The role of women is
key for socioeconomic development and, therefore, women
participation should be promoted. According to the Secretary
General’s report "In larger freedom", "empowered women can be some
of the most effective drivers of development." The Round Table on
“Promoting the participation of women in the Information Society
and the Knowledge-based Economy” aims at sharing experiences,
exchanging good practices and creating awareness about how ICT
could be used to empower women, improve gender equality, enhance
women participation and narrow the gender gap. Additionally,
three key issues need to be discussed, namely, increasing women
literacy, improving education and creating employment in the
ICT provide a main tool to reduce discrimination and to empower
women for all type of activities, since information and capacity
to communicate and to enrol in decision-making processes are the
basic pillars of empowerment. As indicated in the Beijing
Declaration, “ICT are a powerful tool that women could use for
mobilization, information exchange and empowerment”. Moreover,
ICT can contribute to increase primary and secondary education for
girls, to ensure access to reproductive health services and to
provide employment in the ICT and related sector.
However, women are taking less advantage of the process of
building the Information Society and benefit less than men from
this process. This is reflected in lower numbers of women as ICT
users, producers and policy makers. Structural inequalities and
the existence of gender-specific resource constraints, including
income, time, educational bias and cultural factors appear to be
responsible for this situation. In particular, family
responsibilities and lower incomes leave women with less time and
disposable income to access information technologies in particular
outside their houses. Women and girls on average receive less
education and training, especially in developing countries, and
therefore may lack the language and other skills required for
engaging in activities leading to the creation of the Information
Society. Finally, young women may have less access to ICT,
through public sites, especially when they are located in Internet
cafés, either because going to such places alone may be socially
inappropriate in some cultures or because the cafés are placed in
areas where women may feel concerned about their personal safety.
Policy makers will have to address numerous challenges in building
the Information Society, including adequate supply of human,
financial and institutional resources. The gender dimension
should, however, be part of this process from its very outset.
Policy makers have to recognize the need to build an inclusive
Information Society, promoting the full and active participation
of women and men in this process from all walks of socioeconomic
life. Only then will building awareness, encouraging
participation by all stakeholders and developing relevant ICT
policies bring results. It is only through full and balanced
participation in ICT capacity building that an equitable
Information Society will emerge, ensuring equal opportunities and
equal rights for both men and women at home and in the
The World Summit for the Information Society (WSIS) provides a
useful framework for mainstreaming gender into the process of
building an inclusive Information Society and Knowledge-based
economy. The Declaration of Principles endorsed at the first phase
of WSIS reaffirmed the enormous opportunities for women provided
by recent developments in ICT and acknowledged the need to close
the gender digital divide. The Declaration also underlined the
role of women as equal partners to men, in crafting the future
Information Society. Full commitment to and implementation of
these principles is necessary to ensure that ICT empowers women
and leads to their full participation in the development process.
This and other related issues should be a focus for the gender
mainstreaming agenda and, across all regions, for the strategies
for building the Information Society.
Though a commitment to mainstreaming gender in national ICT
strategies is essential, a regional perspective plays an
important role in this process. The exchange of experiences and
good practices both within and among regions could help policy
makers to establish effective mainstreaming policies in a way
that women perform an active role in formulating relevant
policies and strategic plans in the ICT area and that women
benefit from the Information Society.
The Round Table and its Themes:
The Round Table titled “Women in the Information Society: Building
Gender Balanced Knowledge-Based Economy” will address lessons
learned and experiences gained by each region in their gender
mainstreaming efforts. The economic and social changes resulting
from women being given equal opportunities for participation,
ownership, control and consumption of information will be
emphasised. As a result of this discussion, main directions for
further actions will be presented.
The Round Table will address the following themes:
ICT as an effective
tool for the promotion of gender equality in the Information
Bridging the gender
digital gap in the Information Society and knowledge-based
The role of women in
building the Information Society and the gender mainstreaming
agenda for building the Information Society.
Lessons learned and
experiences in gender mainstreaming.
Specific topics for
women empowerment through ICT, such as e-networking, e-business
and combating e-pornography.
measures to leapfrog women’s participation in Information
Society in various areas: local, national, regional and
international; and at all levels of the career ladder:
field-worker, executive, managerial and decision-making.
The way forward.
The Round Table
will be chaired by a Head of State or Government and moderated
by a leading Business Executive or a Civil Society Activist,
who will each make a five-minute introductory remark.
In order to have
interactive discussions and full participation of the audience,
each panelist will make a presentation of not more than 10
At the end of the
presentations by panelists, fifty minutes will be reserved for
contributions from the floor and "Questions and Answers".
The Round Table will
feature the Executive Secretaries of UNECE and UNESCWA - who
will make presentations - followed by interventions from a
Government Minister, a leading Business Executive and a Civil
The Round Table will
be conducted in several languages, at least in English, French
and Spanish, depending on the availability of resources.
The Round Table will
be held on 16 November 2005 from
15.00 to 17:00 hrs. It is to be
attended by senior participants and country delegates to the
H. E. Dr. Leonel Fernández, President of the Dominican
H. E. Ms. Nadia Alsaeed, Representative of Her Majesty Queen
Rania Al Abdullah and Minister of Communications and Information
Technology, Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
Ms. Cynthia Romero Mamon, President and Managing Director
of Sun Microsystems Philippines, Inc.
Ms. Mervat M. Tallawy, Executive Secretary, United Nations
Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (UNESCWA)
Mr. Paolo Garonna, Officer-in-Charge, United Nations
Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE)
Ms. Fatimata Sèye Sylla, Chairperson of Bokk Jang Bokk Jeff
and Director of Digital Freedom Initiative, Senegal
Professor Natasa Gospic, Professor at the University of
Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro, Chairperson of ITU Working Group
on Gender Issues, and Board Member of Community of Yugoslav PTT.