Integrating Gender into the WSIS and Beyond

1
Integrating Gender into the WSIS and Beyond
Presentation preparedfor the 1st Philippine Youth
Consultative Meeting on WSIS
8 September 2003 Manila, Philippines
Cheekay Cinco Association for Progressive
Communications Women's Networking Support
Programme (APCWNSP) and WomensHub
2

• Integrating Gender in the WSIS Process
• WSIS Gender Advocacy Groups
• The "Seven Musts" Priority Issues for Gender
  Equality in the WSIS Process

• Integrating Gender in ICT Issues in the
  Philippines
• Proposed Philippine Gender and ICT Policy
  Framework
• Further recommendations on how to integrate
  gender into ICT issues

3
WSIS GENDER CAUCUS This multi-stakeholder
caucus was formed during the African Regional
Preparatory Conference in Bamako, Mali, May 2002.
The caucus afirms its support for WSIS and
commits its work towards the goals of WSUS by
sharing information and ideas on strategies for
including gender equality goals and ensuring
women's participation in the WSIS process. The
WSIS Gender Caucus includes men and women from
National Governments, Interntional Government
Agencies, UN Specialized Agencies and the UN
System, Civil Society organizations and the
Private Sector.
4
NGO GENDER STRATEGIES WORKING GROUP
(GSWG) Formed during the first WSIS PrepCom in
July 2002 in Geneva as one of the Sub-Committees
of the Civil Society Cordinating Group, the NGO
Gender Strategies Group is currently composed of
the African Women's Development and
Communications Network (FemNet), Agencia Latino
Americana del Informacion, Association for
Progressive Communications/Women's Network
Support Programme, Internatoinal Women's Tribune
Centre, and Isis International/Manila.
Participation by other interested NGO groups and
individuals is warmly welcomed.
5
To share information on different activities
around WSIS and other discussion spaces on gender
and ICT particularly those pertaining to NGO
women's initiatives. To develop women's lobbying
positions and strategies around WSIS within the
civil society formations and to bring in the
civil society input to the multi-stakeholder
gender caucus discussions. To share strategies,
reosurces as well as regular updates from civil
society organizations to ensure women's
participation in civil society activities and NGO
women's participation in the governmental and
intergovernmental processes. To create a
platform for strategizing and organizing various
forms of women's particiation in the different
gender and ICT fora.
6

• Priority Issues for Gender Equality in the WSIS
  Process
• People-Centred Development
• Respect for Diversity
• Peace and Human Development
• Human Rights Framework
• Supporting Local Solutions

7

• Jointly-prepared by the Philippine Legislators
  Committee on Population and Development
  Foundation, Inc., and WomensHub (Philippines)
• Presented to legislators, policy-makers and
  civil society representatives last 28 May
• Looks into the following National ICT
  Policies, the status of women in the Philippines,
  existing digital divides and the emerging gender
  digital divide

8
1. Creation of the necessary institutional
structure 2. Infrastructure Development 3.
Human Resource Development 4. E-Commerce and
Business Development Support 5. E-Governance
9
The need for more awareness-raising on gender and
ICT issues, specifically in the local
context The need for collaborative approaches
among civil society, government institutions and
the corporate sector to address gender and ICT
issues. The WSIS process is just one of the
arenas for intervention. There is a need for more
creative, more grassroots intervention to ensure
that gender is considered and addressed in ICT
development Gender issues in ICT development
should be addressed within the larger context of
universal access and human development
10
Thank you -)
cheekay_at_womenshub.net cheekay_at_apcwomen.org