Gender and ICTs: Empowerment of Women in Telecentres in Jamaica Satoko Nadamoto Gender Institute London School of Economics and Political Science

Contents  Background  Research Questions  Methodology  Research Findings  Challenges of Telecentres  Recommendations  Further Research

Background: ICTs and Gender in Jamaica (Kingston, 2006)

ICTs in Jamaica  Telephone Mainlines: 17.4 %  Mobile Phone: 61.5 %  Household with TV: 70%  Personal Computers: 5.4 %  Internet Users: 26.5 % (2004, World Bank)

Gender in Jamaica I  Adult Literacy Rate (F/M): 91.4/83.8  Combined Gross Enrollment Ratio (F/M): 77/71  University of the West Indies (F/M): 66/34  Female-headed household: 45.4% (PIJ, 2003; JSLC, 2002; UNDP, 2005)

Gender in Jamaica II  Labour force participation rate (F/M): 53.2/71.4 (PIJ, 2003)  Estimated Earned Income % Proportion:  Female: US$3,279  Male: US$4,944 (UNDP, 2005)

Gender in Jamaica III  Political Representation  The first female Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller was elected in March  2 women in the 14-member Cabinet  7 female representatives in the 60-seat Parliament (2003, PLJ, 2003)

Gender in Jamaica IV  Violence against women  99 % of major crimes were committed by men.  71% of major crimes were committed by young men from the age of 16 to 30.  24 % of murders are attributed to domestic violence  A large number of rapes (PLJ, 2003)

Gender in Telecentres in Jamaica (ISJ, 2006)

Research Questions  Is there any gender digital divide in Jamaica? If so, what kind of gender digital divide exists in Jamaica?  Who is included and excluded in telecentres in Jamaica?  Does a telecentre empower women in Jamaica? If so, what kind of role does a telecentre play to empower women in Jamaica?

Methodology  Participatory observation  Questionnaire survey  Users  Trainees  Focus groups  Individual interviews to the managers

Targeted Telecentres  The Liguanea Cybercentre in Kingston  ZincLink I in Kingston  ZincLink II in Kingston  Bluefields People Community Association in Westmoreland  International School of Jamaica in Port Maria

Findings in Jamaica  Gender Digital Divide in Jamaica  Inclusion and Exclusion of Telecentres  Gender Difference in Telecentres  Empowerment of Women in Telecentres

Gender Digital Divide in Jamaica

(N=160) Nadamoto, 2006

Urban/Rural Digital Divide in Jamaica (N=160) Nadamoto, 2006

Inclusion and Exclusion of Telecentres (ISJ, 2006)

Inclusion and Exclusion of Telecentres Annual Report 2004, JSDN

Inclusion and Exclusion of Telecentres Annual Report 2004, JSDN

Inclusion and Exclusion of Telecentres (N=154) Nadamoto, 2006

Who is excluded from telecentres?  Old people  Unemployed  Poor women and men  Illiterate women and men  Rural men

Gender Difference in Telecentres (Zinc Link II, 2006)

Gender Difference in Telecentres (N=114) Nadamoto, 2006

Gender Difference in Telecentres (N=120) Nadamoto, 2006

Gender Difference in Telecentres (N=122) Nadamoto, 2006

Gender Difference in Telecentres (N=120) Nadamoto, 2006

Women’s Empowerment in Telecentres (Liguanea Cybercentre, 2006)

Women’s Empowerment in Telecentres (N=117) Nadamoto, 2006

UNDP/Microsoft ICT Training for Disadvantaged Youth MenWomenTotal LCC ISJA BPCA C-CAM41014 Total (Jun.- Dec. 2005)

Women’s Empowerment in Telecentres “I would like to be able to work in a large business using different types of technologies including computers.” (An 18-year old woman, ISJ) “I plan to go further into more computer studies to know every aspects of computer and to get a job that involves the computer.” (A 25-year old woman, ISJ)

Women’s Empowerment in Telecentres “I would like to use it [a computer] on my job, help my son and my other family members who have no knowledge of computer skills.” (A 25-year old woman, ISJ) “I would like to use these [computer] skills by helping my children, when I can afford one.” (A 33 year-old pregnant woman with 2 children, LC)

Women’s Empowerment in Telecentres (N=33) Nadamoto, 2006

Women’s Empowerment in Telecentres (N=35) Nadamoto, 2006

Women’s Empowerment in Telecentres (N=33) Nadamoto, 2006

Challenges of Women’s Empowerment in Telecentres  The lack of opportunity to continue the computer training  The lack of job opportunity after completing a computer training in a telecentre  Exclusion of poor women

Challenges in Telecentres in Jamaica  The shortage of technical staff  The shortage of trainers  The lack of the sense of sustainability among the managers  Exclusion of the poor

Recommendations  Training of the Managers  Training of the Trainers  Employment of more technical staff  Reconsideration of the criteria for the trainees  The offer of literacy training in telecentres

Further Research  Increase the sample size of survey  Explore the barriers of use in the telecentres  Focus groups out of the telecentres  Examine women’s empowerment through the use of a computer  Individual interviews with successful Jamaican women with computer skills

Thank you! Satoko Nadamoto PhD Candidate Gender Institute, LSE Mail: