ICTs, Science & Technology Division (ISTD), UNECA www.uneca.org/istd / www.uneca.org/aisi
Aida Opoku-Mensah
Director
ICT, Science and Technology Division
United Nations Economic Commission for Africa
Engaging African Women & Girls in TechnologyWeb Gathering
12 December 2012
Empowering African women for the future through ICT
ICTs, Science & Technology Division (ISTD), UNECA www.uneca.org/istd / www.uneca.org/aisi
ContentsContents
Context
Gender / Performance in MDGs
Women in Decision Making & Economic Fields
ICTs & Women’s Empowerment
ECA’s Mandate and Activities in Gender and ICTs
Conclusions
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Context Context Women constitute over 50 per cent of
the population
Women constitute over 50 per cent of
the population
Do 60 per cent of the work
Do 60 per cent of the work
Earn 1/10 of the income Earn 1/10 of the income
Own 1/100 of the assets
Own 1/100 of the assets
Gender inequalities in income and asset
distribution of remunerated
& unremunerated work
lack of recognitionof women contributions
In household and care economies
Gender inequalities in income and asset
distribution of remunerated
& unremunerated work
lack of recognitionof women contributions
In household and care economies
Are some of the causes of Marginalisation of WomenAre some of the causes of Marginalisation of Women
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Where are we on MDGs Where are we on MDGs
African continent well positionedto meet universal primary education, gender equality and empowerment goals;
African continent well positionedto meet universal primary education, gender equality and empowerment goals;
Gender parity in primary education likely to be achieved by most countries;Gender parity in primary education likely to be achieved by most countries;
Parity decreases in secondary education, & gap is widest in tertiary education;;
Parity decreases in secondary education, & gap is widest in tertiary education;;
In primary and secondary education, The Gambia, Guinea, Mauritania, and Senegal made the greatest progress in achieving gender parity.
In tertiary education, North Africa continues to lead the continent.
In primary and secondary education, The Gambia, Guinea, Mauritania, and Senegal made the greatest progress in achieving gender parity.
In tertiary education, North Africa continues to lead the continent.
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Women in decision-makingWomen in decision-making
Increased proportion of women in decision making ( increased number of women parliamentarians
& at senior positions )
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Under-representation of women in most Under-representation of women in most economic fieldseconomic fields
In the formal economy, women are predominantly employed in the agricultural sector –
especially in West, Central and Eastern and Southern Africa
In the formal economy, women are predominantly employed in the agricultural sector –
especially in West, Central and Eastern and Southern Africa
60-80 %of the agricultural
labour force
60-80 %of the agricultural
labour force
70-80 % of the food production
70-80 % of the food production
20% of the labour force in non-agricultural
employment in North Africa &37% in sub-Saharan Africa
20% of the labour force in non-agricultural
employment in North Africa &37% in sub-Saharan Africa
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Gender disparity in secondary and tertiary Gender disparity in secondary and tertiary educationeducation
Gender disparity in tertiary education have shown a slowly decreasing trend, however, it is highly unlikely that African countries will reach the gender parity for tertiary level target by 2015
Gender parity index in tertiary education, in selected African countries for selected African countries, 1991 and 2008
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ICTs & women’s empowermentICTs & women’s empowerment
ICTs can reduce discrimination and empower women for all type of activities
Information, education, ability to communicate and to enroll in decision-making processes are the basic pillars of empowerment
Empowered women would be one of the most effective drivers of development
As clearly stated in the Beijing Declaration “ICT is a powerful tool that women could use
for mobilization, information exchange and empowerment."
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Gender Barriers to Accessing and Using ICTs
Lack of time and infrastructureLack of time and infrastructure
Social normsSocial norms
Cultural constraintsCultural constraints
Education and employment Education and employment
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How are ICTs empowering women?How are ICTs empowering women?
Information and knowledge is
power
Information and knowledge is
power
Economic / Governance
Empowerment
Economic / Governance
Empowerment
NetworkingNetworking
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Is there a Digital Gender Divide?Is there a Digital Gender Divide?
