Greetings all, Below is a summary of our discussion from week 1. I have also attached a PDF version should you wish to download. In the first week participants responded to and discussed three questions posed to frame the debate.
Here is a very brief summary of participant input. The input has been rich, textured and with great depth, so this summary cannot do justice to the discussion thus far. The final report aims to capture and reflect in a more nuanced and detailed way, your contributions.
Question 1. What is the importance of considering gender issues when working in ICT4D rural and agricultural projects and programmes and what are the key gender issues?
Importance of considering gender issues If gender is missed then an opportunity to improve the socio-economic conditions of women who are the largest and most active component of the rural population, is missed. Particularly given that in most rural populations, the majority of those engaged in agriculture are women. There is no such thing as a "gender-neutral" technology. "Gender is everywhere" - in basically all projects some kind of gender (and other socio-economic issues) emerge. A project or intervention that focuses on women to the disadvantage of men, can cause anger among men in the community and thus disrupt the project.
Societal context is of overriding importance to ensure that both women and men participate in and benefit from the technology. If gender issues are not taken into consideration this will widen the existing gender gaps in the rural agriculture sector. Key gender issues (These may vary from community to community) Rural women are less likely to prioritize ICTs in their daily lives. Women have fewer resources and less income available to secure the use of ICTs. Women have less time and less comfort in using ICT based services.
Rural women are rarely involved in the decisions regarding the choice and production of the content disseminated through ICT based services thus excluding their real information needs. Women and girls often illiterate and lack access to education. Women lack awareness of the utility and application of ICTs in livelihoods. ICTs are usually not accessible to women and girls and infrastructure inadequate. Gender stereotyping and socialization that says, 'Technology is not for girls or women?' Patriarchy is the dominant discourse in most communities. A sense of isolation and the feeling among women that it is virtually impossible to change one's environment.
We segued into some solutions, which are perhaps important to capture here:
- Important to understand gender dimensions of the opportunities and constraints to accessing different types of media, especially considering the important role that women play in food security and production.
- There is need for gender disaggregated data to find out how many women and men access ICTs and use them for agricultural related activities.
- If the rural communities are to benefit from e-agriculture, more traditional ICTs need to be considered. Mobile phones and community radio seem to be the best ICTs for rural communities in developing countries.
- Gender interventions require that awareness and attitudes of people change.
- Government support and promotion of rural infrastructure and equal access to and use of ICTs among women and men is important.
- Critical that at planning stages of projects clear roles are identified for both women and men.
- Tools such as Gender Evaluation Methodology for Internet and ICTs (GEM) are useful for monitoring and evaluation of interventions.
Question 2. When we talk about the role of gender in implementing ICT4D projects, what are some of the first steps that could be taken?
Use Social mapping programmes that identify and characterize the society to provide a clear picture and facts about gender dynamics within the project area to avoid making assumptions about gender issues.
Use holistic and participatory design for projects to ensure community involvement. Both women and men should be involved at the onset of any ICT4D project in a transparent and tangible manner. Even if particular projects have been designed for women, they cannot work in isolation because the men play key roles in their lives and the communities.
An understanding of women's status and gender roles in the society and identification of the factors that can restrict women's equal access to technology are very important to identify before planning ICT4D projects. Develop advocacy and communication plans to raise public awareness of issues. Consider the roles and responsibilities of the men and the women.
Question 3.What are some of the challenges that people/projects faced that looked at empowering women in ICT in relation to rural livelihoods? What are some of the solutions?
- Challenges Lack of awareness of the reality of local conditions of project implementers may exclude women from benefits of projects.
- Difficult to raise a sizeable number of women who would act as role models for the rest of the women.
- Computer equipment can be slow and outdated, making using them to time-consuming for women who have multiple responsibilities and little time.
- The widely held negative cultural and societal belief that "technology is for men". In a typical rural set-up, any electronic device is controlled by the men, thus excluding women from understanding the role ICTs can play in improving their livelihoods.
- ICT4D project implementers may not present the most affordable, accessible and relevant ICTs to communities. Solutions Community radio and mobile phones for women are solutions. But mobile phone use limited to only verbal communication as women's literacy levels are still low which excludes use of SMS or texting function.
- We should not eliminate face-to-face meetings and listenership clubs especially in rural communities.
- Training is one of the most important components while introducing ICTs into the rural setting. Should ideally be women training women. Training sessions should be well planned and be very simple, supported by visuals wherever is necessary and sufficient time given.
- Provisions of repair and maintenance facilities for equipment are a must for women in rural locations.
- Involve more women in baseline surveys, trainings and facilitating ICT projects that target women in rural areas. In this way, the women will change their perception and open up to embracing ICTs.
- Education, together with a higher self-esteem, paves the way to changing the belief that ICTs and progress in general are for men only.
- Projects should consider that women are integral to households, families and communities when designing interventions rather than considering women as separate from these units.