SamiaMelhem KayokoShibata

Women, Family, and Technology: 

Women, Family, and Technology Samia Melhem, Senior Operations Officer, infoDev World Bank Kayoko Shibata, Knowledge Management Analyst, Gender & Development Group, Poverty Reduction and Economic Management, World Bank Women and ICT: Creating Global Transformation Symposium June 13, 2005 [NOTE: Be sure you’re in slide show mode]

Overview: 

Overview Why did we start Gender and ICTs Seminars in 2000 in the World Bank, and samples of good practices presented on: Children and families World Links Hole in the Wall New employment opportunities The Tianjin Women's Business Incubator (TWBI), China Spryance, outsourcing medical transcription work and home-based workers NEC Corp. company policies for increasing female workers Replication of Grameen Village Phone in Uganda IT literacy Computer course by NIIT helps women and families Technician Education Project in India Recommendations

Internet is influencing our life at home as well as at work. : 

Internet is influencing our life at home as well as at work. Increased reliance on Internet for searching information, shopping, and communicating. In US, seniors online doubled since 2000. However, life is very different for women and men in developing countries, with women usually enjoying far fewer rights and resources

% of Female Internet Users: 

% of Female Internet Users Source: USAID/AED (2001)

1. Children and families WorldLinks’ Program that empowers girls: 

1. Children and families WorldLinks’ Program that empowers girls Exposure to computers gives girls higher self-esteem and a positive attitude towards school. “The Internet represents a partner with whom communication can be done without fear, limitations or shame. We can learn about our bodies, our sexuality. It is a safe partner that can provide us with the information we need to adapt to this modern world. Such information cannot be given to us by our mothers who cannot break the rules of our traditional society.” (Female Student in Mauritania)

1. Children and families Hole in the Wall: 

1. Children and families Hole in the Wall Provide poor children in urban slums and villages with an opportunity to use computers. Helps economically deprived children learn English and get access to educational information. Daughters teach computer literacy to their mothers.

2. New employment opportunitiesThe Tianjin Women's Business Incubator (TWBI), China : 

2. New employment opportunities The Tianjin Women's Business Incubator (TWBI), China The recipients of services of TWBI High unemployment rate in Tianjin, industrial city for manufacturing, trade and services business Women are 40-50 age with low technical skills and with heavy family responsibilities The World Bank’s role Services provided by TWBI Best practice

TWBI Services/Programs: 

TWBI Services/Programs Training on Business Start Up Basic ICT Skills and e-Commerce (e-mail, Internet, online search) in cooperation with the Tianjin government Micro credit Online consultation service through TWBI websites and through network The China Women Business Incubation Website

Activities of infoDev ICT Project: The ICT Business PlanCompetition : 

Activities of infoDev ICT Project: The ICT Business Plan Competition

Best practice: Yansheng Trade Co Ltd. : 

Best practice: Yansheng Trade Co Ltd. Manufacturer of wet tissues and paper products. Owned by a laid-off woman worker who entered in TWBI in 2003 with 100,000 registered capital. Set up website and developed e-commerce after her participating in ICT awareness and skills training. Products exported to America, Europe, East & North Asia, and it graduated from TWBI a year later.

Slide11: 

Impact of ICTs

Slide12: 

Impact of ICTs

The “Double Workday” of Women: 

The “Double Workday” of Women Source: Benin --Time Allocation Study, UNDP, 1998

2. New employment opportunitiesSpryance – remote processing medical transcription company and home-based workers : 

2. New employment opportunities Spryance – remote processing medical transcription company and home-based workers Provides web-based medical transcription and multimedia services to doctors and hospitals in the U.S. Employs a large home-based workforce. US medical transcription market is $10 billion. Out of 541 medical transcribers, 52% workers are women – no need to commute Financially independent - $200-$800/month Working mothers balance work and family Influencing children at home Training on computer basic, medical knowledge, and English

2. New employment opportunitiesNEC Corporation’s efforts in increasing women workers in IT industry : 

2. New employment opportunities NEC Corporation’s efforts in increasing women workers in IT industry In its own corporate and also by working with Middle Eastern countries and an NGO in Cambodia

Slide16: 

Added Value Human Power IT Industry Virtual Creating New Society Localization Localized Business Networking Borderless Business Anyone Regardless of Nationality/Gender Anywhere Regardless of Workplace Anytime Regardless of Working Time Affordable Low Start-Up Cost Characteristics of the IT Industry IT Industry: Great Potential for Growth “Women-Friendly” Huge Capacity for Absorbing Labor Force

Slide17: 

Women-Friendly IT Works IT Industry: - Offers chances to skilled women (foreign language, law, finance, etc) - Allows homemakers to work at home (SOHO) Work-at-Home ・Data Input ・Translation ・Call Center Education- Related ・IT Education Designing ・Web Site ・Contents Technology- Oriented ・Software Design ・IT Consulting Entry-Level Troubleshooting -No Customer Info Required -No Advanced Skill Required Customer

Slide18: 

Employment Rate for Women Data: The Yomiuri Shimbun, others Male Female Japanese Women’s Advancement into Society

3. IT Literacy courseNIIT literacy campaign for women - 40,000 poor women in India have gained IT literacy: 

3. IT Literacy course NIIT literacy campaign for women - 40,000 poor women in India have gained IT literacy

Women in Dharavi, the largest slum in Asia, participated in computer course to upgrade their skills.: 

Women in Dharavi, the largest slum in Asia, participated in computer course to upgrade their skills.

3. IT Literacy courseIndia Technical Education Project: 

3. IT Literacy course India Technical Education Project Objective: Assist remote states to expand capacity and improve quality and efficiency of technician education. Increase access of women and rural youth to technician education and training. Strategy: Establish new institutes, modernize existing programs, focus on women, provide housing, linkage with employers community.

India Technical Education Project: 

India Technical Education Project New programs include: Information technology Computer Sciences and Engineering Electronics and Telecommunications Medical electronics Costume design and garment technology Travel, tourism and hotel management Architecture and interior design

4. Recommendations: 

4. Recommendations In the new knowledge economy model, girls and women should learn ICTs skills (comparative advantage). Window of opportunity to teach IT skills to girls is under age 13, and they can teach computers to their parents at very low costs. After this age teaching becomes more expensive. Investing in ICT skills training and collaboration between the public and private sector is necessary. (e.g. NIIT, Spryance, and TWBI)

4. Recommendations: 

4. Recommendations Financing public telecenters for women only, in cultures segregating women or in post conflict countries with high risk for women. These centers will provide training and basic hand holding to learn ICT skills and should have ties and professional affiliations with technical institutes and universities to allow interested and competent users to have some entry point for a more specialized ICT education. Promote and encourage usage of email amongst government, especially in the context of public sector reform aiming at improving public sector services delivery. When setting national ICT priorities, gender based capacity building should be incorporated and monitored.

4. Recommendations: 

4. Recommendations Teacher education on using ICT to create and promote school content Upgrade curriculum for schools and training institutes to include ICT application, computer sciences, programming, hardware repair, etc. Promote scientific education for girls amongst teachers, education agencies, families, PTAs etc. starting at the basic education level. Promote micro credit and access to seed finance. Encourage women-friendly company policies (NEC) and corporate culture (Spryance).

4. Recommendations: 

4. Recommendations All to collaborate on identifying and collecting gender disaggregated data in ICT variables and employment in IT industry (e.g. ITU and UNESCO). Continue research on women skills upgrading and increase in employment and household income. Promote competition in ICT sector to make access and usage more affordable. Recognize women innovators and entrepreneurs.