN
Commission on Science & Technology for Development (1995)
THREE BASIC PRINCIPLES
We agree that there are at least three basic principles essential to
ensuring sound planning for ICT development and design:
1. designs of ICT systems that ensure that men and women have equal
opportunity to be involved in every facet of ICT development, from
infrastructure through to front-end use, recognising that this may involve
strategies to support the contributions of and address the barriers to
women's full participation;
2. assessments of the differential impacts on both men and women of the
effects of any and all ICT development programmes;
3. evaluations of ICT development to take into account the distinct
situations and resources of women and men, to ensure that all have
continuous learning.
None of this is possible without the concerted effort of all development
sectors to support women's full participation in decision making, access to,
contributions to and benefits from the generation of knowledge for development.
THREE CRITICAL PRIORITY ACTIONS
Policy and decision makers, investors, civil society organisations and donor
agencies are encouraged, therefore, to:
1. incorporate gender analysis in all scientific and technological policy
research;
2. develop and finance follow-up and evaluation mechanisms to identify and
measure the impact of ICT initiatives on women's communications needs;
3. work in partnership with women and the organisations that they represent
in all aspects and at all levels of technical training and education, access
and delivery systems, and in the development of information systems specific
to the needs of women.
PARTNERSHIPS
This statement is bound by the contributions that women already make to
their own knowledge systems, and by the potential and profound impact that
the new ICTs will have on our economic, social and environmental well-being.
The future can be very different from the past: the challenge for all of us
is to aspire to a future which respects the equal partnerships of men and
women in development. It is this partnership which is central to the
creation and to the success of new realities and a radically different future.
Presented by the Independent Committee on Women and Global Knowledge
http://www.postindustrial.com/morewomen/
We cannot change the direction of the wind, . *
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but we can adjust our sails. * . * * *
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MOONDANCE: Celebrating Creative Women
http://www.students.dsu.edu/ilchuka/moondance/
Summer Edition: June 1, 1997