TASCHA celebrates International Women’s Day

TASCHA celebrates International Women’s Day

Our studies have shown in various contexts and countries the distinct uses and applications of technology employed by women for personal empowerment. In particular, TASCHA research has recognized the use of technology to advance employability and personal autonomy. The ongoing project Development and Access to Information examines how access to information is a critical tenet of successful community and international development, including the advancement of women’s rights and freedoms. With this taken into consideration, 2017’s theme for the UN International Women’s Day, “Women in the Changing World of Work: Planes 50-50 by 2030,” speaks to a global phenomenon debunking the myth that women are not actively participating in the digital technology revolution. Today, we’re highlighting the importance of technology and information in the goal of global gender equality by showcasing relevant past and present research from TASCHA and some of our friends.

TASCHA

Development & Access to information

Access to information is a fundamental requirement that underpins the achievement of all development goals, and the role that libraries play in providing that access is critical in many places around the world. The Development and Access to Information project (DA2I) is a joint project between TASCHA and the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA). This project will demonstrate just how access to information (A2I) and libraries contribute to the achievement of the United Nations (UN) 2030 Development Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and will have a section dedicated to gender and information access. More >>

An examination of MOOC usage for professional workforce development outcomes in Colombia, the Philippines, & South Africa

The research in Advancing MOOCs for Development Initiative study was designed to analyze the MOOC landscape in developing countries and to better understand the motivations of MOOC users and afford insights on the advantages and limitations of MOOCs for workforce development outcomes. The key findings of this study challenge commonly held beliefs about MOOC usage in developing countries, especially around gender, defying typical characterizations of how people in resource constrained settings use technology for learning and employment. For example, women are more likely than men to complete or get certified in at least one course. More >>

Immigrant Women and e-Skills in Europe

The Immigrant Women & e-Skills in Europe Study investigates how ICT training programs effect the employability and social inclusion of immigrant women in Europe. TASCHA researchers surveyed 375 immigrant women and 155 native-born women in Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and Romania. Data also included interviews with staff at non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Researchers found that strengthening e-skills among immigrant women advances their employability through: education and lifelong learning, social inclusion, and cultural inclusion. More >>

ITU

Equals Partnership

The Global Partnership for Gender Equality in the Digital Age is a broad coalition of programmes with the mission to bridge the global digital gender divide. A joint ITU-UN Women initiative, with partners hailing from both the public and private sectors, this Global Partnership is dedicated to women and girls in technology and aims to harness the power of modern ICTs to promote gender equality in the digital technology revolution. More >>

GEM-TECH award

An annual ITU-UN Women joint award seeks to create a platform for advancing women’s meaningful engagement with ICTs and their role as decision-makers and producers within this sector. In considering “gender equality mainstreaming” we are looking not only at ICT, government and development actors that are mainstreaming gender equality perspectives within their work, but also ICT and gender advocates that are seeking to “mainstream” gender equality into a larger context. More >>

Broadband Commission: Working group on digital gender divide

In March 2016, Irina Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO and Co-Vice Chair of the Broadband Commission, stressed the importance of continuing the gender equality work of the Commission. It was proposed that this working group, as a first step, reviews existing normative frameworks in order to develop a set of recommendations which will address the digital gender divide and foster the equal inclusion of women and girls in broadband access and use. More >>

United Nations University – Computing and Society

Gender Tech Lab

The UNU-CS Gender Tech Lab has the mandate to contribute to efforts towards gender justice, gender equality and women’s empowerment in ways that can be facilitated by participation in the knowledge society. This entails facilitating the use of ICTs in ways that increase self-knowledge, enhance the capacity for gender analysis, and build the resilience to tackle the social, cultural and political constraints to sustainable community led development. More >>

IFLA

Access and Opportunity for All

The inclusion of libraries and access to information in national and regional development plans will contribute to meeting the global United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. In support of this goal, IFLA has published a booklet of examples and recommendations for policymakers demonstrating the contribution of libraries to the UN SDGs. More >>

Mozilla

Women & Web Literacy

Mozilla strives to build and support an equitable and inclusive online world for everyone. To do this, they want to challenge the existing gender imbalance that exists and create an online space where they can reach gender equality at scale. They want to help shift the default to one where women have a strong, equitable role in reading, writing and participating on the web—and, ultimately, help lead the next wave of openness, innovation and opportunity online. More >>

GSMA

Connected Women

GSMA’s Connected Women works with mobile operators and their partners to address the barriers to women accessing and using mobile internet and mobile money services. They strive to unlock the substantial market opportunity for the mobile industry, deliver significant socio-economic benefits and transform women’s lives. They believe when women thrive, societies, businesses and economies thrive. More >>