Why is it important that women fully participate in the construction of the Information/Knowledge Society? Who benefits from their contribution? How do they benefit from it?
Developed by Gloria Bonder General Coordinator – UNESCO Regional Chair Women, Science and Technology in Latin America www.catunescomujer.org catunesco@flacso.org.ar
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ROAD MAP
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1. ICT´s: Era change determinants
"The UN Secretary General has clearly indicated the need for a better use of information and communication technologies if we are to accelerate progress towards meeting the Millennium Development Goals. The new ICT-based solutions that did not exist when these targets were agreed can and should be exploited to allow a more rapid pace. Currently, among other technologies, it is important to consider the use of mobile phones and broadband. " Ban Ki-moon
Information Society, Knowledge Society, Knowledge Economy, Innovation, these are notions in continuous reformulation, that have been establishing a consensus on the irreversibility of an era change, at the same time that they channel the social transformation stretch goals that have been lethargic or tense due to the frustration and the According to García Canclini, "Information disenchantment with the present, Society" refers to the "progress and (re)creating imaginaries on the future modernizing transformations that feed on the industrialization of information and its desired or feared for our societies.5 1 systematic use to restructure production Hence, their notorious expansion in very diverse spheres, as together with the interest in participating in a movement that projects futures, they offer nominations that are not worn out yet, innovating languages and resources. That encourages the investment of social energy in an area that induces us to think that we are part of a community with no borders, in which it is possible to articulate our own voice, to belong and to project promissory
futures. At this historical stage, we assume that one of the characteristics of the contemporary society is the central role of knowledge in productive processes, cultural creation and social and institutional life organization.
processes, thereby cheapening the cost of production and increasing exponentially the 1 ability to process, store and transmit data” . For UNESCO, "matters relating to technology and the ability to connect emphasize infrastructure and governance of the universe of networks. Although clearly of fundamental importance, they should not be considered as an 2 end in themselves”. Conversely, the notion of “Knowledge Societies” turns out to be "richer and to promote more autonomy than the concepts of technology and connectivity. It establishes the need of a multifaceted approach that values the multiplicity of types and levels of knowledge that contribute to forge ours. It takes into account that human activity is creative and generates plurality and differences in its 34 different expressions.”
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Although many times they are used indistinctly, each one emphasizes certain facets of reality, at the same time they invisibilize or minimize others, disputing their hegemony in regards to the characteristics and interpretative and political keys of the contexts we inhabit, describing their present and anticipating their future.
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It’s commonplace to state that we are undergoing a new economic-productive paradigm mediated by the intensive use of ICT, in which the most important factor is not the availability of capital, labor, commodities or energy, but the intensive use of knowledge and information and the continuous contribution of the scientific and technological advances. Access to information that is vaster and vaster, more and more diverse and changing, and above all the capacity to use it and transform it into meaningful knowledge are presented as a fundamental prerequisite to become a XXI Century citizen and it is stated that it infers more and more widely in the development of more and more
productive, competitive, inclusive and efficient societies. Likewise, more and more visible –to certain surprise, euphoria, and sometimes concern– are the multidimensional Jesús Martín Barbero argues:
transformations that these technologies generate in the ways of interacting, communicating, producing, commercializing, accessing an infinite flow of information on every subject, being part of networks and groups without borders, getting entertained and managing daily life easier.
“nowadays technology does not refer to devices, but to new 6 perception ways” that, in our opinion, validate what we accept as real, normal, useful, attractive, desirable, safe, dangerous, among many other aspects of our life experience.
On his part, Javier Echeverria points out that “we are facing a new social space, and not just mere new information and 7 communication media.”
Are these claims generalizable? Do they express an aspiration that will require many changes at the social, regulatory and active policy levels, to come into vigor in all regions of the world? What restrictions and difficulties do they omit to sustain the dream of a world that contains everyone and gives everyone the same opportunities?
Rather than questions, we are pointing to challenges that should be faced if the
potencialities that ICT offer to fulfill the expectations of a higher wellbeing and participation in the construction of new social paradigms become a reality. Within this context, it is important to emphasize the difference between information and knowledge. For example, assuming that the access to a computer or a mobile phone allows finding more useful and reliable information in any field immediately, and that this information automatically becomes knowledge, is a fallacy. There is still much to figure out about the stages we need to go through between the access to information and discernment on its validity, value and relevance, and, moreover, about the process that leads from information to the creation of knowledge and its leverage both individually and collectively.
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It is already known that the cultural and educational capital of people and different social sectors determine opportunities, abilities, skills and, above all, the benefits they get from using these resources. Therefore, these “starting points” will affect the way in which people look up and find valuable information on the Internet, they way they evaluate and integrate it in their previous knowledge and interests, and the way they produce new information and use it in their lives.
