Author: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Publisher: Food & Agriculture Org. ISBN: 9251313806 Category : Social Science Languages : en Pages : 76
Book Description
Advances in information and communication technologies (ICTs) have made information available to more people than ever before. These advances have also substantially increased their capacity to connect with each other in a continuously expanding number of ways. Rural women are currently (and have always been) last in line in terms of ICT access and use, even though women stand more to gain than most from active participation and engagement with these resources. Evidence suggests that the ICT sector is both urban- and male-centric, ranging from the design of ICTs to the gender of sector employees and decision-makers. Representation in the media is also predominantly male. The aim of this paper is to bring rural communities, and women and other marginalized groups in particular, back into the centre of conversations on ICTs and ICT4D.
Author: Samia Melhem Publisher: World Bank Publications ISBN: 0821381342 Category : Business & Economics Languages : en Pages : 99
Book Description
This paper reviews how women in the developing world access and use information and communication technology (ICT). It examines the discourse and controversies surrounding the digital gender divide, including links to poverty and illiteracy. Major themes concerning women and ICTs are explored, such as women in the ICT workforce, how girls and women relate differently to ICT, and opportunities and barriers for women in science and technology in general. Current research relating to gender and ICT is often country-specific and is more prevalent in developed countries than in developing countries. This paper suggests where additional research is needed on barriers to women s entry and access to ICT. The overall objective of this paper is to influence policy dialogue around women and ICT for development by raising awareness of the digital gender divide. Economic opportunity for women in ICT will not be realized until policies address gender considerations and ensure that ICT investment contributes to more sustainable and equitable development.
Author: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Publisher: Food & Agriculture Org. ISBN: 9251303673 Category : Social Science Languages : en Pages : 88
Book Description
While the digital revolution is reaching rural areas in many developing countries, the rural digital divide continues to present considerable challenges. The problem is even more acute for women, who face a triple divide: digital, rural and gender. This publication looks at the benefits of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) when placed in the hands of men and women working in agriculture and in rural areas. It examines the challenges to be overcome and makes recommendations so that rural communities can take full and equal advantage of the technologies. FAO’s E-agriculture 10 Year Review Report on implementation of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) of the Action Line C7. ICT Applications: e-agriculture concludes that while substantial progress has been made in making ICTs available and accessible for rural communities, challenges remain with respect to the following seven critical factors for success: content, capacity development, gender and diversity, access and participation, partnerships, technologies, and finally, economic, social, and environmental sustainability. This publication analyses with the gender lens the seven factors of success, followed by an overview of the general existing barriers to women’s access to, control and use of ICTs. Finally, it offers a series of recommendations for better integration of gender in ICT initiatives, based on gender mainstreaming throughout the seven critical factors of success, illustrated with concrete examples
Author: Surya Rathore Publisher: New India Publishing Agency ISBN: 9395319623 Category : Social Science Languages : en Pages : 16
Book Description
To address the goal 5 (Gender Equality) of Sustainable Development, it is deemed vital that we first understand the gender inequalities and the contribution of the second gender, i.e. women. We need to bring women into the mainstream to bring both genders at par. Since most of our population lives in villages, we need to have an in-depth knowledge of rural women's role in the development and understand the means and ways to empower them holistically, be it in terms of education, social, technological, political, legal etc. Today's environment calls for a need for women in rural areas to go in for bringing the various drudgery-reducing technologies into practice as well as empower themselves economically through Self Help Groups (SHGs). Rural women must understand the coping strategies associated with climate change which is again a challenge, and the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) to be more informed and empowered citizens for the welfare of their families, communities, societies and the nation at large. To attain the national goal of doubling the farmers' income by 2022, rural women's economic contribution must be increased through entrepreneurship. To make this dream come true, rural women need to be educated, malnutrition in rural areas; especially among women, needs to be removed, they will have to be technologically empowered, and rural women need to break the shackles of traditional hiccups and be aware of the latest information related to government programmes and schemes along with legal literacy concerning them to be able to understand the various provisions made available by the government for them and to enable them to enforce the same. This book encapsulated all the required dimensions of rural women empowerment: education, health & nutrition, technological empowerment, political empowerment instruments like the Panchayati Raj system, economic empowerment through entrepreneurship, etc. It covers the health challenges of women labourers, hill women, drudgery issues of brick layering women, women and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), and constriants to women's empowerment. A few case studies and success stories of women entrepreneurs find their place in this book. The book also provides solutions to the issues of rural women, such as knowledge about those government schemes and programmes that empower women and provides women strength with the golden rays of constitutional mandates to make them sabla from abla. In a nutshell, this book provides conceptual clarity regarding the concept of women empowerment, the different dimensions of empowerment, issues and strategies to cope with the same in one place.
