1. ICT for Women Entrepreneurship in Asia-Pacific Expert Group Meeting on ICT Policy from a Gender Perspective Bangkok, December 18-19th, 2001 Bianca R. Tonetti Asian and Pacific Centre for Transfer of Technology (APCTT)

2. Facts and figures Ž The online female population in ASIA in 2000 accounted for 22% of Internet users Ž Women entrepreneurs manage 35% of SMEs in the region, more than 1/3 of 95% of all enterprises in Asia Pacific Ž By 2003 there will be 8 million women Internet users in CHINA and 2 million in INDIA Ž 23% women Internet users in INDIA in 2000 Ž 38.7% in CHINA in 2001 Ž Only a small portion of the female population of Asian developing countries is digitally empowered l However, out of 15,000 members of IWAPI- Indonesia only 12% have e-mail accounts

3. Facts and figures Facts and figures Women’s Internet use in Asia-Pacific and USA Source: Hafkin & Taggart, Gender, IT and Development Countries, AED for USAID, 2001.

4. Impact of IT on women’s work l Women concentrated at lower skilled employment levels Ž Creation of new jobs in: INFORMATION PROCESSING BANKINGINSURANCEPRINTINGPUBLISHING l Conducive policies in India and Malaysia have led to women occupying high-skilled and managerial positions Ž Automation in manufacturing/services Ž Relocation of production Ž New skill requirements

5. Information processing PROJECT SITA AND WOMEN’S e-COOPERATIVE MITRAMANDAL - INDIA Ž Studies in Information Technology Applications (SITA) is a computer-skill training program for 450 women from a disadvantage background and with limited communication skills. It is sponsored by InfoDev - World Bank Ž Global Challenge Award 2000, finalist Stockholm Challenge Award 2000, selected as Most Promising Social Enterprise 2002 Ž Poor response of the job market to the project trainees Ž Self-employment through the women’s cooperative MitraMandal

6. Information processing WOMEN’S e-COOPERATIVE MITRAMANDAL MitraMandal Professional Wing Training of trainers R&D marketing and publicity Learning Wing Implements the learning strategyPublic/PrivateOrganizations Providers of work Earning Wing Trainers and trainees use IT skills to generate income Source: SITA.

7. Information processing PROJECT SITA AND WOMEN’S e-COOPERATIVE MITRAMANDAL - INDIA SITA trainees SITA head trainer SITA senior instructor Source: SITA

8. Information processing SECTOR PROFILE IN ASIA Ž CHINA, INDIA, SINGAPORE and VIETNAM are taking large shares of the outsourcing markets in data processing Ž The PHILIPPINES concentrates the largest number of women workers in remote data entry Ž Many new jobs are in call centres and satellite offices performing back office functions

9. Information processing OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN IN ASIA Ž Women working in data entry in BANGLADESH would earn 88% more than in local jobs Ž One million jobs in call centres are expected to be created in INDIA by 2007 Ž Women’s attempts to create self- employment are frustrated by their lack of business and marketing skills Ž In INDIA over 350,000 women are expected to be working in remote data processing by 2008

10. Information processing CONDUCIVE POLICIES Ž Good telecom infrastructur e Ž IT training in and out of school Ž Training in marketing and business development

11. Clothing and textile manufacturing RANLIYA GARMENT INDUSTRIES - SRI LANKA Ž Established in 1978 by Ms. Hapuarachchi. Turnover of US$23 million, workforce of 6,000. 95% are women Ž The company utilizes CAD/CAM machines for garment design, computerized sewing and embroidery machine and has a production capacity of 700,000 pieces per month Ž Technology transfer was successful thanks to an easily trainable workforce due to Sri Lanka’s high literacy rate Ž The new technology enhances the productivity while meeting the requirements of international markets in terms of timeliness, pricing and quality standards

12. Clothing and textile manufacturing RANLIYA GARMENT INDUSTRIES - SRI LANKA CAD/CAM machine for garment design Computerized sewing machine

13. Clothing and textile manufacturing SECTOR PROFILE IN ASIA Ž Asia’s share of total employment in the industry was 72% in 1998 Ž China is the major employer accounting for 20% of the global workforce Ž In 1995 Asia concentrated 80% of global women workers in the textile sector Ž Women take up 71% of the jobs in clothing in the region, with China the major employer (20%) followed by Indonesia and Thailand Source: ILO.

14. Clothing and textile manufacturing OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN IN ASIA Ž Computer technology offers opportunities for small and medium women-owned clothing manufacturing units Ž Decentralization allowed by fragmentation of production particularly in garment manufacturing Ž In Italy women subcontractors use IT applications for the instant fashion market Ž Promotion of small- scale sector instrumental for the development of the sector

15. Ž Promotion of small-scale sector Ž Entrepreneurship development training Ž Dissemination of technology information Ž Government to initiate, coordinate and share the cost of R&D and training schemes CONDUCIVE POLICIES Clothing and textile manufacturing

16. Software programming VIJAY SOFTWARE DEVELOPERS (VSD) - INDIA Ž Shefali Kapoor established an education and career guidance centre in 1990, a computer academy in 1991 and VSD in 1992. Turnover of US$222,000 and workforce of 6 software developers Ž Technology transfer was successful thanks to her post graduation in computer sciences. She entered the business when computer started to be used for back-office support, pay-roll management, inventory control etc. Ž Advantages she found in her business are - availability of personnel possessing technical know-how - know-how could be updated on the job, and - tremendous scope of IT-enabled services

17. Software programming VIJAY SOFTWARE DEVELOPERS (VSD) - INDIA Shefali Kapoor Software developers at work

18. Software programming SECTOR PROFILE IN ASIA Ž Customized software services are potentially attractive to small and medium sized women enterprises Ž Software sector in INDIA has grown by 50% in the 1990s creating exports, domestic jobs and technical talents Ž The number of women programmers, designers, inventors and fixers of computers is limited in the developing world Ž However in MALAYSIA women are 30% of IT professionals and in INDIA comprise 20% of professional jobs in the software industry

19. Software programming OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN IN ASIA Ž Network administration and maintenance are services strongly needed by private sector and government institutions Ž The greatest potential for job opportunities is in the core IT sector Ž In INDIA and CHINA opportunities are available for women in the software industry Ž IT education and training is an area particularly suitable for women

20. Software programming CONDUCIVE POLICIES Ž Less expensive courses on IT Ž Introduction of IT at early stages of formal education Ž Increasing the number of girls and women studying IT- related subjects in formal schooling Ž IT training out of school Ž IT info dissemination for girls and women (career fairs) Ž State-private sector cooperation for HRD development Ž Entrepreneurship development training

21. Conclusions POLICIES FOR WOMEN’S DIGITAL EMPOWERMENT Ž Rural areas Ž Cost of hardware, software, service Ž Alternative sources of software Ž Cyberkiosks and telecenters Ž Impact assessment of legislation on working women Ž Taxes and subsidies for investment promotion in strategic sectors Ž HRD at al levels Ž Scholarships and reservations Ž Business development programmes for self-employment Infrastructure Regulatoryenvironment Education and training

22. Web References Ž http://learnlink.aed.org/Publications/Gender_Book/pdf/ Gender_Book_NoPhotos.pdf  http://www.totheweb.com/Digital_Divide_White_Paper. PDF Ž http://www.sitaa.org Ž http://www.undp.org.my/partnership/UNDP.pdf Ž http://www.ilo.org/public/english/dialogue/sector/techm eet/tmlfi00/tmlfi-r.pdf Ž http://www.unu.edu/unupress/unupbooks/uu37we/uu37w e00.htm#Contents