How do women and men of different socioeconomic groups participate in this transformation and what possibilities do they have to define their course? We agree with Martin Hilbert: “ICT represent a concrete and tangible opportunity to tackle longstanding challenges of gender inequalities in developing countries, including access to employment, income, education and health services”8. Now, if we intend to move forward towards achieving these goals it is essential that women’s integration to the Information/Knowledge Society be regarded, from the very first stages, not as one of guests grateful to be accepted to “future world”, or of passive consumers in a market undergoing a constant expansion, but as the integration of leading figures for its creation, production and innovation. This requires activating a set of interventions that should simultaneously lead to “equality in the Information Society and an Information Society for equality.”9
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STEEP GROUNDS
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2. Gender digital divides10: a plural reality under transformation “Us, women, must be subjects of fight against the digital divide” Maravillas Rojo The concern regarding the ensurance of women’s full participation in these spheres is not new. In fact, it was already showing in the first documents presented by both international organizations (UNESCO, UNIFEM, INSTRAW) and academic and civil organizations to set the stage for it to be taken into account and sanctioned at the World Summit on the Information Society11. Subsequently, in both the institutional field and the social dynamics, numerous initiatives began to proliferate, showing a vast and varied outlook of proposals and productions that connect ICT, women and/ or gender equality. In this context it is worth stressing that today we are in the position to state that:
ACCESSING ICT AS PUBLIC GOODS IS A MATTER OF…
Right to information and communication
Gender Justice
Inclusive and sustainable development
As formulated by the Section J of the Platform for Action of the World Conference on Women (Beijing, 1995), which includes two strategic objectives related to communication media and ICT. One summons to increase the participation and access of women to expression and decision making in and through the media and new technologies of communication (Strategic Objective J.1). The second refers to promoting a nonstereotyped portrayal of women in the media (Strategic Objective J.2). Equitable distribution of goods and resources is an essential means to women’s empowerment and, subsequently, their achievement of economic, political and physical autonomy. Access to ICT and above all their strategic use is elementary to move forward and meet that end. It has been proven that, used with a strategic vision committed to collective well-being, ICT have great potential to make us move ahead towards meeting the Millennium Development Goals.12
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At the beginning of this decade, regional and international debates on this matter made the “gender digital divide�13 visible, alluding to inequality between men and women regarding the access to ICT, in terms of the use of both computers and, especially the Internet.14 15 By the beginning of 2000, the data showed that in Latin America women represented 38% of the users16, which was quite a similar percentage to the one in other regions.
Internet users by gender Countries
Men
Women
USA
52.4%
47.6%
United Kingdom
58.3%
41.7%
France
59.7%
40.3%
Spain
64.6%
35.4%
Source: NetValue2000
In 10 years there has been an important and sustained growth in women’s access to the Internet. In some regions they reach parity with men and they even get a slight advantage17. For example, in North America:
Global Internet Population, 18+
Global Audience (18+, accessing Internet from home or work), April 2010 Source: Media Metrix Worldwide
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% Women 18+ in Regional Internet Populations Asia Pacific Europe North America Latin America
Regional Audiences (18+, accessing the Internet from home or work), April 2010 Source: Media Metrix Worldwide
As the gender divide relative to the access to the Internet is decreasing or even closing up18, especially for specific groups of women and in certain geographic zones, as shown below, it becomes clear that there is not just one gender digital divide but several, which, on top of it, change in time.
Besides the expansion of the technological market, the lower costs of equipment and, in some countries, the active policies of promotion, another phenomenon contributing to this balance is the proliferation of access points such as cyber-cafés, schools or telecenters that work even in the most isolated communities. There, women are the most common users and, in some countries, such as Brazil, Costa Rica and Uruguay, they outnumber men.
Therefore, to describe and go deeper into the analysis of women’s relationship to these resources, it is necessary to use the Many countries of the Region carry out available data for a more differentiated programs through which they hand in netbooks to elementary and high school students, which outlook. 2.1 From singular to plural in gender digital divides
favor the inclusion of underprivileged young people and thus of their own families.
In order to approach this matter19 it becomes illustrative to think of this phenomenon as onion layers, that can coexist in the same context and have common characteristics as well as particular ones related to social segmentations. They are not steady, but they rather change at different paces according to the groups and the economic, political and cultural determinants and, of course, they speed up due to the continuous inventions of new technological products and applications. In fact, digital and particularly gender divides act as a “mobile target”, that moves at the pace of the vertiginous evolution and diffusion of the various information and communication technologies, the pace of the sectors that get access to them, the way in which they do, the possibilities and motivations to integrate certain technologies to their lives, the meaning they give to the uses of different tools, and the impact these have on those sectors’ daily life and environment.
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Given that access is necessary but insufficient to ensure gender equality, we will refer to a series of divides and problems that determine women’s full participation in the development of the digital world:
1. Equipment cost and quality
5. Professional development in technological companies
Gender & ICT
4. Scientifictechnological training 2. Uses 3. Contents
1. Cost and quality of the equipment and connectivity that women and men of different social classes have at their disposal It varies according to countries and social classes, age and also gender20, men being the ones who, collectively, have more access to broadband and state-of-theart technologies, as well as skills to use sophisticated applications.
