GenderIT.org emerged from the Association for Progressive Communications Women's Networking Support Programme's advocacy work in information and communications technologies (ICTs). The need to have examples of national policy, gender-sensitive language, tools for lobbying, and an understanding of the impact of poor or positive policy all within easy access has been expressed by ICT advocates and policy makers alike.

The APC WNSP also developed the Monitor for gender advocates - women's organisations and movements across the world who are just beginning to explore gender issues in the deployment and application of ICTs, and need to understand the intersections with key women's issues such as violence against women or economic empowerment.

GenderIT.org is the result of months of researching, classifying, interpreting and monitoring ICT policies which affect women around the world, but specifically in four regions – Africa, Asia-Pacific, Central Eastern Europe and Latin America.

The Monitor has three main objectives:

• To develop an information resource/knowledge sharing site for gender and ICT advocates, civil society organisations and policy makers that wish to be active in gender and ICT policy.
• To raise awareness among civil society organisations, specifically in women’s movements, regarding gender and ICT policy issues.
• To empower women’s organisations and networks in collaboration with other civil society actors to take action on ICT policy issues and develop ICT policy that meets their needs. To encourage them to lobby for an information society that builds social justice and human rights, at the national, regional and global level.
  

The gender and ICT policy monitor is integrated with other ICT policy monitoring initiatives of the Association for Progressive Communications, including APC's national ICT policy portals, and regional ICT policy monitors in Latin America, Africa and Europe.