MCJ 401: Communication and

Information Technologies

Seventh Semester 2022

Mass Communication and Journalism

University of Dhaka
Gender and ICT
 Gender and ICT

Areas of research -
• ICT and stereotypes:
• Generally, women are weaker than men in Mathematics and Science.
• Women are less skilled than men in operating computer and other ICTs.
• Women are good at domestic technologies such as sewing machine.
•

• ICT and Empowerment:

• ICTs including the Internet help women/men be empowered (e.g., better-informed,
knowledgeable).
• Women/men become economically self-reliant by learning ICTs.
• Women become aware of their rights through ICTs.
• Women earn social esteem by being ICT-skilled.
 Cyberfeminism/technofeminism

• Technofeminism emerged in 1980s.

• Cyberfeminism emerged in 1990.

• Proponents: Sandra Harding, Judy Wajcman, Donna Haraway, Sadie Plant,

Sherry Turkle, Jessie Daniels.

• Cyberfeminism views technology as a vehicle for the dissolution of sex and

gender as well as a means to link the body with machines.
 Cyberfeminism

• Cyberspace empowers women because it liberates them.

• They can hide their gender identity with a disembodied self in cyberspace.

• Cyberspace – a gender discrimination free world?

• Women can have multiple identities still being anonymous.

• An ideal place for self-expression.

 Building Alliance and Networks

• ICTs, particularly the Internet, help women build alliance and networks among
themselves.

• Women’s networks/networking help the cause of gender equality.

• Networking + collaboration = empowerment.

• Example: destitute, underprivileged, resource-poor women build networks using ICTs.

• Internet – a place for sexual minorities to raise movements against discrimination and
unjust policies/actions against them (Example: TrevorSpace.)
 Building Alliance and Networks

• They uphold their identity strongly and lobby for human rights in the
cyberspace.

• Women’s organizations (both national and international) by means of

online networking build global public opinion in favour of their demands.

• Also, public opinion against discriminatory and oppressive behaviour,

laws and policies adopted against women locally.
 Building Alliance and Networks

• Asian Human Rights Commission –

• Sends emails to the organizations that work for women’s rights.

• They publish reports on ‘honour killing’ in Asia

• Association for Progressive Communications (APC) –

• Their wing – Women Networking Support Programme (WNSP)

• Works in the Asia and Pacific regions

FEMNET (African Women’s Development and Communication Network) –

• Works for the progress of African women
 Building Alliance and Networks

• Network of East-West Women –

• Association of the women of East and Central Europe.

La Neta –
• Latin American women’s organization.

Asian Women’s Resource Exchange –

• They used emails, online newsletter, list serves in the past to network.

• Now they use social media (e.g., Facebook)

 Capacity Building

• Many organizations work to increase women’s access to ICT.

• These organizations make ICTs relevant to the needs of women.

• Many organizations give women training to increase their ICT skill so that they get jobs.

• Women entrepreneurs get support to increase their ICT skill. This is how they become
equal beneficiary of ICT.

• In Afghanistan, UNDP has established computer training centres for women.

 Capacity Building

• In Africa, The Women's Information Resource and Electronic Service

(WIRES) project, launched by the Council for Economic Empowerment for
Women in Africa (CEEWA), is helping women entrepreneurs and women's
organizations to exploit the potential of ICTs in the development of micro-
and small-scale enterprises for community economic empowerment.

• The project enables women to access ICTs and obtain microcredit and trade
support services, as well as business information (databases and Internet-
based market research) repackaged in simple, ready-to-use formats in local
languages.
 Dissemination of Information about Women’s Rights

• Advocates of gender equality use ICTs to make women aware of their

rights by disseminating relevant information.

• United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) make women

aware of their rights by giving them information on legal rights, human
rights for women, etc. It uses websites, e-magazines, emails, etc.

• In many Western countries, women victims of domestic violence are

given support through websites (example: in the USA, www.ndvh.org)
 Dissemination of Information about Women’s Rights

• Femmigration – (www.femmigration.net) It works in European Union. It helps those

women who fall victim to prostitution and other sexual violence.

• Many NGOs work for gender equality and women’s rights by using ICT.

• However, women of developing countries lack access to ICTs due to socio-cultural norms,
language, poverty, etc.

• Telecentres can increase women’s access to ICTs.

• Educational institutions can also be used as community access points.

Women’s Perspective on Their Internet
Use: A Bangladesh Perspective

• The study was conducted in Dhaka and Rajshahi.

• 16 wealthy urban elite women internet user were interviewed.

• This study aims at revealing how and to what extent they used the
Internet and whether it helps in the pursuit of their personally
meaningful and emancipatory projects.
 Women’s Perspective on Their Internet
Use: A Bangladesh Perspective

• Among the elite women on whom the study focused were those women
Internet users who are not financially or academically involved with
technology.

• Professional women, for example, nongovernmental organization (NGO)

workers and doctors were included. Participants in the research were
professional and businesswomen as well as female students and housewives.
 Women’s Perspective on Their Internet
Use: A Bangladesh Perspective

• The majority of the users in the study use the Internet to communicate with relatives,
friends, and immediate family members, especially with children living abroad.

• Women initially began using the technology just for communication and gradually
moved to other uses.

• Maintaining a close relation with their roots through an easy, quick, and inexpensive
medium is a significant driver of Internet use. Apart from communicating with near and
dear ones, respondents also use the Internet for professional and networking purposes.
 Women’s Perspective on Their Internet
Use: A Bangladesh Perspective

• For obvious reasons, professional women use the Internet to communicate with
others. Both businesswomen and development activists indicate that it is the best
way to get in touch with others.

• A businesswoman (Shilpi, 25 years, Rajshahi) maintains a Web page through

which she promotes her products.

• Through Internet use, professional women are communicating globally with

people and also expanding their professional knowledge.
 Women’s Perspective on Their Internet
Use: A Bangladesh Perspective

• Several respondents noted that they use the Internet for networking purposes.

• The Internet is giving the respondents a place to express their inner feelings. Due to
possible shyness, prejudices, and other constraints visible in face-to-face
communication, they seem to feel more comfortable expressing themselves in the
virtual world.

• Women respondents are browsing and searching for diverse information (e.g.,
health and illness related information).
 Women’s Perspective on Their Internet
Use: A Bangladesh Perspective

• To those who believe that empowerment entails economic independence, the

researcher asked how the Internet is or is not empowering them. Professional
women seem to feel more empowered, as they note.

• According to them, through communicating with others in the same field they
learn more, and this helps them to flourish.

• Many of these women Internet users believe that the technology is

empowering them, but their concept of empowerment itself is superficial.
 Women’s Perspective on Their Internet
Use: A Bangladesh Perspective

• Economic independence and knowledge are, according to them, the main criteria
for empowerment.

• In-depth understanding of the term seems to be missing in their discussion. For

example, who has control over the money earned was ignored by the respondents.

• In terms of their Internet use, they believe that they are being empowered. Through
communicating and attaining necessary information online, they are able to enjoy
economic benefits, knowledge, and free expression of oneself, they state.