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2. Uses (variety of tools, frequency, place and time assigned, meaning attributed and aims) As pointed out above, in most countries men and women access the Internet almost equally. However, and as shown in the following graphics, there are differences related to age, geographic location, income levels and time assigned: Based on age range and sex in Latin America (2005- 2007)
Source: Own calculations based on the OSILAC Information System
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Based on sex according to geographic areas
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Based on income and sex quintiles in Latin America (2005-2007)
- Predictably enough, the population with the highest income quintile shows also the highest rates of Internet use in all countries.
Source: Own calculations based on the OSILAC Information System -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total time spent online: Men vs. Women
Online hours: Men
Women
Global Audience (+15, accessing the Internet from home or work), April 2010 Source: Media Metrix Worldwide
It is generally stated that, when they use Internet, women tend to reproduce interests and conducts based on gender patterns. This can be proven by the use of various
applications:
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E-mail % Scope by Region and Gender
Global Asia-Pacific Europe Latin America North America
Women
Men
Global Audience (+15, accessing the Internet from home or work), April 2010 Source: Media Metrix Worldwide
Instant Messaging % Scope by Region and Gender
Global Asia-Pacific Europe Latin America North America
Women
There are generation-based differences too. A study performed in the United States argues that young women mostly use instant messaging and chat rooms, their male pairs prevail in online commerce, music and games downloading and website creation. (Lenhart, Rainie, & Lewis, 2001; Roberts and Foehr, 2004). Based on another study performed in the United States as well, Fallows (2005) concludes that men like the Internet because the experience it offers, whereas women like it because of the interaction with other people.
Men
Global Audience (+15, accessing the Internet from home or work), April 2010 Source: Media Metrix Worldwide
As for the contents to which they usually have access: Community and lifestyle websites, traditionally addressed to women, still attract this audience, especially with contents on child rearing, health, food and home.21 The topics dominated by men offline (cars, sports and certain finance aspects) are also intensively used by them online. 22 Although the available data on the interaction with governmental organizations' websites are quite poor, a recent study alerts us on an interesting matter: there seems to be less female participation on the egovernment websites, which might have implications for the digital exercise of citizenship.
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Complementarily, the above mentioned gender-based study on e-government websites23 shows that there are few and exceptional cases where these do not use sexist language, offer services of interest for women and encourage their participation.
It is especially important to attend to the differences regarding the use of the Internet for finances and e-government, as they might indicate the repetition of longstanding stereotypes that, except few exceptions, keep women away from economic operations management, even when their scope is small or medium.
Picture websites are more popular in North America, with a 63.0% of female and a 57.3% of male participation, respectively (April 2010). Latin America, which has a major Young population online, shows a high popularity of these websites in spite of the relatively low penetration of broadband in most parts of this region.25
Although most studies indicate that men are the ones who use the Internet for consumption and entertainment, the Information gathered by a 24 ComScore report (2010) stresses that more program in Uruguay shows that and more women access websites that offer women tend to use the Internet games, gambling and sexual content. This mainly to communicate with relatives and friends, many of study states that “the emergence of whom have migrated to other "Solitary" and other games online have countries. Even though this is generated a new audience of passionate quite a limited use, we can infer that this practice encourages their players: women.�
skills in communication, decision making, a tacit knowledge of global matters and a different view on their community’s situation vis a vis broader contexts.
The expansion of social networks has been remarkable in the past few years and women are predominant in them. The ComScore study (2010) argues that once they discover social networks, women quickly adopt them and thus equal or even beat men, among both youngsters and adults. Social Networks % Scope by Region and Gender
Global Asia-Pacific Europe Latin America North America
Women
Men
Global Audience (+15, accessing the Internet from home or work), April 2010 Source: Media Metrix Worldwide
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Participation in the Time Spent on Social Networks, Email and IM
Participation in the Time Spent on Social Networks, Email and IM
% of Total Minutes
% of Total of Minutes Global
Global
Latin America
Latin America
Europe
Europe
North America
North America
Asia-Pacific
Asia-Pacific Social Networks
Men 18+
IM
Women 18+
Global Audience (+15, accessing the Internet from home or work), April 2010 Source: Media Metrix Worldwide
Facebook users in Latin America by sex
Although there is an exponential growth of people’s presence in these spaces and, according to some data, women prevail on Facebook, the truth is that we are talking about a population sector that has economic resources and mainly cultural capital, as they know how to venture into it and satisfy their expectations. The expansion of women blogs and the increasing use of Facebook and other similar media could make us think that there is a new digital socius that is taking shape, one that is more receptive to individuals’yearning for recognition, for belonging to community spheres and projects and for the exercise of an active citizenship.
