Women'sNet Workshop Report Appendices
- Highlights from Opening Address by Thenjiwe Mtintso, CGE Chair Highlights From Opening Address - Technology has the ability to empower and disempower. This is especially true with regard to rural women. Technology is quite elite. Women do not relate with their own experiences. The challenge is to demystify technology and to put our technology into a global form to empower women. Highlights From APC Women's Programme Presentation The APC Women's Program emerged in 1993 to redress gender inequities in the design, implementation and use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) and the policy decisions and frameworks that regulate them. Two factors were instrumental to the program's beginning: the United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women (UNWCW) and the rapid development of international communication technologies. The first initiative of the APC Women's Program was to develop practical, relevant opportunities and tools for women to harness ICTs to facilitate lobbying, advocacy, organizing and strategizing for the UNWCW process and beyond. At the same time, the APC Women's Program undertook a program of research into gender and information technology to learn more about the particular challenges and opportunities women face in the use and adoption of ICTs.
- Highlights from APC Women's Programme Presentation by Sarah Masters, GreenNet
- List of Workshop Participants
- Information Sources: Types of Information/Existing Sources
- Women to Contact
- Questionnaire Summary
Thenjiwe Mtintso, CGE
- The Net is an important tool because it can diminish gender, class and race differences. It could be used to effectively break down barriers.
- The Net could be used to communicate effectively to rural women.
- There is a serious ignorance in government and business around gender issues. A major task of the Commission is to educate and provide information before taking on a monitoring role. The primary focus of the commission is women living on the periphery, i.e., women in rural areas, informal settlements, unemployed women. There is no policy on gender yet. 77 submissions have been made to the commission. These need to be analysed and reported on. Women'sNet could be a tool for disseminating this information.
- The Commission believes Women'sNet will provide them with access to information and the global networks.
- There is a lack of black gender activists and feminists. Women'sNet will help to identify and bring these people together, to utilize their experience and diverse skills.
- other problems are more prevalent in the South: poor infrastructure, dominance of English, expensive to use, lack of local systems, support and role models
Many women's groups are coming up with unique ways to overcome these networking barriers:
- Many "connected" women act as bridges to "unconnected" groups in their communities by re-packaging information they find online and sharing it through other communication channels such as print, fax, telephone, radio, theatre, etc. Women in the South, in particular, are very active in this area. Likewise they re-package "offline" information into electronic formats to share widely with women online.- One group from the respondents is setting up a training facility with 7 old computers where women can learn, in a few lessons and at a minimal cost, how to use the Internet, how to E-mail and participate in discussion groups, and how to make their own homepages. In addition to the training programmes, the centre offers a "helpdesk" so that women can continue to get support with computers and the Internet. Another group in Australia runs breakfast meetings for women on the Internet and plan to offer free (or very low cost) training.
- A focal point in Africa for an alternative news agency uses E-mail to disseminate their newsfeed and to receive stories filed by reporters.
- A solidarity network with members on 4 continents, many of which don't have Internet access, use E-mail "for fast and cheap" communication among members. An American woman working in Europe uses E-mail to keep in touch with family and friends back home.
- A women's working group on trade and economics in Belgium uses a private conference to circulate draft documents, share impressions, gather feedback and compile final documents for wider distribution.
- A national women's health group in Canada used a public conference to network and share information on women's health issues in preparation for the Beijing conference. A women's group in Russia uses public conferencing to dialogue (in Russian) around regional issues.
- A women's peace group participates in a Listserv regarding the negotiation of the comprehensive test ban treaty in Geneva and the World Courts decision on illegality of nuclear weapons.
- An alternative news agency based in Africa uses Listservs to send stories to news agency subscribers around the world.
- A Mexican women's group systematically visits electronic conferences to keep their database up to date.
ModemMujer is a project being implemented by 3 organizations to share and exchange information of interest to Mexican women. They send information directly to the E-mail boxes of women who have requested their service, upload information in local electronic conferences and put information about the Mexican feminist congress and the tribunal for the defense of women's reproductive rights on a Web page.
