ICT and Gender: Directions and Policy

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• ICT and Gender Directions and Policy
• Forum on ICTs and Gender
• Kuala Lumpur, 20th August, 2003

By Isa Seow UNDP-APDIP
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ICT Access Challenges/Problems in Asia Pacific

• High costs for connectivity
• ICT infrastructure not adequate, especially in
  rural areas
• Low levels of literacy an underlying issue
• Less transparent policy and regulatory
  environment for market access, competition, other
  areas
• Developing country governments have to prioritize
  between water, sanitation, electricity, etc
  very basic needs (huge issues)
• Local language fonts and relevant content not
  available
• Social issue? families think men should be
  educated, be in technical studies stream and
  breadwinner, not women

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Why is the Gender Issue Important?

• Women make up to 70 of Worlds poor
• UN Declaration of Human Rights makes reference to
  equal status of Women
• Limited Role of Women affect lives of others
  family, children, etc
• Womens economic and social status are important
  e.g. cases of sex selective abortions
• Its a social issue, and difficult to
  address/resolve
• The problem falls into UNDP work programmes

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• ICT PERCENTAGE WOMEN USERS
• Latin America 38
• Europe 36
• Asia 22
• - In the three regions, Asia has the least
  number of Women ICT Users. (Source Nancy and
  Taggart) Harvard/Radcliffe

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Directions for the Future
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How Can ICT Help?

• Recognise inherent link between ICT and
  Empowerment of WomenICT for sustainable
  livelihood and job opportunities
• GoalsTo Ensure equitable access in ICT
  SectorTo Ensure ICTs contribute further to
  positive change in Gender relations.

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ICTs Empower All

• - As an economic/business tool to gain
  independence (improves productivity) - As a
  medium for education - Allows networking of
  women / groups - Source of content about
  reproductive health, disease, needs of children,
  child mortality, etc - Increased bargaining
  power in family and society - A two-way process,
  governments gain important knowledge about
  womens well being statistics, etc

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New Work Opportunities in Digital Economy

• ICT is a medium for economic opportunities
  and independence. - E-commerce,- Teleworking,
  - Call Centers, Data Conversion- Medical
  Transcription. - Content Development Deposition
  summary. Insurance claims processing.
  Geographical information systems. Web design, the
  list goes on See Swasti Mitter, Asian Women in
  the Digital Economy see also, digitaldividedata.o
  rg

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A Proposed Approach 3 Pronged
StrategyLiteracy, Content and Empowerment
(Policy)

• APDIPs in-house research - recommendation
  was to address specific ICT and Gender problems,
  not general digital divide issues thus1.
  Literacy Basic skills such as reading, writing
  etc important. Present literacy rates- Women make
  64 of global illiterate. Also, encourage women
  to move into technical fields. 2. Content
  (specific content such as reproductive health,
  child-care, financial resources, teleworking
  information, womens groups, role models, etc)
  Also support font work.

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• 3. Empowerment Continue to support women leaders
  to make high level recommendations (and policy).
  To latch on and provide support, directions, etc.
  Work with women leaders, women ICT specialists,
  to find medium- longer term solutions also
  provide jobs/employment.

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• At its most foundational levela practical
  approachTo include a Gender analysis, or
  perspective wherever possible, from proposals to
  projects, policy formulation, initiatives,
  awareness programs, etc. Ask how does it
  reflects on gender in most or all circumstances.

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The Policy Approach

• - To consider engendered policy approach.
  For example, focus on gender-specific telephone
  penetration statistics instead of geographical-
  Recognise the need for more women representation
  at policy-formulation levels- Support education
  and training of women at planning/policy stages

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Engendered Policy Approach
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• Examples of Gender ICT Projects in Asia-Pacific

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Organisation
Activities
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Activities
Organisation
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• APDIP Activities
• ICTs and MDGs, in-house research and thinking,
  and,
• e-Primer on Gender and Policy.
• Under RD Grants, (1) IT mediated rural women
  education and dissemination of health information
  - A pilot, TamilNadu,
• (2) Leveraging Information Communication
  Technologies (ICT) Through Weekly Market Centres
  for Tribal (Indigenous) Communities, Maharashtra,
  India

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• APDIPs MISSION
• APDIP aims to promote the development and
  application of ICT for poverty alleviation and
  sustainable human development in Asia-Pacific
• http//www.apdip.net

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• APDIPs CORE PROGRAMME AREAS
• Policy Development and Dialogue
• Raise awareness, promote regional and national
  ICT policy dialogue, and development of ICT
  strategies
• Access
• Various dimensions of Access e.g. policy,
  infrastructure, affordable technology, and
  gender/social issues bringing technology to the
  people goes beyond the provision of
  infrastructure and hardware
• Content Development and Knowledge Management
• Facilitates the development and creation of
  knowledge and of knowledge networks, resulting in
  greater e-services in trade, health, education,
  governance, etc.

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Thank youltisa_at_apdip.netgt