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At this point we also still need to understand the sociability model that underlies spaces such as chats, forums, virtual communities and blogs. In the following chart, we show data supplied by the Google AdPlaner (2009), which indicate women dominate the main social networks and sites, such as Twitter and Facebook. On sites such as Linkedin, YouTube, deviantART and del.icio.us, it shows equilibrium between both sexes. Social Networks/Sites Bebo Tagged , Buzznet, MySpace and classmates.com Twitter and Facebook Digg
Women (%) 68 64
Men (%) 32 36
57 36
43 64
Before moving to the next divide, it is important that we make an important stop at the so called mobile revolution. First of all we need to stress that: It is noticed there is an exponential increase in the use of mobile phones in various sectors of the world population. This phenomenon includes economically underprivileged sectors, which can be due to their low cost compared to computers and to prepayment plan facilities. Hence mobile phones are becoming a front door to the ICT and therefore they play a part in any project destined to the digital inclusion of the groups living in poverty.26 The “Pobreza y Telefonía Móvil en América Latina y el Caribe” (“Poverty and Mobile Phones in Latin America and the Caribbean)27 research, performed in 2007, intended to contribute to the debate on how access to mobile phones can contribute to the improvement of life quality levels for poor people, thus creating what we call mobile opportunities. This resource has become –for a while now– the most affordable and cost-effective alternative for this sector of the population. The results show that mobile phones are very valuable to them as a tool that strengthens social relations and gives more personal safety; and that it is beginning to show its usefulness to increase business and employment opportunities. The research concludes that the acquisition of mobile phones by groups living in poverty has an indirect economic impact that mainly translates into improvement of the social capital variables, such as the strengthening of the reliable networks and a better coordination of informal job markets. As for gender differences, although research in that respect is still incipient, it already points out that:
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Women have less online activity on mobiles, which can be explained by the fact that they are less inclined to it or they have less resources to own a Smartphone or to have an unlimited data plan, both being key factors in mobile Internet use. Most women who capitalize this type of connectivity use the mobile Internet to participate in social networks.28 It is women who send the most SMS and/or MMS in all countries, except India, where men send 70 and 80% of them respectively.
The great challenge at the moment is the use of mobile phones in health care and prevention, natural disasters, gender violence, insecurity and access to information and even to education. WOUGNET carried out the Speak Out! Stand Out! Campaign. They spread short communications, slogans or news through text messages, in order to prevent violence based on gender patterns.
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3. The content available online (its relation to interests, demands, aesthetic styles, that is more kindred to tastes and necessities of each gender, and the contents that go against the dignity and safety of the users).
Recent studies show that on the Internet there is still a predominant inclination to images and messages that present women as sex objects, or as “modern” characters capable of successfully playing each and every role: responsible figures in charge of families, health, education and children. Some websites promote women trafficking and implicitly foster violence based on gender patterns. Nevertheless, it is important to point out that over the past years there has been an increasing number of initiatives going the opposite direction: taking advantage of the ICT to prevent gender-based violence. A pioneering example is the “Take Back the Tech” Campaign29 (Association for Progressive Communications), carried out within the “16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence”, organized since 1991 by UN Women (and before by UNIFEM).
Most websites explicitly dedicated to women tend to reproduce gender stereotypes, even when these are not the traditional ones, as they are biased by attributes and tasks “specific” to women’s gender.
Very few websites refer to women who are professionals or workers in nontraditional occupations and in positions of power, as to a “normal” situation (in other words, they usually mention such things as an exception from a rule).
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Website www.entremujeres.com
Website www.vidaysalud.com
Website www.mujeresdeempresa.com
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Website www.mujeractiva.com
Although there are women who work in the technological sector and many of them elaborate contents for a living, the analysis of the existing production does not show relevant changes in terms of the predominance of sexist language or of the message and image stereotypes. The means does not seem to change the message. The exceptions are the sites, blogs, social networks and education and communication programs created based on, and for the promotion of, women rights and/or gender equality. Produced and managed in almost every country mostly by women social organizations, these programs show a strong commitment to make the Internet more inhabitable for women and to give visibility to their rights and creations. However, not much can be said about their impact: there is still a lack of studies that measure the amount of users of these sites, their profiles, the satisfaction with their messages and their impact on several aspects of both their personal life and their way of navigating the Internet.
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Website www.cimac.org.mx
Website www.e-igualdad.net www.entremujeres.com
Portal www.catunescomujer.org
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ď‚? Low amount of women in the degrees of computer science and/or information technologies. In some Latin American countries, data indicate that there is an increasing amount of women in technical high schools and in postsecondary institutes for ICT training. 30 Nevertheless, at a global level the computing engineering area shows a very slow growth of the female enrollment and, in some countries, even a setback.
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A study published by the New York Times argues that in 2001/02 only 28% of the American undergraduate students majoring in technical degrees were women. In 2004/05 the percentage went down to 22% and has been following suite as years go by.
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In the United Kingdom, only 15% of the undergraduate students in majors related to ICT are women.
Scientist and Engineer Women by Discipline (2006), European Union
Why does that happen? Few stimuli, over the educational cycle, for women to gain interest and professionally grow in this area. Sexist language and messages in teaching/educational materials, which discourage vocation and motivation. Limited awareness and lack of questioning of the sexist stereotypes regarding technologists. (Hardware is associated to male skills and software related to women). Very few female role models in the area. 22
Old-fashioned biased teaching strategies in science and technology that do not respond to women’s needs and sensitivity, who usually associate these areas to social and environmental issues. An adequate relation between technological education and social uses of technology, which is especially interesting to women, is not shown. Limited diffusion of examples and experiences that could foster technological innovation for gender equality and women empowerment. However, it is important to stress that there are already ongoing initiatives that intend to revert this issue.