Author: Publisher: Oxfam ISBN: Category : Social Science Languages : en Pages : 152
Book Description
Around the world, information and communication technologies (ICTs) have changed the lives of individuals, organizations, and, indeed, entire nations. ICTs can have profound implications for women and men in terms of employment, education, health, environmental sustainability, and community development. Because of systemic gender biases in ICTs and their applications, women are far more likely than men to experience discrimination in the new information society. In spite of this, resource-poor and non-literate women and their organizations are aware of the power of information technologies and communication processes, and are using them to advance their basic needs and strategic interests, improve their livelihoods, and help them achieve their human rights. Gender and ICTs for Development brings together case studies about women and their communities in developing countries and how they have been influenced by, and have used, ICTs in development. An introduction by Helen Hambly Odame, now at the University of Guelph in Canada, formerly with the International Service for National Agricultural Research, provides a global overview of the issues, and a framework for responding to the case studies. This book, the seventh of these Global Sourcebooks, features five major case studies which examine the diverse ways in which women have been able to make the most of digital opportunities: * e-commerce in Bhutan; * entrepreneurship by women workers in China; * post-conflict communication using radio and ICTs in Sierra Leone; * sustainable fisheries production in Ghana; and * information exchange related to HIV/AIDS in the Caribbean. The extensive and up-to-date critical bibliography of print and online resources makes this a truly global sourcebook on the topic. Published in association with KIT Publishers.
Author: Ineke Buskens Publisher: IDRC ISBN: 1848131925 Category : Business & Economics Languages : en Pages : 234
Book Description
Based on the outcome of an extensive research project, this book features chapters based on original primary field research undertaken by academics & activists who have investigated situations within their own communities & countries.
Author: Ewa Lechman Publisher: Routledge ISBN: 1000437949 Category : Business & Economics Languages : en Pages : 279
Book Description
The near-ubiquitous spread of ICT offers unprecedented opportunities for social and economic agents, reshapes social and economic structures and drives the emergence of socioeconomic networks. This book contributes to the growing body of literature and present state of knowledge, offering the reader broad evidence on how new information and communication technologies impact women’s economic and social empowerment and hence have an impact on overall welfare creation. More specifically, it concentrates on demonstrating how ICT may become "empowering technologies" through their implementation. The book is designed to provide deep insight into the theoretical and empirical evidence on ICT as a significant driver of women`s social and economic development. Special focus is given to examining the following broad topics: channels of ICT impact on women's development; the role of ICT in enhancing women's active participation in formal labor markets; examples of how ICT encourages education, skills development, institutions development et alia, and thus contributes to women’s social and economic empowerment, as well as case-based evidence on ICT's role in fostering women’s equality. The primary audience for the book will be scholars and academic professionals from a wide variety of disciplines but mainly those who are concerned with addressing the issues of economic development and growth, social development, the role of technology progress in the context of broadly defined socioeconomic progress. Chapters 1 and 3 of this book are freely available as downloadable Open Access PDFs at http://www.taylorfrancis.com under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives (CC-BY-NC-ND) 4.0 license.