ICTs access and usage shows gender imbalance as shown in the example from Benin and Ghana
Percent female Internet users in Ghana
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
2005 2006 2007 2008
Percent female Internetusers
Percent female Internet users in Benin
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
2004 2005 2006 2007
Percent female Internetusers
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Mobile phone ownership, selected Mobile phone ownership, selected African countriesAfrican countries
Country Female Male
Botswana (2005) 55.8% 44.2%
Cameroon Urban areas Rural areas
49%39%
52%61
Ethiopia (of 1793 households surveyed) (2005)
0.2% of women 0.4% of men
South Africa (2007) 46% 54%
Tanzania (2005) 48.40% 50.50%
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Findings: recent ECA-FOSSFA quick survey on Findings: recent ECA-FOSSFA quick survey on women and ICTwomen and ICT
Priority areas that need to be considered to promote women software developers:
• Mentorship - this came out in almost all of the replies• Funding• Market share, contracts, paying jobs• Meeting with software legends• Establishing a professional Association• Media coverage of women's efforts• Segregated (women only) training and coding rooms• Business skills and culture• Management skills• Professional certification• Up-to-date information on cutting edge technology and how to benefit from it• Hands-on practical workshops• Personality lessons: self esteem, confidence etc• Communication and Public speaking capacity building• Marketing and public relations capacity building
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ECA’s role in gender and ICTs ECA’s role in gender and ICTs
AISIAISIGuided by the African Information Society Initiative launched in 1996, with the aim of supporting and
accelerating socio-economic development across the region through the use of ICTs, ECA and partners
supported countries in Africa with the formulation of national ICT policies, commonly known as NICIs
AISIAISIGuided by the African Information Society Initiative launched in 1996, with the aim of supporting and
accelerating socio-economic development across the region through the use of ICTs, ECA and partners
supported countries in Africa with the formulation of national ICT policies, commonly known as NICIs
NICI StrategiesNICI StrategiesOver 43 countries have adopted their NICIs by end of 2010 and a
further six countries in the process of developing one In the last over five years, many countries have moved from
policy formulation to implementation by putting in place sectoral strategies in key priority sectors such as e-government,
education, health, etc.
NICI StrategiesNICI StrategiesOver 43 countries have adopted their NICIs by end of 2010 and a
further six countries in the process of developing one In the last over five years, many countries have moved from
policy formulation to implementation by putting in place sectoral strategies in key priority sectors such as e-government,
education, health, etc.
A number of countries mainstreamed gender in their national ICT policies
A number of countries mainstreamed gender in their national ICT policies
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Gender mainstreaming in selected NICI Gender mainstreaming in selected NICI Policies in AfricaPolicies in Africa
Mainstreaming statement
GhanaPut in place a mechanism to ensure the participation of women
in developing the information society and to ensure that ICT policies at all levels are engendered,
and geared toward meeting specific developmental needs of women
GhanaPut in place a mechanism to ensure the participation of women
in developing the information society and to ensure that ICT policies at all levels are engendered,
and geared toward meeting specific developmental needs of women
Zambia Promote the use of ICTs as tools to eliminate
all forms of inequalities between sexes
Zambia Promote the use of ICTs as tools to eliminate
all forms of inequalities between sexes
Pillar
CameroonGender and Social Development
CameroonGender and Social Development
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Gender mainstreaming in selected NICI Gender mainstreaming in selected NICI Policies in Africa…contdPolicies in Africa…contd
Vision
CameroonThe information society should be
garanteed and anchored on the realities of the day. It ICT policies at all levels are engendered,
and geared toward meeting specific developmental needs of women
CameroonThe information society should be
garanteed and anchored on the realities of the day. It ICT policies at all levels are engendered,
and geared toward meeting specific developmental needs of women
LesothoGovernment is committed to deploying ICTs
as tools in the process of ensuring gender equality, empowering and recognising women and youth in the development process
LesothoGovernment is committed to deploying ICTs
as tools in the process of ensuring gender equality, empowering and recognising women and youth in the development process
ZambiaThere is need to address youth and women
as special groups in society that can positively contribute to the growth of ICTs
as well as the use of ICTs as empowerment tools in their daily activities
ZambiaThere is need to address youth and women
as special groups in society that can positively contribute to the growth of ICTs
as well as the use of ICTs as empowerment tools in their daily activities
Objectives
GambiaTo make ICT access affordable to all Gambian women
GambiaTo make ICT access affordable to all Gambian women
GhanaTo accelerate the dev of women and eliminate gender
inequalities in education, employment, decision making through the deployment and exploitation of IVICTs by
building capacities and providing opportunities for girls and women
GhanaTo accelerate the dev of women and eliminate gender
inequalities in education, employment, decision making through the deployment and exploitation of IVICTs by
building capacities and providing opportunities for girls and women
SwazilandEnsure that the benefits of ICTs are utilized in addressing gender (disadvantaged groups) inequalities in education,
employment opportunities, and decision making. ICT capacity building for the girl child and women iis a must
SwazilandEnsure that the benefits of ICTs are utilized in addressing gender (disadvantaged groups) inequalities in education,
employment opportunities, and decision making. ICT capacity building for the girl child and women iis a must
ZambiaTo increase employment opportunities through ICTs,
and the participation of youth and women in national development; etc.