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Lower participation of women in ICT companies. - Most women who work in these companies are concentrated in “softer” areas, such as marketing, work relations or content production (by selection or option). These options usually have to do with the need to balance work schedules and family demand care, less hostile and sexist environments than the ones predominant in the “hard” areas. - The limited presence in the highest levels of hierarchic structure and in the labs dedicated to technological innovation is evidence of open or implicit obstacles and restrictions. A Report made by the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Parity Group points out that women in IT companies represent 27.86% and only 4% hold CEO positions. However, there are encouraging cases too. For example, Slideshare and Flickr, among other technological companies, were created by women. In this sense, it is worth mentioning that we need to be alert so that female presence in high positions does not produce a “mirage effect” when comparing other data such as the decreasing amount of women who study technological majors or the percentage of female CEO in major companies. - Also involved are management policies that reproduce discrimination: for example in the employee selection, the lack of programs that could facilitate balancing the work, family and personal life; the use of non-inclusive language and images in the demand for employees and capacity building programs outside work schedules. - Lack of female role models in the area and gender-based salary differences.
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The direction of change
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3. The major challenge: the ICT strategic use for women’s autonomy and empowerment in the Information and Knowledge Society for development. Overcoming gender digital divides is not utopic. It is a challenge that requires undertaking and articulating efforts in several areas:
In the knowledge creation field
Carrying out systematic evaluations of projects that raise aspects of the connection between gender equality and the use of ICT, and wide spreading the results.
Selecting good practices in this field with the criterion of showing how the use of technologies has boosted or accelerated the overcoming of problems related to gender discrimination, such as violence, career, permanent education, economic growth, among others.31
Undertaking research that should shed light on the link between the use of ICT to improve the life conditions of both genders and the development of their communities (gender violence, political participation, employment, education, macro and micro economy, public policy, health, among others). This is an emerging research field, especially in Latin America. In environments that analyze technological processes and contexts, it is very rare that they take into account gender issues. The same applies to gender studies, the agendas of which rarely include the importance of understanding how ICT can help redefine and strengthen them or solve issues that affect equality. Performing these studies would help visualize the co-construction of gender and ICT, as expressed by Judith Wajcman32.
It is imperative that agencies involved in evaluating progress in gender equality, as well as those dedicated to produce information on the Information Society develop more refined gender indicators in countries and at a regional level.
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Visibilizing the contributions of female researchers and intellectuals in this field, both in Latin America and other regions, would show important theoretical and methodological contributions and empirical evidence on the phenomena associated with the development of ICT and their many implications in today's societies, from a gender perspective.
For years in Latin America there has been a recurrent demand for statistical information on ICT access and uses that should be sex-disaggregated and interpreted based on gender indicators. That sums up to the lack of information that should cross gender with other variables such as age, socioeconomic status, ethnic groups, etc., and which presumably would shed light on significant differences within the group of women. Although there is some progress in certain countries and at regional level (especially driven by the Observatory of the Information Society - ECLAC33), this situation has many implications for research and development of evidence-based policy, hence claiming progress in this respect is an urgent priority.
In the intervention and policy field Which fields of action should be strengthened to guide the ICT appropriation by women, their autonomy and empowerment in these environments and through them and consequently to contribute to the fulfillment of their promises of greater equity, freedom, productivity and creativity?
- Productive enterprises based on the use of ICT. Training women to start or improve small and medium enterprises based on ICT and even technological products, finding more profitable niche markets. Incubating these businesses is a positive step to ensure their growth and sustainability. 34
- Use of virtual learning environments (E-learning) throughout the life cycle. The use of computers and different applications at elementary, high school and university levels is already a fact in many countries of the Region. In this sense, the greater challenge is the training of teachers to change their pedagogical models, their attitudes and skills in ways that may favor the integration of these new teaching and learning manners. At the same time, e-learning and lately mobile learning can create the conditions for women and men to access -anywhere,
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anytime- training that should allow them to be updated and to dispose of valuable information for their lives and jobs.
- E-health. It plays an important role in the dissemination of reliable and adequate information to prevent health problems, facilitate the interconsultation work of health personnel, online consultations, broadcast campaigns to facilitate health care for dependent persons, among many other uses. Integrating the gender approach to these services is particularly important.
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Violence based on gender patterns. Create campaigns, networks, self-
help groups and applications oriented to the prevention of this problem and to provide useful information to victims. Mobile phones, through the use of different applications, among which is text messaging, which can be a more efficient tool to create alert systems or spread the word.
- Dignified telework. For decades, telework has been an area populated mostly by women who saw the opportunity to "reconcile" their family responsibilities, take time to study or for other interests and do a market work. Today we know that in many cases this involves an exploitation of women's time, which is often precarious and receives very low wages. That is why the challenge is not to dismiss it, but to regulate it in order to prevent exploitation, stimulate the abilities of those performing it and let them know their rights.