Author: Dhaundiyal, Pankaj Publisher: IGI Global ISBN: 1668461196 Category : Technology & Engineering Languages : en Pages : 333
Book Description
The role of information and communication technologies as a tool for development has attracted the sustained attention of various agencies worldwide. If the gender dimensions of information and communication technologies—in terms of access and use, capacity-building opportunities, employment, and potential for empowerment—are explicitly identified and addressed, information and communication technologies can be a powerful catalyst for the political and social empowerment of women and the promotion of gender equality. ICT as a Driver of Women’s Social and Economic Empowerment contributes to the growing body of literature and present state of knowledge by offering evidence on how new information and communication technologies impact women’s economic and social empowerment and overall welfare creation leading to inclusive growth. Covering key topics such as economics, entrepreneurship, digital technologies, and inclusion, this premier reference source is ideal for industry professionals, policymakers, administrators, business owners, managers, researchers, academicians, scholars, practitioners, instructors, and students.
Author: Hernandez, K. Publisher: Food & Agriculture Org. [Author] [Author] ISBN: 9251386048 Category : Business & Economics Languages : en Pages : 132
Book Description
The rapid and ongoing digital transformation of government, economic, and social sectors holds immense potential to improve outcomes across the SDGs for smallholder farmers and rural communities more generally. [Author] However, it is also widely recognized that digitalization alone does not guarantee inclusion. [Author] Rural residents and marginalized groups have the most to gain from digitalization but are also the most at risk of falling further behind due to digital divides. [Author] The resulting paradox may leave rural development actors unsure about how to best approach rural digital transformation. [Author] This report helps rural development practitioners and decision-makers work through this paradox. [Author] It does so by highlighting the factors that lead to digital exclusion, providing evidence regarding how digital divides play out, and providing recommendations on how to improve digital inclusion for rural areas and marginalized groups. [Author]
Author: Archana G. Gulati Publisher: ISBN: Category : Languages : en Pages : 0
Book Description
Women represent 48% of India's population and the sustainability of our nation's developmental efforts hinges on their equal participation in social, political and economic fabric of the nation. Yet in spite various Government programmes to this end, Indian women continue to lag behind men in education and political empowerment. They fare especially poorly in terms of health indicators. In fact, India ranks 122 out of 138 countries and is placed below even Pakistan when it comes to gender equality. The plight of rural women is particularly dismal. It is widely recognized that ICT can help to bridge the gender divide. ICT can empower rural women by promoting basic literacy and education, providing access to employment opportunities, banking services and markets and by facilitating their health and safety. ICT is an especially powerful tool as it can achieve these desirable outcomes in a culturally acceptable manner and can make pertinent information, services and assistance available to women within the safety of their homes/villages. The Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF) of India can play a critical role in this regard by making ICT accessible to rural women. In keeping with its mandate, USOF has initiated a number of schemes aimed at promoting access to affordable telephony and broadband services in rural India. In recognition of the special needs of rural women, USOF has also initiated gender specific pilot schemes. One such scheme involves the provision of broadband enabled Rural Public Service Terminals to SHGs to enable them to supplement their incomes while providing banking, financial services and other broadband enabled Value Added Services (VAS) to the rural population. In June 2007, USOF initiated another pilot project programme aimed at facilitating SHGs' access to meaningful mobile value added services that are specially tailored to their unique requirements. Under this programme, it is also proposed to undertake pilots for provision of ICT related rural services such as solar mobile charging centres and mobile and modem repair centres which shall be run by SHGs. The primary objective of these initiatives is to enrich the lives of the target beneficiaries and to empower them through mobile connectivity, information, skills and means of livelihood. The Proof of Concept stage of this scheme has validated the anticipated prerequisites for use of ICTs for women's empowerment in rural India and demonstrated the success of the same.
Author: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Author: Samia Melhem
Author: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Author: Surya Rathore
Author: 
Author: Ineke Buskens
Author: Ewa Lechman
Author: Dhaundiyal, Pankaj
Author: Hernandez, K.
Author: Archana G. Gulati