Using ICT to empower women Cases Lessons Learned Future challenges Agenda Creating Opportunities

 Women are under-represented  Policy-makers ICT line ministries ICT line ministries Multilateral agencies Multilateral agencies  ICT workers Line workers vs. managers or technicians Line workers vs. managers or technicians  ICT users Less than 50% almost everywhere Less than 50% almost everywhere ICT and Gender © Education Development Center

 Access to political power  Access to knowledge and means for knowledge-creation  Access to economic opportunities Using ICT to Empower Women © Education Development Center

Formulate and implement strategy Strategy and Action Law reform Advocacy Education Training Public awareness Institutional reform Service provision Capacity-building Fund-raising Data collection & analysis © Education Development Center

UNIFEM End-violence Online Working Group © Education Development Center 2,500+ members from 120 countries

End-violence Online Working Group  Fostered knowledge-sharing  Helped NGOs lobby for reform We were people from different cultures, different countries, but we hardly felt it Member from India Member from India  Generated networks successful strategies and tools  Disseminated © Education Development Center

End-violence Online Working Group  Provided input into policy-making  Built morale  Generated public support  Built knowledge resource This working group was the equivalent of a college course Member from UNDP © Education Development Center

End-Violence Videoconference Felicitaciones! The Video Conference was received via Internet. We will use it here in South America. Heartiest congratulations on this landmark and historic achievement… We got excellent media coverage... by Star TV News and Star News. Thank you very much again for organizing the Videoconference,.. it was very exciting for our own people Congratulations on a major event worldwide! © Education Development Center

End-violence Videoconference  Raised awareness worldwide  Raised consciousness within UNGA  Fostered activism Videoconference, broadcast, webcast © Education Development Center

Social Action in Africa Women’s Net, South Africa  Make women in government more accessible  Provide women with information and tools for social action © Education Development Center

Political Action in Indonesia  Established local “hot spots”  Facilitated coordinated action and common positions Indonesian Women’s Coalition for Justice and Democracy © Education Development Center

Political Advocacy in Nigeria Fantsuam Foundation  Focus on empowering rural women  Provides NGOs with a database of information and tools  Trains women to use ICTs to mobilize for democracy  Provides access to resources, e.g., legal aid © Education Development Center

Excellence DOH Multimedia Center of Excellence © Education Development Center

Multimedia Training in Philippines Family Planning Counseling CD Blood Screening for HIV/AIDS CD  Serves multiple audiences  Can be used by novice ICT users  Provides an effective training vehicle  Expands training reach  Extends training options for women © Education Development Center

Economic Opportunities in Peru Quipunet  Market local products  e-tourism  One-computer towns disseminate information to rural areas  Workshops on disaster relief  Preserving oral history © Education Development Center

Income Generation in India Rainbow Society, South India  E-commerce for rural women  Contacts with suppliers and buyers © Education Development Center

E-commerce in Africa Networked Intelligence for Development  Provides women with training in e-commerce © Education Development Center

Ecotourism Training in Brazil ECO-Eco’Living Institute, Brazil  Provides computer access to health agents, single mothers, students, etc.  Promotes and trains community in ecotourism  Provides access to information on health, etc. © Education Development Center

Lessons for the Future Complementary inputs are key  The inputs needed to utilize the technology effectively © Education Development Center

Lessons for the Future All complementary inputs are necessary © Education Development Center IT Skills Capital Access ContactsBusiness Skills Benefits

Lessons for the Future Women lack complementary inputs © Education Development Center Exacerbates inequity...even if the technology is free and accessible Unequal access to CIs IT Skills Access

Lessons for the Future  “Getting policies right” is important, but... © Education Development Center Policy implications

Lessons for the Future  “Getting policies right” is important, but...  The “right policies” ensure access to the full set of complementary inputs © Education Development Center Policy implications

Lessons for the Future  Understanding complementary input gaps requires detailed knowledge of specific groups © Education Development Center Policy implications  “Getting policies right” is important, but...  The “right policies” ensure access to the full set of complementary inputs

Lessons for the Future © Education Development Center Policy implications  Women need to get access to key decision-making circles, but...

Lessons for the Future © Education Development Center Policy implications  Women need to get access to key decision-making circles, but...  Women with power must understand the concrete conditions for specific groups

Lessons for the Future  Expanding access is important, but... © Education Development Center Program implications

Lessons for the Future  Expanding access is important, but...  Technology plus entrepreneurship will close many of the gaps  Real-time translations  Voice recognition  Free wireless © Education Development Center Program implications

Lessons for the Future  Key gap: Technology strategy  Know when and how to use what technologies  Opportunities to use them © Education Development Center Program implications

Lessons for the Future © Education Development Center Project implications  E-commerce holds potential, but...

Lessons for the Future © Education Development Center Project implications  E-commerce holds potential, but...  Revenue generation will depend on knowledge products

The Challenges for the Future  Address the full set of complementary inputs  Get the right women access to key decision-making circles  Emphasize applications and capacity- building vs. infrastructure build-out  Focus on knowledge-based income generation © Education Development Center