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What changes does World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) bring in regards to gender equality and women's empowerment? Is WSIS worth it? How effective is gender advocates participation? What are the main challenges faced by gender equality advocates? This paper intention is to respond these questions and to summarise what has been achieved so far in regards to gender equality in WSIS process and clarifying “gender and ICT” agenda for both phases of WSIS. It analyses why gender advocacy was such a challenge within the whole process, and assess the outcomes as well as some of the indirect benefits WSIS brought for gender and ICT advocates. In the end the paper outlines the priority issues for gender advocacy in the second phase of WSIS. Written by Karen Banks, APC.

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“The Burden of The Struggle” - Engendering Change in ICT Policy
Cheekay Cinco, member of APC WNSP, interviews Nancy Hafkin, woman pioneer of networking and ICTs development in Africa on her thoughts about the current gender and ICT policy environment. She reflects on the WSIS process and the recent Commission on the Status of Women, and articulates what is urgently needed to render visible the gender dimensions of ICTs at policy levels.
, Apr 2006
General Reference, Communication Rights   || Global

ICT gender issues past, present and future
As women living in Africa we have many things to confront: the process of African enlargement and our participation in the globalised world, the decline of national states, the dominance of market and consumerism, growing poverty, social and political inequalities or insecurities within Africa and outside in the face of neo-conservatism and dominance of the United States.
Brenda Zulu [APC Women's Networking Support Programme ], Dec 2005
General Reference   || Africa
Comment/s: 1

Gender equality may constitute a normative consensus, but the political will is lacking
Heike Jensen, researcher and lecturer at the Department of Gender Studies of Humboldt University in Berlin, (Germany), is one of those hardworking gender advocates, whose “effort and time spent gathering information, sleepless nights, many cups of coffee , talking, training, skills sharing, lobbying and writing” focussed on integrating gender as a relevant dimension of WSIS process and outcomes. She has been involved in the process almost since the beginning, worked as member of the German Civil Society Coordinating Group, the NGO Gender Strategies Working Group and the WSIS Gender Caucus, where she is a member of the Steering Committee. In contrast to GenderIT.org writer Jac sm Kee, she sees the results of seven years advocacy more optimistically. Here is her initial assessment of the achievements in terms of gender written few days after the conclusion of WSIS process.
Heike Jensen , Dec 2005
General Reference   || Global

Funding ICTs: where will the money come from?
The Digital Solidarity Fund (DSF) was proposed by Senegal's President Abdoulaye Wade at Phase I of the World Summit on Information Society (WSIS) Summit. It was inaugurated by the Nigerian President Olusegun Odasanjo in March 2005, in Geneva. This fund is seen a voluntary and complementary financing mechanism to supplement existing financial mechanism. It is registered in Switzerland.
Brenda Zulu [APC Women's Networking Support Programme ], Dec 2005
Universal Access   || Global

From Geek to the WSIS Gender Caucus
Jac sm Kee grabs a conversation with Jacqueline A. Morris during WSIS PrepComm3 at Geneva, and finds out about how a girl from Trinidad & Tobago ends up being a gender & ICT advocate, her insights about the two priority issues in WSIS Phase II – financing and internet governance – as well as the efficacy of the WSIS Gender Caucus.
Jack sm Kee [APC Women's Networking Support Programme ], Dec 2005
General Reference   || Global

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Gender Assessments and Research

Gender in the information Society: Emerging issues
This publication is a collection of 13 papers developed for a pre-World Summit on the Information Society seminar, produced by UNDP-APDIP in partnership with UNIFEM and IT for Change. It showcases perspectives that critique the engagement with new technologies in various development sectors such as the governance, media and work.
Published [2006] by Asia-Pacific Development Information Programme
Issues covered: General Reference   Regional focus: Asia-Pacific,  South & Central Asia

Information society: promoting financial mechanisms with a gender equity perspective
This document is intended to describe the funding strategies of the Information Society (IS) that are currently under discussion at the preliminary meetings of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) – Second Phase, which will be held in November 2005 and, from a gender perspective, to tie them into the commitments undertaken through the Goals of the Millennium, the Beijing Action Platform and Funding for Development, among others.
Published [2005] by WSIS Gender Caucus
Issues covered: Economic Empowerment, Strategic Use and FOSS, Universal Access   Regional focus: Global,  Latin America

In the spotlight: gender experiences and ICTs in Latin America and the Caribbean
This study presents the current status of Gender and Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) based on the survey of related projects, research and actions from the standpoint of various social stakeholders: state, private sector, academia and the civil society. This work focuses on the application of the gender perspective – whether explicit or not.
Published [2005] by WSIS Gender Caucus
Issues covered: General Reference   Regional focus: Latin America