- Cultural Production. The virtual world has become an opportunity for artistic experimentation, global expansion and collaborative creation, a space to place the most varied and imaginative cultural products. Many women participate in these initiatives, circulating their work, using technology to make digital art, creating websites and exhibitions. Widening the distribution of their productions and, above all, contacting artists and cultural producers with organizations dedicated to gender equality, can lead to mobilizing experiences.
- E-government. Influencing formats, content and services offered by government websites, so that they represent and serve the needs of women, is another area of action that can encourage the participation of women in the social audit and ultimately their exercise of citizenship.
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- Cyber activism. Women, just like men, use networks (via Internet and mobile phones) to get organized, to express their demands, to generate proposals, to document violence, to show solidarity, all of which generally aim to strengthen democracy, social justice and the quality of institutions. This has been seen in emerging social movements in the Arab world and in countries such as Colombia, Mayanmar, Spain and Greece.
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There are actually two stages in cyber activism: “o deliberative one, in which the debate is open through blogs and forums, and another one of mobilization, in which through e-mails and mobile phones people get together 35 on the street to protest.�
Other lines of action we need to follow in the Region are: attracting more women into the field of technology, encouraging them to produce technology, supporting them in developing their careers, raising awareness among companies about the need for diversity policies and gender equity and building alliances with those that have initiated such measures.
Now, all these interventions take on full meaning in relation to government digital agendas and their policies in technology meant to integrate gender equality as a principle and as a goal. Short paragraphs that refer to women in general, suggesting they should be trained when in fact they are already as trained as men, are not enough; it is necessary to reach the transversalization of the gender perspective throughout the life cycle of these policies, producing quantitative and qualitative indicators of assessment and encouraging the participation of civil society organizations, companies and educational institutions in monitoring and evaluation tasks.
But we also need to say that the challenge in the policy field goes in two directions:
- Mainstreaming gender in the digital agendas and communication and technological policies of every country. -Mainstreaming knowledge and tools given Information/Knowledge Society in gender equity policies.
by
the
4. The future is today The short and long terms begin now.
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Technological innovation is one of the key dimensions that today mark the distinction of countries and regions, creating new forms of social and territorial inclusion/exclusion. The IS needs to be built incorporating the talent, the demands and the creativity of women. In turn they could, and indeed some of them already do, expand their degree of autonomy and their participation in the economic, political, social and cultural production taking advantage of the incentives provided by this environment. Clearly, for all this to happen, women must become active subjects that should be reflective, analytical, capable of criticism, creative, able to imagine and implement, if possible, new solutions and alternatives that should contribute to an exponential growth of the IS/KS oriented to the satisfaction of human needs and capacities. How to move ahead in this direction? The usual answer to this question is to establish a priority program, which is often organized by first placing the need to ensure the access to ICT, followed by training in their basic orientation or other more sophisticated areas according to the audience, carrying out campaigns and expressing general proposals for policies. In this regard, and without denying the importance of setting priorities, we believe we could take position towards another horizon: we are proposing to undertake coordinated and synergic actions in research, education/training, information circulation, lobbying and impact on policy design, management and monitoring, encouragement and circulation of innovative experiences, among other aspects, that at the same time should feed on each other. In short, it is about adopting a logic of flowing between various practices that produce knowledge and transformations at different levels, a logic that is otherwise similar to the one that characterizes and motivates the According to Judy Wajcman: "gender, Internet36. technology and labor theories have made significant progress in the last two decades. Current approaches focus on the mutual configuration of gender and technology, stressing that the relationship between them is fluid and flexible. Such an approach brings to the fore the need for gender analyses to go beyond the issue of equal access, to include design and innovation 37 policy�
In other words, we suggest leaving the common practice of entering this field with a sum of generally isolated and often short initiatives, to strategically capitalize the technological tools and knowledge products (especially those that link the gender field and ICT) that produce different organizations (universities, companies, civil society, States, networks and the general creative powerful vigor displayed in women and men who inhabit and dynamize this scenario). Logging in to the cyberspace and even managing its tools skillfully is only a small part of the territory claimed by feminism. Just like in other areas, it is not about getting assimilated or included, but about transforming the power and discrimination cores that go across the digital world.
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Finally we conclude that the general direction of the change we propose is based on two key axes: moving from the universal but uncritical access to ICTs to appropriation of them, that is to say endowing them with meaning and value, as they have the potential to improve women’s individual and collective living conditions, to allow imagining a desirable future and to dynamize the transformative social energy. Taking advantage of this opportunity makes us face multiple challenges, expressed in the following DECALOGUE FOR GENDER EQUITY IN THE
INFORMATION/KNOWLEDGE SOCIETY. We need to: 1) Innovate concepts and practices to understand and address chronic and emerging inequalities between women and men boosted by the ongoing processes of globalization axed on the expansion of information and communication technologies. 2) Understand the transformations in the ways of being, communicating, living and doing, opened up in the Information/Knowledge Society. 3) Interweave the technological creation processes with the gender equity principles. 4) Early detect the processes of assimilation of discourses and practices that may be contrary to the rights of women, limit their autonomy, or risk/determine their creative leadership in digital environments.
