Violence against women and ICTs - part 2

The previous edition of GenderIT.org brought you a snapshot of ICT and violence against women (VAW) law and policy in 12 countries across three regions. In this follow-up issue, GenderIT.org aims to document the centrality of ICTs in efforts to stop violence against women and girls. Women’s rights activists and governments prepare to converge at the 54th session of the Commission of the Status of Women for the 15-year review of the Beijing Platform for Action. Along with our guest editor, Jan Moolman, we are asking: ‘where is women’s “J” spot’?

• SMALL THOUGHTS AROUND…Women’s “J” Spot at the Beijing +15 Review
• Cambodia, Malaysia, Pakistan and the Philippines: Cross-country Study on VAW and ICTs
• Mexico, Argentina, Brazil and Colombia: Cross-country Study on VAW and ICTs
• Rights . Violence . Technology - HELP US TO JOIN THE DOTS

To gain a snapshot of ICT and VAW law and policy read the full country reports:
• South Africa: Violence against Women and Information Communication Technologies
• Uganda: Violence against Women and Information Communication Technologies

Communication is power .... follow the Beijing +15 review process at the 54th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) with GenderIT.org.

Reaction to the Gender Findings from Africa’s Access to Knowledge Research

GenderIT.org writer and a Research Officer at Canada`s International Development Research Centre, Kathleen Diga tracks the journey of the African Copyright & Access to Knowledge (ACA2K)research network to better understand the nature of African national copyright environments and their impact on equal opportunities for all citizens to access information, particularly in the realm of education. The author argues that the ultimate development goal of copyright law is to afford equal access to educational learning materials regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, disability or age. The law must be flexible in order to recognize existing or potential discrimination against vulnerable groups. For example income constraints are likely to discriminate against women more than men in efforts to access educational materials. It is a follow up to a previous GenderIT.org article, University women struggle for knowledge access in Africa.[1]

Rights . Violence . Technology - HELP US TO JOIN THE DOTS

Policies, laws and development plans on emerging ICTs rarely take into account the reality of violence against women in its creation and implementation. Similarly, policies and laws on violence against women rarely take into account the dimensions of emerging ICTs. How have developments in information and communications technologies strengthened the efforts to end violence against women? How has it enabled violence against women to happen? Help us to join the dots.
Draw the story of how violence against women and ICTs link in your spaces. The closing date for submissions is 17 May 2010.