World Summit on the Information Society
This document presents an analysis of the context in which many of the scenarios linked to the WSIS are set - binded to other issues such as global commerce, human rights and Internet governance. The author affirms that the development of these scenarios impact directly the WSIS agenda, excepting the issues related to human rights, which are not raising enough concern to the UN member states.
Published [2005] by WSIS Gender Caucus
Issues covered: General Reference   Regional focus: Global,  Latin America

MEDIA BRIEF: Paddling in Circles while the Waters Rise - Gender Issues in ICTs and Poverty Reduction
Can ICTs help reduce poverty? This paper examines poverty from many different angles: from its definition to systemic causes of global poverty, as well as tools used to address poverty. The study is the part of APC WNSP issue papers series on ICTs for women's rights.
Published [2005] by APC Women's Networking Support Programme
Issues covered: Economic Empowerment   Regional focus: Global

Gender Issues in the Information Society
This paper was published in 2003 as background material in preparation for the WSIS. It asserts that gender considerations need to be an integral component in policymaking.
Published [2003] by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
Issues covered: General Reference   Regional focus: Global

Involving Civil Society in ICT Policy: the World Summit on the Information Society
The book highlights issues that need to be taken into consideration in the formation of ICT policies and regulations, particularly around the WSIS process. The chapter on gender and ICT policy draws attention to the various issues to be taken into account in engendering ICT policy.
Published [2003] by Association for Progressive Communications
Issues covered: General Reference   Regional focus: Global

Gender Perspectives in ICT
This paper presents an overview of gender and ICT issues, as well as key outcomes and recommendations from the expert group meeting on “Information and communication technologies and their impact on and use as an instrument for the advancement and empowerment of women” in 2002. It is presented to the plenary of the 47th session of the Commission on the Status of Women in March 2003.
Issues covered: General Reference   Regional focus: Asia-Pacific

Guides

The World Summit on the Information Society: Creating Your Own National Gender Programme: a Practical Guide
The guidebook provides a background on the WSIS and outlines the case for gender equality in the information society.
Published [2003] by WSIS Gender Caucus
Issues covered: General Reference   Regional focus: Global

APCWNSP Policy Guide for Gender and ICTs
The document outlines 10 fundamental principles in ICT policy in order to engender IT.
Published by APC Women's Networking Support Programme
Issues covered: General Reference   Regional focus: Global

The Beijing Platform for Action Meets the World Summit on the Information Society
The resource explores the different issue and areas of advocacy in the WSIS process based on the 12 critical areas of concern in the Beijing Platform for Action.
Published by International Women's Tribune Centre (IWTC)
Issues covered: General Reference   Regional focus: Global

Links (Web Resources)

WSIS 2005 feature: gender equality and ICT
An updated shortlist of online resources on gender and ICT in the UN System compiled by Women Watch to mark the second phase of the World Summit on the Information Society.
Published [2005] by WomenWatch
Issues covered: General Reference   Regional focus: Global

Collection of photos from WSIS II in Tunis, via Flikr
The WSIS photos collection in Flickr has more than 750 photographs from the Summit in Tunis, many of them published under CreativeCommons licence.
Issues covered: General Reference   Regional focus: Global

Mailinglists and Discussion Forums

Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) and Gender Equality
E-discussion on the impact of ICT on gender relations and the ways ICT can be used to overcome gender inequalities. sharing ideas, opinions, concerns, and lessons learned with development practitioners, policy makers, and academics.
Published [2004] by World Bank Group
Issues covered: Economic Empowerment, Universal Access, Cultural Diversity and Language, Education   Regional focus: Global

Policy Papers

Women's human rights: violence against women, pornography and ICTs
The position paper presented by Jac sm Kee from APC WNSP at Women Claiming The Information Society (WOCTIS), 11 September 2005, Berlin, examined the relationship between violence against women and information societies, using the recent debate about '.xxx' as a site for examination.
Published [2005] by APC Women's Networking Support Programme
Issues covered: Violence Against Women   Regional focus: Global

The "Seven Musts": Priority Issues for Gender Equality in the WSIS Process
This document outlines fundamental principles that the WSIS process should embrace in its reflections on information societies.
Published [2003] by NGO Gender Strategies Working Group
Issues covered: Cultural Diversity and Language, Communication Rights, Strategic Use and FOSS, Universal Access   Regional focus: Global