List of Workshop ParticipantsAfrica Gender Institute - UCT, Jennifer Radloff, jradloff@agi.uct.ac.za
AGENDA, Anne Marian and Lou Hayson, director@agenda.org.za/editor@agenda.org.za
APC Women's Programme/GreenNet, Sarah Masters, sarah@gn.apc.org
CALS, Meryl Federl, 125me3fe@solon.law.wits.ac.za
Cape Town Women's Café, Maganthrie Pillay
Commission on Gender Equality, Thenjiwe Mtintso
Commonwealth Secretariat, Colleen Lowe Morna, colleenm@wn.apc.org
Commonwealth Secretariat, Rebecca Holmes, rholmes@wn.apc.org
Community Based Development Program, Fatima Pandy
Community Law Centre, Faramnaaz Safodien, fsafodie@law1.uwc.ac.za
Consultant, Kim Segel, kimsegel@netactive.co.za
CORE, Dale Tifflin, corejhb@wn.apc.org
COSATU, Rose Makwane, rose@cosatu.org.za
C.S. Mott Foundation, Moira Mbelu, mbelu@mott.org
Cyber School, Alison Jacobson, alison@cyberschool.co.za
Gender Consultants, Ruby Marks
GETNET, Charmain Fortuin
HSRC, Shireen Hassim, sh@socdyu.hsrc.ac.za
HSRC, Ann Tothill
Info Nation, Lydia Levin, llevin@wn.apc.org
Gabriella Le Roux, Media Works - Media Watch, mediawat@iafrica.com
National Land Committee, Mpume Nyandu, nlc@wn.apc.org
Nisaa Institute for Women's Development, Caron Murray
NPPHCN, Angela Stewart-Buchanan, pphcnjhb@wn.apc.org
Public Education Department of Parliament, Elmien Riley
Rape Crisis, Ziki Knowles
SALGA Gender Working Group, Alice Coetzee
SANGONeT, Anriette Esterhuysen, anriette@wn.apc.org
SANGONeT, Simone Shall, simone@wn.apc.org
True Potential, Lesanne Schwellnus,catalyst@netactive.co.za
Women on Farms Project, Sharron Marco-Thyse
Women's Health Project, Marion Stevens, marion@sn.apc.org
Women's National Coalition, Tumika Daima, beijing@wn.apc.org Types of Information
This list identifies the types of information that workshop participants believe would be useful to Women'sNet users:
- rape follow-up procedures
- women's rights, e.g., health
- resources from statutory bodies: e.g., CGE, offices of the Status of Women, etc.
- Women's Budget
- human rights information
- legal rights information
- maintenance issues: support, rights
- divorce/marriage legal advice
- possible online support groups: Gun-free SA, non-sexist parenting, technophobia, rape, eating disorders, lesbian and gay action group
- real time chat lines
- search engine directories
- online conferences
- employment pages
- malls and advertising
- list of psychological and health services
- international sectoral linkages
- guidance on self-employment and micro-enterprise development: sources, markets
- conduit to local business service centres
- book reviews, critical essays
- local resource directories and how to access them
- sectoral training material
- women's creative writing
- educational comics
- speeches delivered at national/international activities
- submissions by organizations/individuals on parliamentary policy proposals
- basic english/other language summaries of conference reports/documents outlining key points and their impact
Existing Information Sources
This list identifies readily available electronic information that could be included amongst the information resources on Women'sNet:
- Argus clearinghouse: www.clearinghouse.net
- HSRC Women In Research web site and database
- www.parliament.gov.za
- www.southafrica.co.za
- WorldNetAfrica
- University of Natal Centre for Gender Studies
- Women, Land and Authority (edited by Shamim Meer)
- SA Women's Health Book
- Population White Paper
- Women's Health News
- Women and Human Rights Newsletter
- Networker (NPPHCN)
- Media Watch newsletter
- publishers lists/catalogues: OXFAM, Women, Ink.
