UNIFEM’S DIGITAL DIASPORA INITIATIVE FOSTERING E-QUALITY IN AFRICA Address by Laketch Dirasse, Chief, UNIFEM Africa, at the World Bank Gender and Digital Divide Seminar Series, Washington D.C. May 21, 2002

CONTEXT AFRICA  VAST CONTINENT OF IMMENSE DIVERSITY: larger than combined land mass of China, USA, India, Europe, Argentina and New Zealand mil. sq. mi. vs mil.sq.mi. Population- 748 mil. Vs 3.2 bil.).  SEEMINGLY INTRACTABLE DEVELOPMENT PROBLEMS: overall decline in economic investment; deepening poverty (feminised poverty); conflicts and wars; HIV/AIDS pandemic.  GREAT POTENTIAL AND REMARKABLE OPPORTUNITIES PARTICULARLY, THROUGH WOMEN: over 50% of population; more than ¾ of agricultural producers; 55-65% of informal sector business owners and operators.

African Diaspora  Many successful Africans in the Diaspora interested in and committed to contributing to the development of the continent.  Many examples of Diaspora ICT Executives who have successfully invested in their countries.  Africa’s Brain Drain potentially a Brain Gain in the new economy.

UNIFEM STRATEGY AND BUSINESS PLAN  Recognizes importance of ICT to increase options and opportunities for women’s economic and political empowerment.  Emphasizes the need for innovative uses of new technologies, partnerships and constituencies for gender equality initiatives.

Fostering E-QUALITY In Africa OBJECTIVE Empower African women to realize their economic rights and security in the context of globalization and new technologies Sub-Objective 1: Influence macro-economic and trade policy-making and monitoring to focus on feminized poverty and African women's access to and control over assets and resources Sub-Objective 3: Within an economic rights framework, promote African women producers’ access to and influence over technology, finance and markets and ensure that their experiences inform and shape macro-level policies and globalisation instruments Sub-Objective 2: Create an enabling environment for African women to influence all aspects of ICT use and policy at national, regional and international levels

UNIFEM’s Five Strategies : Supporting an innovative and catalytic approach THE GOAL: Systemic change to increase options and opportunities for women’s economic and political empowerment and bring about gender equality Building the capacity and leadership of women’s organizations Advocacy to leverage political and financial support Forging new synergies and partnerships Building an operational knowledge base to influence mainstreaming Piloting new and innovative approaches

UNIFEM’s DIGITAL DIASPORA INITIATIVE  Mobilize and harness the IT and business expertise and financial resources of Africans in the Diaspora to promote women’s economic security.  Provide possibilities for African IT Entrepreneurs in the Diaspora to benefit from new markets while participating in socially responsible economic development for women and Africa.  Expand options and opportunities offered by ICT for securing better livelihoods for African women by identifying business opportunities, providing training, creating new business partnerships, providing access to finance, and building the knowledge-base on ICT for poverty alleviation.

The Global Advisory Committee’s STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK OF ACTION Creating an enabling ICT environment for African women Champion: YUSSUR ABRAR) A. Policy and Regulatory Mechanisms YUSSUR ABRAR ALEXANDER NTOKO PATRICK HAYFORD B. Infrastructure Issues YUSSUR ABRAR Country Capacity Building Champion: GISELE YITAMBEN and AMOLO NG’WENO Business Linkages Champions: REBECCA ENONCHONG and AWO QUAISON- SACKEY A. Networking AWO QUAISON- SACKEY B. Pilot Projects - AKHTAR BADSHAH, NANCY HAFKIN C. Private Sector and Foundation Partnerships NATALIE HAHN A. IT Access – YUSSUR ABRAR B. IT Business – GISELE YITAMBEN Management/Finance/Marrketing/ Training I) Management Level II) Entrepreneurial Level C. Business Incubator Services – AMOLO NG’WENO D. Mentorship – AMOLO NG’WENO, AKHTAR BADSHAH E. Venture Capital Fund – WOND WOSSEN MESFIN, AMOLO NG’WENO F. Job Placement and CISCO Network – ERIN WALSH G. Technology Transfer Program, including Diaspora and international business expertise UNIFEM, UN AGENCIES/NANCY HAFKIN H. Youth and Grassroots Campaigns REBECCA ENONCHONG

Advocacy and Networking Gender Caucus and E-Discussion Group established to support women’s networking around the WSIS process Gender and HIV/AIDS project for youth mobilization through electronic networking and e- discussion groups E-Campaign and electronic discussion groups on violence against women Fostering E-QUALITY In Africa: Ongoing Activities

Capacity Building Strategic Communications Skills Development Multi-Purpose Empowerment Centers in Somalia Fostering E-QUALITY In Africa: Ongoing Activities Women into the New Network of Entrepreneurial Reinforcement (WINNER) project in Zimbabwe

Strategic Partnerships Memorandum of Understanding with ITU and UNDP Discussions with UNV on technology transfer proposal through Diaspora ICT entrepreneurs and professionals Co-operation with UN ICT Taskforce, Digital Partners and CERFE to set up an African Digital Diaspora Network in North America and Europe. MOU with UN ICT Taskforce under discussion Fostering E-QUALITY In Africa: Ongoing Activities

Mainstreaming Gender mainstreamed in the Rwanda IT Policy and technical advisor attached to Ministry of Gender Promoting women’s participation and mainstreaming gender in the World Summit on the Information Society Africa Regional meeting Fostering E-QUALITY In Africa: Ongoing Activities

THE FUTURE Partnership with African Diaspora ICT Entrepreneurs affords an untapped resource to propel E-Quality in Africa. The costs of women’s exclusion from the agricultural and industrial revolution are still being felt. In the era of globalization and new technologies, Africa and the international community can no longer afford to exclude women.