aida opoku-mensah empowerment of women

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


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


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


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.


Women in decision-makingWomen in decision-making

Increased proportion of women in decision making ( increased number of women parliamentarians

& at senior positions )


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


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


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."


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


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


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


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%


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


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


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,


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


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,


CameroonThe information society should be

garanteed and anchored on the realities of the day. It ICT policies at all levels are engendered,


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.


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.


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


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


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


E-Soko – one of the 2011 TIGA awarded E-Soko – one of the 2011 TIGA awarded projectsprojects


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.


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


Yes We CAN!!!Yes We CAN!!!

http://www.uneca.org/istd/http://www.uneca.org/istd/

aida opoku-mensah empowerment of women

Documents

secondary education

employment education

icts empowering women

tertiary education gap

mdgs women

universal primary education

gender equality

empowering african women