UN ICT Task Force - Plan of Action
The Plan of Action adopted in 2001 recognizes the potential of ICTs to contribute to gender equality and the empowerment of women.
Published [2001] by United Nations Information and Communication Technologies Task Force
Issues covered: Governance   Regional focus: Global

Reports

Who pays for the Information Society: Challenges and Issues on financing the Information Society
The book is an in-depth look at the issues surrounding financial mechanisms to achieve universal access. While the book does not focus on gender, specifically, it contributes to the knowledge base necessary for effective advocacy in ICT policy processes.
Published [2005] by Bread for All
Issues covered: Universal Access   Regional focus: Global

Preliminary Report of the Working Group on Internet Governance submitted to the Preparatory Committee of the World Summit on the Information Society
The document is a preliminary report of the Working Group on Internet Governance (WGIG) to PrepCom-2 on the status of its work. Regional focus: Global

Interconnection costs
This paper produced by South African Mike Jensen covers increasing North-South inequities (“paying both ways”) and proposed strategies for minimising the disparities in interconnection rates, accelerating the restructuring of the communications sector, supporting the establishment of national and international internet exchange points, and building local demand for national and international backbones.
Published [2005] by Association for Progressive Communications
Issues covered: Universal Access   Regional focus: Global

Gender advocacy at the World Summit on the Information Society
Marianne Franklin, Senior Lecturer in Social & Political Theory at the University for Humanistics presents this report based on an initial study of gender advocacy at the United Nations’ World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS). The research findings and ensuing discussion focus on how gender/gender equality and women/women's rights are being rendered at the WSIS.
Issues covered: General Reference   Regional focus: Global

WSIS Tunis Book Launch: Visions in Process II
This publication brings together assessments by women from around the world who have been involved in various civil society constituencies created during the WSIS process. The authors have been engaged in initiatives promoting public awareness and activities in fields such as human rights, women’s rights, and various development initiatives concerning media and ICTs.
Published [2005] by Heinrich Böll Foundation
Issues covered: General Reference, Governance, Communication Rights, Strategic Use and FOSS   Regional focus: Global

Mapping Gender in the Information Society: From Reality to Discourse
The report from the workshop focused on gender in the information society in the context of the Asia Pacific. The participants also critically evaluated how global policy platforms such as the World Summit on the Information Society have framed issues related to gender and ICTs.
Issues covered: General Reference   Regional focus: Asia-Pacific

Financing ICTD: A review of trends and an analysis of gaps and promising practices
In 2004, the Task Force on Financial Mechanisms, convened by the UNDP in response to a World Summit on Information Society (WSIS) mandate, conducted extensive consultations, research, and reviews of information surrounding the role and effectiveness of financial mechanisms to support ICT for development. Although the report does not look at gender in particular, it highlights several governmental and civil society initiatives which aimed at benefiting women, and calls for more and better coordinated interventions in this area.
Published [2005] by UNDP&Task Force on Financial Mechanisms
Issues covered: General Reference   Regional focus: Global

The WSIS challenge for women.
The presentation summarizes the challenges, the strategies and the recommendations for gender friendly WSIS process.
Published [2004] by The African Centre for Women, Information and Communications Technology (ACWICT)
Issues covered: General Reference, Governance   Regional focus: Africa

Gender Issues at the World Summit on the Information Society
The paper describes and assess the efforts to secure inclusion of gender issues at the World Summit on Information Society in Geneva.
Published [2004] by Information Technologies and International Development
Issues covered: Governance   Regional focus: Global

WSIS: Articulating Information at the Summit
The brief explores a number of moments of articulation and contradiction within the WSIS process, including gender imbalance, the politics of the inside and the outside, the space between rhetoric and action, and the lack of media coverage of a media-focussed event.
Published [2004] by Information Technologies and International Development
Issues covered: Women's Presentation in Media, Governance   Regional focus: Global

Fact Sheets: Briefing notes prepared for WSIS, Geneva 2003
Compendium of ICTs activities and projects carried out by various UN agencies in preparation for the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS).
Published [2003] by United Nations Economic Commission for Europe
Issues covered: General Reference   Regional focus: Global

Putting gender on the agenda of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS)
The Powerpoint presentation details the various stages of the WSIS process.
Issues covered: General Reference   Regional focus: Global

Report On The Work Of The Round Table "World Summit On The Information Society And Gender Equality"
This document reports on the Round Table discussions on strategies for gender inclusion in Serbia and Montenegro that was held on 17 October 2003.
Issues covered: Governance   Regional focus: Serbia and Montenegro