- Green papers
- The Constitution of South Africa from a Gender Perspective
- PADIS newsletter
- Reproductive Rights Bibliography (Women and Human Rights Documentation Centre)
- Constitution Assembly - CGE submissions on customary law
- Freedom Charter
- CEDAW
- Women's Charter
- information from Central Statistical Services
- Trading Spaces - introductory Internet manual
- Women's Law Journals
- Yale Journal of Law and Feminism
- Feminist Review
- Indexes from resource centres: Women and Human Rights, WHP, NLC
- Proceedings of the NISAA International Conference on Women and Politics
- Customs and Religion in a Non-Sexist, Non-Racist SA (CLC publication)
- Database of all Women'sNet subscribers
- Women Living and Working on Farms in Western Cape; and National Conference Report: National Women on Farms Project (contact Women on Farms, 021-887-2960)
- Gender Equality: Strategies for Effective Intervention (Seminar Report, Dec. 96) - source: GETNET/WUS
- Women's Budget 1996 and 1997
- NALEDI Research Report on Women at Work
- COSATU Code of Conduct on Sexual Harassment
- AGENDA journal: Empowering Women for Gender Equity
- Domestic Violence Bill
- Prevention of Family Violence Act
- Guide for Battered Women (NISAA)
- SA Women's Health Handbook (WHP)
- Youth Speak (NPPHCN)
- Health in our Hands - Proceedings of 1994 Conference (WHP)
- Giselle Wolfsa, photographer
- Shavoni Cohen, artist
- all women parliamentarians and provincial legislatures
- Ilitha Labantu 021-633-2383
- Ingrid Emslie 082-569-9130
- Khayelitsha Concerned Women's Action Group, Thoko Ndlumbini 483-5473
- National Community Radio Forum, Open Window Network, Karen Thorne, 011-403-2750
- Young Women's Network, Nomfundo Mbuli, 011-834-4955
- Self-employed Women's Union, 031-304-3042
- Ikwezi Lamakhosikazi, Sharda Naidoo, 011-313-3308
- LRC Durban: 031-3017572
- LRC Cape Town: 021-238-258
- Sexual Harassment Education Project, Lisa Vetton/Patricia Khumalo
- Bronwyn James, edrc@uct
- Samantha Hargreaves, TRAC
- all organisations affiliated to Women's National Coalition, including regions
- University of Venda Gender Desk
- Sandy Liebenberg and Karrisha Pillay of Community Law Centre (UWC)
- Social Law Project (UWC)
- Moving into Dance 011-838-2816/7
- SALGA Gender Working Group (Alice Coetzee) 012-323-5796
- Emelda Bakanyo 012-664-4340
- Katnna (Katrina?) Avendo 011-648-0333
- Vossie 011-782-7533
- Sue Godt - 011-648-4287
- Pinkie Mbowane, Commission for Gender Equality, Pretoria Office
- Ulwazi Educational Radio Project - 011 403-6519
- POWA - Sally, 642-4345
- Najma Moosa, UWC Law Department
- Muslim Women's Federation
- Islamic Social Welfare Association
- Gail Kirchmann, BRC - East London, gail@wn.apc.org
- Women's Pages, newspapers
- Self-Employed Women's Union
- Education Department, Gender Equity Task Team - Pretoria Office
- SWEAT: Sex Workers Education Advocacy Taskforce, sweat@iafrica.com, 021-448-7875
- DPSA: Disabled People South Africa 021-450090
- Moutse Community Radio Station
- Bush Radio - bush@gemco.za
- Lizeka Mda
- Connie September
- NALEDI, Roslyn Nyman
- all organizations in the directory of organisations
- Young Women's Network - 011 834-6865
- Pregs Govender, pgovender@anc.org.za
- all university-based women's/gender centres including the University of Pretoria's new centre (Sibongile Nene); incl. Gail Smith - UNISA Women's Studies
- Gauteng Network for Violence against Women (and national group)
- Akanani Training Centre, Northern Province
- Shelter Movement Network
- Nisaa Institute for Women's Development 011-854-5804/5
- Kate Skinner - SADTU (JHB and H/O)
- Neva Seidman Magena - Women's Budget
- Lilian Kimanl, P&DM
- TRAC - Transvaal Rural Action Committee
- FRRP - Farmworkers Research Resources Project
- ECARP - East Cape Agricultural Research Project
- NALEDI - Lisel Orr
- NACTU - National Council for Trade Unions
- FEDUSA - Federation of Trade Unions in SA
- NTSIKA Enterprise
- ADAPT: Mmatshilo Motsei
- NLC and Affiliates - 011-403-3803 (nlc@wn.apc.org)
- Otherwise - radio trainers with youth in shelters 021-230391
- Institute for Multiparty Democracy
