Information Society Watch

Comparative study on gender dimensions of policies related to the development and application of science and technology for sustainable development

2004, RESGEST-UNESCO

This is a comparative study which analyses the extent to which existing policies related to the development and application of science and technology (S&T) are supportive to the commitments of gender equality and justice for sustainable development. It further identifies strategic actions necessary to ensure the integration of gender perspectives in policies related to the development and application of S&T for sustainable development.

November 2002, Louise Chamberlain, InfoDev Programme

This paper addresses the promotion of gender as a key component of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) policy and strategy processes. It discusses imperative strategies for the creation of an information society, or knowledge economy, and the implications for gender advocacy of the corresponding policies.

1999, Radhika Gajjala and Annapurna Mamidipudi, Gender and Development

Cyberfeminists share the belief that women should take control of and appropriate the use of internet technologies in an attempt to empower themselves. In this article, the authors make conceptual links between 'old' and 'new' technologies within contexts of globalisation, third-world development, and the empowerment of women.

July 14, 2006, Kathambi Kinoti, The Association for Women's Rights in Development (AWID)

This paper highlights the ways in which mobile telephony is transforming human interactions by enabling communication with low resource usage. For example, a large number of people in developing regions - the majority of whom are women - rely on remittances from relatives living in Europe and North America.

April 2004, Judy Wajcman, Polity Publishing

This engaging book argues that technoscientific advances are radically transforming the woman-machine relationship. However, it is feminist politics rather than the technologies themselves that make the difference. TechnoFeminism fuses the visionary insights of cyberfeminism with a materialist analysis of the sexual politics of technology. Drawing on new perspectives in postmodernism, feminist theory and science and technology studies, the author explores the ways in which technologies are gendered both in their design and use. At the same time, she shows how our very subjectivity is shaped by the technoscientific culture of the world we inhabit (Adapted from publishers).

2002, Nancy Hafkin, UN Division for the Advancement of Women

This paper provides a number of arguments in favour of engendering ICT policies, especially directed at gender advocates who have been reluctant to take up the cause of gender and ICT issues. Engendering ICT policy is essential to securing the benefits of the information age for girls and women.

2001, Deanna Weber, The Laughing Medusa

This paper uses the feminist theories of Simone de Beauvoir, Sophie Plate, Linda Alcoff, and Teresa de Lauretis and tries to apply their ideas on self-identity and subjectivism to cyberspace. The author seeks to understand how online text is gender-oriented, and if knowing one's gender is important in relating to someone.

2001, Vikas Nath, KnowNet.org Initiative

Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) are for everyone and women have to be equal beneficiaries to the advantages offered by the technology and the products and processes which emerge from their use.

2005, Michelle Wright, Frontiers: A Journal of Women Studies

Race and gender take on a number of different forms when they intersect with technology, although most of those permutations resemble their "real time" counterparts, where atavistic attitudes and practices exist alongside progressive views and activities.

2004, Krista Scott-Dixon

The book 'Doing IT' demonstrates that women fill a wide variety of technological occupations, yet continue to face barriers preventing them from reaching their full professional potential.