NIKOS DACANAY Chiang Mai University

Migrant Technologies:

(re)producing (un)freedoms

Friday, 20th May, 2016

10:00am – 4:30pm

United Nations University Institute on Computing and Society

Join us for a free, one-day event where we bring together scholars, practitioners and

activists to panel discussions to share our understandings and research on information

and communication technology (ICT) use by migrants from Asia.

Register now on Eventbrite by 15th May 2016 to secure your place for the event

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/migrant-technologies-reproducing-unfreedoms-

tickets-24922537982.

Location: Casa Silva Mendes, Estrada do

Engenheiro Trigo No 4, Macau SAR, China

(Opposite to the main entrance of Hotel Guia)

Hosted by:

MIGRANT TECHNOLOGIES: (RE)PRODUCING (UN)FREEDOMS

Emerging themes in Migrant Technology research Morning panel

ICT usage and how ethnic migrant workers in northern Thailand

indigenize/mediate human rights’ discourse of gender equality

ICT & HOW MIGRANT WOMEN IN THAILANDIndigenise/Mediate Gender Equality Discourse

Nikos Dacanay May 20, 2016, United Nations University Institute on Computing and Society

STRUCTURE• Context

• Objective

• Methodology

• Findings and analysis

ETHNIC MIGRANT WOMEN FROM BURMA

NGO & CBOS

• HUMAN RIGHTS

• WOMEN’S RIGHTS

• GENDER/SEXUALITY, SRHR, CSE

• CHILD RIGHTS

• EMPOWERMENT

• CAPACITY BUILDING

ICT

EXPLORE LOCALIZED UNDERSTANDING OF GENDER

EQUALITY

CEDAW (CONVENTION ON THE ELIMINATION OF ALL FORMS OF

DISCRIMINATION AGAINST WOMEN)

INTERVIEWS, FGDS & PARTICIPANT OBSERVATION

Localisation of gender equality

‒ NwiNwi, Burmese in her 20s

“I like learning about women’s rights because I’m a woman and I need to know my rights as a woman. I also want to be able to share this information with other women who do not know their rights. In my ethnic group, we believe that the ideal woman is someone who serves the family and must take care of the household. A young woman, for example, must be quiet and polite. She must be obedient to what older people tell or order her to do.

In my opinion, I don’t agree that a woman should only do household chores. You have the right to be what you want to be. You also have a right to express your opinions. But if you don’t agree with people who are older than you, you have to keep quiet because if you talk to them it means that you are rude. This is our culture. We have to respect older people.”

‒ KwinKwin, Kachin in her 20s

“I believe that a wife has equal rights with her husband. She is

free to choose what she wants to become and what she wants

to do. She is available to question or consult with her husband.

As she gives respects to her husband, he should respect her

back.

Women should question the rules given to them and not just

obey them. If the rules are not acceptable to them and violate

their rights, they should not follow them. I also believe that it is

important that a wife should make her family happy and must

know how to do household chores well. This is the role of

women in our community and is part of our culture.”

‒ KwinKwin

“In our culture, this is how we define a good woman: a good woman is

someone who can fulfill household duties well. Her parents will be proud

of her, and the whole community will be proud of her. I think a woman

can do more than household work if she is given the chance to be a

leader in our community. But she cannot be a leader overnight. She has

to first start as a good wife, and then after that she can prove that she

can also do other work. We have to teach women and men in our village

that women can do more than house work once they prove that they are

good in house work.”

INDIGENIZATION

MEDIATION

ICT AS TACTICAL SPACES?

Thank you