Women's involvement in the WSIS process (and related events) from May 2002 to December 2003
The table maps the many meetings - both WSIS and other - in which women have partitipated which have made - or will make - input to the 'Draft Declaration and Action Plan' for the World Summit on the Information Society.
Published by NGO Gender Strategies Working Group (WN-GSWG) Regional focus: Global

The World Summit in Reflection
The space offers a platform for substantive reflection and debate on the WSIS process, outcomes, and purposes.
Published by Information Technologies and International Development, the Berkman Center for Internet and Society, and Harvard Law School
Issues covered: General Reference   Regional focus: Global

Statements

Statement read to WSIS2 plenary on financing the information society
The statement outlines the principles needed to form the basis of any discussion on financing the information society, as well as specific recommendations on how to hurdle the challenges of financing an equitable information society. Regional focus: Global

Comments by S. Huyer to WGIG on Draft Working Papers Identifying Issues for Internet Governance
Comments submitted on the 'draft working papers' prepared by the Working Group on Internet Governance (WGIG) members, and discussed at the meeting in Geneva in February, 2005.
Published [2005] by Women in Global Science and Technology
Issues covered: Governance   Regional focus: Global

Declaration of NGOs, women networks and feminists of Latin America and of the WSIS Gender Caucus
Declaration presented by NGOs, women networks and feminists of Latin America and of the WSIS Gender Caucus during the WSIS Rio Preparatory Conference of Latin America and the Caribbean organized in Rio de Janeiro, in June 2005.
Issues covered: General Reference, Governance   Regional focus: Latin America

Seoul-Gyeonggi Declaration on the Equal Participation of Women in the Information Society
This declaration is produced by gender and ICT advocates who met separately after the Women's World Conference 2005, at Sookmyung Women's University to discuss gender and ICT issues at the World Summit for the Information Society (WSIS 2005) that produced the Seoul-Gyeonggi Declaration.
Issues covered: General Reference, Governance   Regional focus: Global

Civil society organizations intervention in the last day of the Regional Preparatory Ministerial Conference of Latin America and the Caribbean for the second phase of the World Summit on the Information Society
In the statement presented by civil society organizations in the last day of the Regional Preparatory Ministerial Conference of Latin America and the Caribbean in Rio, it was stressed that "the three pillars of the construction of information societies are not the telecommunications, the equipments and the softwares, but, instead, the info-ethics, the digital education (with a vision of its uses and social impacts) and the real and effective participation of citizenship in all the phases of the process, starting with the definition and going up to the implementation and evaluation of public policies of the information society and its impacts". The absence of gender, race and ethnicity perspective in the panels of the event has also been one of the points raised by civil society.
Issues covered: General Reference   Regional focus: Latin America

Civil society organizations intervention in the first day of the Regional Preparatory Ministerial Conference of Latin America and the Caribbean for the second phase of the World Summit on the Information Society
The representatives of civil society organizations, networks and social movements present in the Regional Preparatory Ministerial Conference of Latin America and the Caribbean for the second phase of the World Summit on the Information Society - that happened in Rio de Janeiro, in June, 2005 - presented their views in the official plenary session during the first day of the meeting, urging governments to pay attention to the need that "the strategies and plans of action for the information society in the region have as its reference guide the human rights of all people, the public interest, the empowerment of women and people from different races and ethnic groups, as well as the milennium development goals".
Issues covered: General Reference   Regional focus: Latin America

Rio de Janeiro Commitment
Document produced during the Regional Preparatory Ministerial Conference of Latin America and the Caribbean for the Second Phase of the World Summit on the Information Society.
Published [2005] by ECLAC
Issues covered: General Reference   Regional focus: Latin America

WSIS Gender Caucus Statement on Internet Governance to WSIS Prepcom 3 Subcommittee A (27 September,2005)
The statement submitted by AMARC Africa, FEMNET, and TERRE DES FEMMES on behalf of the WSIS-Gender Caucus concerns the missing reference to gender in the Chair’s Draft of Chapter 3 on internet governance.
Published [2005] by WSIS Gender Caucus Regional focus: Global

WSIS Gender Caucus Briefing Statement I for PrepCom-3 (23 September,2005)
The WSIS GC positions in relation to some points debated at PrepCom-3 such as the key principles, the implementation&way ahead mechanism, and the issues of financing and internet governance.
Published [2005] by WSIS Gender Caucus
Issues covered: General Reference   Regional focus: Global

WSIS Gender Caucus Position on Internet Governance - Prepcom 3 (19 September,2005)
The WSIS GC opening position on the issue of internet governance distributed at PrepCom-3 in Geneva.
Published [2005] by WSIS Gender Caucus Regional focus: Global

