the aworc research women’s use of ict. objectives n to provide a context of women’s electronic...
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Objectives
To provide a context of women’s electronic networking in Asia-Pacific
To share the major findings of the AWORC research
Context
world conference on women was major impetus for women's advances in the use of ICTs
expansion of more women & women's networks using the Internet in their work.
study how this trend was developing in the national level
Study the:
level of ICT use how ICT is used in their work what their training and networking
needs are how to advance women's
empowerment through the use of ICT
The Research Methodology rationale and design of the
research was developed collaboratively
a single survey questionnaire was used
common report format was developed for each report
three separate reports have also been written
Content
Countries Surveyed Profile of women’s organisations
surveyed Overview of the information and
communication sector Summary of findings Summary of Recommendations
Countries Surveyed23 countries
Asia: India, Nepal, Indonesia, Philippines, Mongolia, Japan, Korea
The Caucuses and the Central Asia: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan
Pacific: Fiji, Samoa, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, Tonga, New Caledonia, Federated States of Micronesia, Solomon Islands.
Overview of the information and communication sector
Sub-region No surveyed
No of responses
Asia ~500 76 Caucuses/ Central Asia
120 18
Pacific 80 14
Asia
uneven development of the telecommunications sector is seen in all the countries except Japan and ROK.
extremes of terrain and geographical features have impacted on the acquisition of telecommunications technology and its diffusion
covers all the major cities but the infrastructure in the provinces and islands is poor
level of economic development is also a factor that has constrained the development of telecommunications infrastructure
Caucuses and Central Asia the new republics still lag behind the
more developed industrial countries with respect to nearly all areas of ICT development
national agencies responsible for the regulation of the telecommunications sector have been established
most of the new republics’ telecommunication sectors are outdated and of poor quality, especially in regions outside of national capitals and major urban areas
a slight increase in the number of women IT students and professionals, gender disparities remain extremely high
technical services and support is slow and expensive.
only a minority of the population is proficient in English, the dominant language of the Web
the number of organizations and individuals regularly using the Internet is still extremely small with respect to overall populations.
Pacific communications structures of Pacific
Island countries and territories are largely colonial legacies
the Pacific’s geographical diversity/vastness is a challenge in connectivity
the Pacific Islands have been slower than other world regions in terms of access to and utilisation of the internet
Asia
Use of ICTs in Women’s organisations
– ICTs not being used optimally – ratio of computers to full time staff was
approximately 1:1.– most use: administrative, email,
accounting – less use: participation in mailing lists and
on-line discussions, accessing information from the net, advocacy on the net
Information and Visibility– by gaining more visibility through web
sites, having access to donor assistance, and information about international and regional activities relating to the women’s movement
Financial Constraints– women’s organisations had little or no
financial resources for ICT
Gaps in Technical Capacity and Training
– net-literacy and inadequate skills – women’s organisations did not provide
IT training to their staff routinely – women’s organisations also lacked
information on Internet resources, advocacy and lobbying skills, and skills on combining conventional methods of information dissemination and access with the Internet.
The Caucasus and Central Asia region
Useful ICT tools:– Telephone– E-mail– Facsimile– Postal mail
Recipient of the information: – Other NGOs– donors and other int’l organizations– mass media,national governments,
libraries/resource centers, individuals
ICT as a Tool for Empowerment
– conduct research and gain access to news, information
– improve organizational and personal knowledge, skills
– monitor and participate in global women’s initiatives
– disseminate information and publicize materials
– lobby development causes at local and regional levels
– exchange information and experience coordinate activities both in-country and abroad
– contribute to civil society and local communities
– identify new contacts and development partners
– apply for donor funding and other forms of technical support.
Barriers to ICT Use
lack of sufficient technical skills lack of necessary equipment, hardware and soft-
ware lack of financial independence and sustainability Secondary factors
– limited awareness and understanding of the opportunities made available by ICT
– limited knowledge of English– limited number of other on-line local NGOs
with whom to network– lack of comprehension to use ICT for
development
Pacific
Usefulness of ICT– Organizations continue to use more
traditional mediums of communication such as faxes, telephones and snail mail in combination with email
– Very few Pacific women’s organisations utilise the web as a networking facility
Most common use – Communication and networking with
members, partners, networks, international women’s organisations and funders
– Advocacy, lobbying, publicising the organisation
– Research and Information on international news/events
– least useful for information on national events and job postings.
– Improved organizational output/productivity /Saves time and money
Skills and Training– few women's groups who have Internet
access are computer literate but are not formally trained in the usage of the web and its tools
Awareness & Understanding of the Benefits of ICT– lack the skills and financial resources
needed to effectively access and utilise the medium
Combining ICT with Popular Forms of Communication
– radio is still the most popular form of communication in the Islands due to its affordability and accessibility factors and its provision of vernacular services
Connectivity & Access Costs– 95 percent of respondents highlighted the
cost factor as a barrier to access and effective utilisation of ICT
– Women’s organisations are not getting online due to:
• limited funds • high access costs due to Internet Service
Provider (ISP) monopolies,• a lack of reliable connections, and
limitations with facilities in the Islands also fuel the situation.
• audiences are often without access which means that the Internet is not always an efficient means of communication.
Summary of recommendations
Greater Access to ICT decision making
Greater access for the unconnected More educational and training
opportunities for women Training women trainers Training and capacity-building in
basic computer skills and literacy;
Summary of recommendations
Awareness raising about ICT Mobilization of more resources for
ICT and development for women ICT should be expanded for
participatory forms of collaboration, decision-making, and educational and publicity campaigns.
Summary of recommendations
More in-depth follow-up studies should be conducted at the country level
enhance ICT accessibility through convergence of technologies such as radio and the Internet
CommunicationKey to Advocacy
Effective use of communication is a key tool for advocacy. Sound knowledge and understanding of how communication works, including ways to efficiently access and utilise the many tools within, is necessary for social and economic development.
Access to information technology is a rights issue.
Women must ensure that they are given the opportunity to become more computer literate, to utilise the Internet and its many tools for more efficient networking, information sharing and capacity building.
ICT development should be relevant to the region
An effective communications system is one which works for the majority of a people.
ICT development must adopt and effectively to address the cultural, vernacular and geographical needs of the region
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