- Zeona Jacobs- Motshabi, Herdbouys
- Gender Advocacy Project, U of Cape Town
- Gender Equity Unit, UWC
- Gender and Law, UCT
- Mediaworks, Cape Town 021-461-0368
- Legal Resource Centres (LRCs)
- Desmond Tutu Educational Trust
To better determine the resources and community commitment that Women'sNet has available to get started, workshop participants were asked to answer three questions:
- Do you want to belong to Women'sNet?
- How will you/your constituency benefit from Women'sNet?
- How do you want to contribute/participate?
Here is a summary of the responses:
1. Do you want to belong to Women'sNet?
Everyone said they would like to be a member of Women'sNet, both personally and as a representative of their organisation. Some participants were concerned about costs, and some would need to propose membership to their board for approval. Not all participants had Internet accounts, but would become members when they did.
2. How will you/your constituency benefit from Women'sNet?
- accessible means to collect relevant information- very efficient mobilisation tool for South African women
- means of disseminating information we generate
- means of finding out what's going on in gender research and policy issues
- means to determine gender research needs
- avenue to gain or increase access to and understanding of the possibilities of the Internet
- means for South African women's community to work together interactively
- forum for discussion, generating ideas, fostering women's movement
- means bridge information gaps
- donor organizations can learn about Women'sNet and support similar initiatives
- opportunity to document the building of Women'sNet which can enable women in other countries wanting to do similar things
- opportunity to work with and evaluate a "pilot" group of new users, e.g., parliamentary women's group
- opportunity to develop a national network of women trainers and support people
- opportunity to build a gender/women's information resource centre in one site
- will foster the creation of indigenous knowledge
- as receivers of training and skill development: will empower women to use ICTs
- opportunity to promote the work of Women'sNet members, e.g., sites, events, newsletters, journals, press releases, workshops, etc.
- exposure: way to reach more people, and be reached by more people
- development of relevant support materials and systems
- increased opportunity to participate in the legislative process
3. How do you want to contribute/participate?
- happy to offer human labour and time- possible funding contribution
- existing indigenous women's/gender information resources: research, databases, statistics, documentation centre information, publications, factsheets, etc.
- build the profile of women's media, arts and culture
- linking to other African organizations in our networks
- promoting Women'sNet to the organizations and women we work with
- by being a pilot training project
- conduit to our constituencies and their needs: e.g., women with disabilities, women working in the community with women's rights, women farm workers, young women, community media workers, etc.
- contribute to Women'sNet strategic planing
- training other women to use Women'sNet
- enthusiasm and commitment
- cooperative school/community centre outreach programs
- help establish training structures, procedures and implementation
- investigate NQF developments and be liaison on these issues
- offer technical consultancy and support, e.g., Web page development and management
- monitor technical developments and report on these
- liaise with corporate sector to help develop Women'sNet
- liaise with mass media and popular press
- contribute to the development of key issue sector resources, e.g., women's health, etc.
- conduit to Parliament to facilitate discussion and participation
- assist with governance and management issues: representative to Women'sNet advisory group
- participate in lobbying and advocacy on gender and information technology
- showing our members how to network with other organizations/women using Women'sNet
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