Women's Statement on Tunisian Human Rights Situation
The women's group statement on the blatant violations of human rights, freedom of expression, access to information and freedom of assembly by the Tunisian government circulated during the Phase II of the World Summit on the Information Society in Tunis (November, 2005).
Issues covered: Communication Rights   Regional focus: Global,  Arab States

Statement by Florence Etta on behalf of the Telecentre Caucus and the WSIS Gender Caucus (16 Nov, 2005)
The statement of Florence E. Etta-Akinaina, the ICT Policy Project Kenya co-ordinator, calls for the support to" better policies, more funding, appropriate and efficient organisational and implementation mechanisms which will help release the transformative power of telecentres".
Published [2005] by International Development Research Centre
Issues covered: Universal Access   Regional focus: Africa

WSIS Plenary Statement by the Iran CSOs Training and Research Center on Behalf of the West Asia and Middle East Region
The statement calls for the follow-up with the Iranian authorities to inquire about the reasons for the banning of the 2nd Civil Society Regional Forum on the Information Society for the West Asia and Middle East Region on August 23-25, 2005 in Kish Island.
Published [2005] by ICTRC
Issues covered: General Reference   Regional focus: Arab States

Berlin Declaration: Women Claiming the Information Society
The declaration drafted by the participants in the European/North American Regional Conference on Gender and the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), assembled in Berlin on 11 September 2005.
Issues covered: General Reference   Regional focus: Europe,  North America

Alternative Civil Society Declaration: Shaping Information Societies for Human Needs
The Declaration was presented as an alternative to the official Declaration at the WSIS in Geneva.
Issues covered: General Reference   Regional focus: Global

Call to Governments (WSIS Intersessional, July 15-18, 2003, Paris)
The NGO Gender Strategies Working Group, which includes the APC WNSP, issued this Call to Governments given their grave concerns regarding the complete lack of attention to gender issues in the WSIS declaration and process.
Published [2003] by NGO Gender Strategies working group at the WSIS Intersessional
Issues covered: Universal Access   Regional focus: Global

NGO Gender Strategies Working Group Comments to the Draft Declaration
Provides language for the draft declaration and insights for the incorporation of gender in information societies.
Published [2003] by NGO Gender Strategies Working Group
Issues covered: General Reference   Regional focus: Global

Recommendations: Approved During The Discusion On RoundTable "Gender and WSIS"
This document outlines the recommendations to the WSIS of the Serbia and Montenegro Round Table.
Issues covered: Governance   Regional focus: Serbia and Montenegro

Comments on WSIS Documents
The paper outlines APCWNSP's comments on the Draft declaration of Principles (Document WSIS/PCIP/DT/1-E) of the WSIS. It emphasises the need to adopt the principle of gender-mainstreaming throughout all aspects of the WSIS Declaration and Action Plan.
Published [2003] by APC Women's Networking Support Programme
Issues covered: General Reference, Governance   Regional focus: Global

Statement on behalf of the WSIS Gender Caucus (18 Nov, 2005)
The statement addressed to national governments calls for the adaptation of multi-stakeholder consultative approach, the funding provision to projects aimed at bridging the gender digital divide, the support of the use of appropriate ICT such as community radio, and the participation of women in the ICT decision-making structures.
Published by WSIS Gender Caucus
Issues covered: Governance   Regional focus: Global

Statistical Publications

From the Digital Divide to Digital Opportunities: Measuring Infostates for Development
The publication features a new measuring instrument which combines statistical indicators with analytical work on policies and their implementation. Beyond it is complemented with quantitative and qualitative research in a chapter on ‘women in the information society' .
Published [2005] by
Issues covered: General Reference   Regional focus: Global,  Latin America,  Asia-Pacific,  Africa

The Gender Digital Divide in Francophone Africa: A Harsh Reality
Women have one chance in three less than men to benefit in the African Information Society. In the “Gender Digital Divide in Francophone Africa” research on six countries (Benin, Burkina FasoBurkina Faso, Cameroon, Mali, Mauritania and Senegal) conducted by the Gender and ICT Network, connections between gender and ICTs were found to be widely unrecognised. Looking at control, content, capacities and connectivity, the research measured gender disparities that are present with regard to access, use and mastery of ICTs. This collaborative research has also developed critical statistical tools to enable the concrete measurement of gender digital divide, and the development of equitable ICT policies that are equitable, particularly in response to poverty-reduction.
Published [2005] by ENDA
Issues covered: General Reference, Universal Access   Regional focus: Africa