ZambiaTo increase employment opportunities through ICTs,
and the participation of youth and women in national development; etc.
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ECA support in the area of gender and ICT/STI
Mainstreaming Gender in ICT/STI policies;Mainstreaming Gender in ICT/STI policies;
Capacity building ( Gambia under the leadership of VP);Capacity building ( Gambia under the leadership of VP);
Support to women innovators Support to women innovators
ICT applications for women (Mobile apps for women entrepreneurs in Mozambique);ICT applications for women (Mobile apps for women entrepreneurs in Mozambique);
Improving access through tele innovation centers (Ghana, Rwanda & Knowledge networks);Improving access through tele innovation centers (Ghana, Rwanda & Knowledge networks);
Gender and E-government; Gender and E-government;
TIGA Awards: promoting apps such as eSoko. TIGA Awards: promoting apps such as eSoko.
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E-government E-government improving women’s improving women’s lives & incomeslives & incomes
Government Information
Services Supporting livelihoods
• Registration services• Access to information, e.g. electoral process• Government policies and programs
• Utilities payment• Medical services• Education• Government payments esp. in rural areas in absence of addressing access
• Market access• Produce pricing e.g. for farmers• Training for enhancing productivity• Money transfer
Women
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ICT increases Government Efficiency and ICT increases Government Efficiency and TransparencyTransparency
ECA facilitated dialogue among ICT and gender experts in Africa to analyse and evaluate the efforts put in place by African countries to include a gender dimension in e-Government policies and programmes
Produced a handbook for policy makers on gender sensitive e-government strategies
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ICTs at grassrootsICTs at grassroots
Rural telecentre can support access to information and services relevant for households for intensifying agricultural production, adopting diversified livelihoods, facilitate migration, or in enabling a combination of these.
A Community Telecentre in Ugunja, Kenya (One of ECA’s KN hub) is using ICTs to tap the farmers’ indigenous knowledge on climate change
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E-Soko – one of the 2011 TIGA awarded E-Soko – one of the 2011 TIGA awarded projectsprojects
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E-Soko’s roles on women’s E-Soko’s roles on women’s empowermentempowerment
It reduced influence of information brokers who have formed strong market cartels;It reduced influence of information brokers who have formed strong market cartels;
The information gathered and distributed by E-soko empowers farmers/growers in the
negotiation process that shifted the power equilibrium from buyers back to the farmers;
The information gathered and distributed by E-soko empowers farmers/growers in the
negotiation process that shifted the power equilibrium from buyers back to the farmers;
It reduced risk of loss through spoilage of goods in the search of suitable markets;It reduced risk of loss through spoilage of goods in the search of suitable markets;
Increased the incomes of traders, farmers and their dependents.Increased the incomes of traders, farmers and their dependents.
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ConclusionConclusion Encouraging girls towards science and technology
fields is critical; African policy makers need to realise and ensure the
importance of mainstreaming gender in ICTs and STI policies and strategies;
Investing on institutional and leadership capacities is key for realising gender-sensitive policies;
Critical for women, the issue of digital divide in education goes beyond the issue of access to technology. The changing needs of economic and social development require a wide range of new skills and competences, known as the 21st century competences key enablers of responsible citizenship in a knowledge-based and technology-pervaded economy
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Yes We CAN!!!Yes We CAN!!!
http://www.uneca.org/istd/http://www.uneca.org/istd/