5) Know and participate in the debates on key issues of the IS that already have a huge social impact, which will only grow in the future: policies for democratizing access to ICTs, Internet Governance (including the forms of information regulation), intellectual property, the role of ICT at economic, political, ideological, educational and socializing levels, the priorities in the scientific-technological policies in different countries and regions, problems related to information privacy, the use of ICT for development, etc.). 6) Promote high level debates on scientific and technological culture and the views and practices on dominant innovation in universities, research centers, companies, governments and public opinion, in order to shed light on the stereotypes and procedures that restrict
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opportunities and discourage women and also some men who do not match the hegemonic male model of these spheres. 7) Boost collaborative projects, mediated by ICTs, between women of different generations; create opportunities for conversation between NGOs, digital policy makers and executors, researchers, companies and other stakeholders to move forward towards Knowledge Societies; establish continuous dialogs and partnerships between sectors that share some basic premises on the desirable development approach for this era; these are all concurrent practices for the systemic change we have been talking about. 8) Wake up and support the innovating potential of women who have just begun using ICTs. The inclusion in the programs of the so-called info-alphabetization of content related to gender relations, cultural diversity, human rights, exercise of citizenship, local development, examples of productive and social projects based on ICT use, incentives to creating and integrating networks that should expand their contacts towards meeting several ends: information exchange, creation of enterprises, artistic and cultural initiatives are all valuable alternatives for the empowerment of women from different social, ethnic and rural groups and, through them, of their community.38 9) Promote that technological companies initiate or strengthen
policies aimed at ensuring diversity and equity in their professional staff. Such policies should consider, among other things, the co-responsibility in the care of children and dependent people and sensitize all levels about personal, business and social damage in the case of discrimination or when the capacity and creativity of women are not valued equally.
10) Make the transition from the presence of “women and gender matters� in the cyberspace to the strategic and prospective planning of a policy of and for gender parity in the construction of
Knowledge Societies.
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NOTES AND REFERENCES 1
García Canclini, Néstor (2004): Diferentes, Desiguales y desconectados, Barcelona, Editorial Gedisa 2
“Towards Knowledge Societies”, UNESCO World Report (2006). Published by UNESCO.
3
UNESCO estimates that knowledge societies can only be created based on four fundamental principles: freedom of expression, as defined in Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the recognition of cultural diversity, equality opportunities to access education, and universal access to information. The argument is based on the assumption that knowledge exists and is created in a cultural context and community, and that its shared leverage is most effective if done horizontally, i.e. between people or entities that have similar interests and objectives. 4
A very similar and propitious approach for integrating the proposals of women's movements comes from a recent study performed by the United Nations. It intends to propose a basis for agreement on the features and purposes of a Knowledge Based Society and guidelines to design "wise and careful" policies, -and I would add bold and powerful policies-, to create real and sustainable conditions that may facilitate knowledge revolution nurtured by imagination, plurality of voices and knowledge and genuine interest in linking knowledge with the achievement of equitable and profoundly democratic human development. United Nations (2005): Understanding Knowledge Societies. In twenty questions and answers with the Index of Knowledge Societies, Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations Secretariat http://unpan1.un.org/intradoc/groups/public/documents/UN/UNPAN020643.pdf 5
Bonder, Gloria (2008): Igualdad en la Innovación – Innovación para la Igualdad: Las mujeres en la construcción de la Sociedad del Conocimiento. SARE – Emakunde. España. 6
Barbero, Martín Jesús (2002): La educación desde la comunicación. Editorial Norma. España.
7
Echeverría Javier (2000): “Educación y Tecnologías Telemáticas” en: OEI - Ediciones - Revista Iberoamericana de Educación - Número 24. Available on: http://www.rieoei.org/rie24a01.htm 8
Hilbert, M. (November). Digital gender divide or technologically empowered women in developing countries? A typical case of lies, damned lies, and statistics. Women’s Studies International Forum, 34(6), 479-489. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.wsif.2011.07.001 9
“Sociedad de la Información: una oportunidad para la igualdad” Report . Developed by the Gender Group in the Information Society. PSOE. Available on: http://www.mujeresenred.net/IMG/pdf/000000045675.pdf 10
The term "digital divide" was developed to refer to new forms of inequality that relate to the existing discrimination issues. Herein it refers to the inequality in the ability to communicate and process information digitally. 11
As we shall see in the policy section, this matter was already considered in the Platform for Action at the World Conference on Women in Beijing (1995).
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12
Studies performed by organizations such as the Inter-American Development Bank and the World Bank show that the use of these tools can help reduce poverty through various channels, creating job opportunities, higher incomes and encouraging entrepreneurial initiatives of higher quality and competitiveness. 13
OCDE (2002) points out three stages: access, use and impact.
14
According to several researchers, this inequality is directly related to other aspects of social life, such as education, ethnic background, age, geographic zone, gender, among others (for example Cullen, 2001; Warschauer, 2003; Mossberger, et.at., 2003; OSILAC, 2007; Hilbert, 2010). 15
More recently, Lucas Navarro and Martha Sánchez have proposed to replace the term “digital divide” by “digital inequality”, highlighting its relation to the pre-existent inequalities on a socioeconomic level. 16
Bonder, Gloria (2002): From access to appropriation: Women and ICT policies in Latin American and the Caribbean. United Nations. Division for the Advancement of Women (DAW). 17
These figures speak of the group of women in a general sense, and it is essential to distinguish within it the different groups according to age, socioeconomic status, ethnic background, education level, employment status and location (urban or rural), which is a task not carried out yet. 18
In fact, the very market dynamics and policies in many countries favor the accessibility to ICTs even in economically deprived areas, for example through policies of netbooks delivery to students and teachers, or through the exponential growth of mobile phones that reaches both women and men almost equally. 19
The Spanish researcher Cecilia Brown distinguishes three gender divides of different nature and scope: 1st. Divide: Differences between those who have used the Internet on some occasions and those who have never done so. Quantitative indicator. Age, educational level and employment status are key variables for access to ICT. Having a job increases the chances of connection and has a significant impact particularly on women. 2nd. Divide: Qualitative indicator. Refers to differences between men and women regarding the "technological skills that each person has (what they can do), intensity (how much they do) and the type of use (what they do) on the Internet. 3rd. Divide: It is limited to the advanced uses of Internet applications, including mobile access devices, applications that are more innovative technologically in the field of communication and entertainment. Source: CASTAÑO, Cecilia (et.al) (2009): Informe Género eEspaña_09. Fundación Orange. España
20
We must take into account that ICTs do not comprise only Internet but also radio, television and mobile telephones, computers that may or may not be connected to the Internet via dialup or broadband and a variety of software, hardware, databases, varied applications in different fields of work, education, entertainment, networking. They all coexist and prevail differently according to contexts and tastes, interests and cultures of individuals and social groups, so there may be more or less pronounced divides in the use of each of these technologies.
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21
“Mujeres en la web. Marcando Tendencias en Internet” Report. ComScore.2010. Available on: http://www.iabperu.com/descargas/Desc_20109712738.pdf 22
ComScore (2010): Op. Cit.
23
Bonder, Gloria (2009): ICT and Gender Equality: New Opportunities and Challenges for Public Administration to Implement the IADGs including MDGs. ECOSOC, UNDESA.
24
We are referring to the above mentioned program: Inclusión Digital y Desarrollo Local en Uruguay, developed by the Centro Latinoamericano en Género y Sociedad de la Información (CGSI), based on the UNESCO Regional Chair- Women, Science and Technology in Latin America. 25
ComScore (2010): Op. Cit.
26
In some countries the mobile market has led to various forms of work such as phones selling stands, applications, repairs, card sale, or sale of minutes of use, among other examples. Also, highly valued is the use of mobile phones to access information on product prices, online sales, information on inputs and innovations that improve the quality and competitiveness of agricultural or crafts. 27
Study performed by Hernan Galperin and Judith Mariscal, funded by the Institute of Peruvian Studies (IEP) and the International Center for Development Research, Ottawa, Canada. It was based on more than 7000 household interviews with individuals between 13 and 70 who live in low-income households in the following countries: Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Jamaica, Mexico, Peru, and Trinidad and Tobago. Despite the increased adoption, users are not taking full advantage of the services offered by the mobile platform. Text messages (SMS) provide the only service beyond the voice one that is rapidly growing in the region. In more developed markets such as Jamaica and Argentina, the vast majority of low-income mobile users have used SMS services. However, variables such as illiteracy rates seem to be a deterrent factor for a higher adoption rate in other countries, specifically in Brazil. 28
ComScore (2010): Op. Cit.
29
Take Back The Tech! is a feminist campaign open to everyone who wants to act to end violence against women using any ICT platform, skills and knowledge in this kind of activism. 30
“Women in the economy and the labor of ICTs in Latin America and the Caribbean”, Preliminary Report for the Group on Gender and ICT-ELAC 2010. XI Regional Conference on Women, Brasilia, 13-16 June 2010. 31
Although there are still few studies in this direction, the available information shows that the lack of sustained funding is a major constraint faced by these projects. Consequently, some experiences - very promising at a certain point - may disappear or be reduced to a minimum.
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32
Wajcman, J. (2004) TechnoFeminism, Polity Press. International Journal of Gender, Science and Technology, 2009, Vol. 1, No.1 127. Cambridge 33
www.eclac.org/socinfo/osilac/
34
Lately it has been noticed the emergence of accelerators and incubators that are increasing the number of entrepreneurs. For example: Y Combinator, Founder Labs, Founder Institute. 35
De Ugarte, David (2007). El poder de las redes. Manual ilustrado para personas, colectivos y empresas abocados al ciberactivismo. El Cobre Ediciones. 36
There have also been discussions on the "Windows" thinking, referring to processes of knowledge open to travel various routes and simultaneously access multiple interconnected windows, as allowed by this program. Turkle, S. (1996): Virtuality and its discontents: Searching for community in cyberspace. The American Prospect, 24 (1), 50-57. 37
Wajcman, J. (2004): Op. Cit.
38
The above mentioned Program: Digital Inclusion and Local Development in Uruguay.
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