[Kictanet] Fwd: [CI] FW: [WSIS CS-Plenary] WSIS-Gender Caucus e-discussion: Gender issues in the Tunis Phase

Mon Aug 8 18:52:38 EAT 2005

fyi and participation
Cheers,
FE

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>Thread-Topic: [WSIS CS-Plenary] WSIS-Gender Caucus e-discussion: Gender 
>issues in the Tunis Phase
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>Subject: [CI] FW: [WSIS CS-Plenary] WSIS-Gender Caucus e-discussion: 
>Gender issues in the Tunis Phase
>
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>-----Original Message-----
>From: plenary-admin at wsis-cs.org [mailto:plenary-admin at wsis-cs.org] On 
>Behalf Of Susana Fernandez
>Sent: July 20, 2005 7:27 PM
>To: plenary at wsis-cs.org
>Subject: [WSIS CS-Plenary] WSIS-Gender Caucus e-discussion: Gender issues 
>in the Tunis Phase
>
>Dear Colleagues, Partners and Friends,
>
>
>
>The WSIS Gender Caucus is organizing an email-based discussion forum on 
>identifying and integrating gender perspectives into the WSIS 
>deliberations at PrepCom3 in September and the Tunis Summit in November.
>
>
>
>BACKGROUND INFORMATION
>
>==========================
>
>This discussion, organized and moderated under the Electronic Networking 
>Project component of the WSIS Gender Caucus, will be for a period of three 
>weeks, from July 25th to August 13th 2005.
>
>
>
>This online discussion is aimed at furthering the efforts of the Gender 
>Caucus to integrate gender perspectives and concerns into the WSIS 
>deliberations, and to further explore the concrete measures that will 
>enable us to achieve this integration.
>
>
>
>As we move towards Tunis 2005, we call for your participation to help 
>create a collective understanding of gender perspectives in four critical 
>areas:
>
>
>    * Internet Governance:
>There is a general agreement that we need to adopt a multi-stakeholder 
>approach to Internet Governance. The recently released WGIG report also 
>underscores the importance of gender balanced representation in all 
>aspects of Internet Governance, if we are to have a system that is 
>equitable and democratic. In addition, the gendered construction of all 
>technology makes it imperative that we embed gender concerns in the 
>evolution of the Internet. Hence it is vital that we engage in the current 
>debates on a multi-lateral vs. multi-stakeholder approach, and public 
>versus private leadership in Internet Governance. These issues are raised 
>in the WGIG report and will form the backdrop of our discussions as the 
>report raises many questions How does Internet Governance concern the 
>interests of women? What do gender equality advocates think about these 
>issues? What are the important issues related to Internet Governance with 
>which gender equality advocates and women s rights activists must be engaged?
>
>
>    * Millennium Development Goals (MDG) and WSIS:
>Many argue that the WSIS process reflects a strong technologically 
>deterministic approach to development. In this scenario we have to bring 
>development agenda back into WSIS. Some suggest that an MDG focus, for 
>which the WSIS was in fact mandated by the UN General Assembly, is a good 
>peg to achieve this. However, there are others who feel that such a focus 
>on MDGs is limiting and constraining on ICTD opportunities presented by 
>WSIS. Such debates raise interesting questions - Do investments in 
>technology and structural changes implied in ICTD frameworks provide a new 
>way to look at global debates on development priorities and development 
>assistance? Can MDGs be achieved without such investments in enabling 
>technologies and consequent structural changes? Are such opportunities for 
>structural and institutional change the best time to get gender 
>perspectives and concerns considered?
>
>
>    * Funding and Financing Mechanisms for ICTD:
>Markets and the private sector have rightly taken much of the credit for 
>the IT revolution. The question however, is Are market mechanisms adequate 
>to take the benefit of the new ICTs to everyone, especially disadvantaged 
>groups, such as women? Is it enough for the role of public institutions to 
>be restricted to providing a regulatory environment that enables private 
>investment in meeting goals of social equity? What is the role of public 
>and community finance in providing for not just cheap/free connectivity 
>but also appropriate technology (telecom, software, hardware) and 
>capacity? Does the basic technology infrastructure and capabilities 
>represent a global public good, like education, that needs to be provided 
>to all as a public responsibility? Or will such efforts of extensive 
>public investments undercut the innovation-incentive system represented by 
>market-based strategies, and thus be counter productive? How are issues of 
>costs and coverage of rural/far flung areas of special significance for 
>women? How critical are interoperability and interconnection of 
>infrastructure at regional, sub regional and national levels for reducing 
>cost of access?
>
>
>    * Implementation and Follow-up of WSIS:
>For gender equality advocates it has been easy to adopt a gender sensitive 
>approach at the level of ideals and principles. But it seems that there is 
>a difficulty in pushing for this approach into specific plans of action. 
>In the WSIS documents as one moves on from the preambles and opening 
>statements through plans of actions and to actual implementation, the 
>references to lofty ideals of gender equality rapidly diminish. It is 
>therefore important for us to discuss which organizations should play a 
>pivotal role in the implementation stage, and which other organizations 
>should play necessary supplementing roles? Which ones are poised to take 
>up the responsibility, and what is their record on gender issues? Which 
>ones can be expected to represent the interests of women better/ what 
>should be the role of specialized agencies representing women s interests 
>like the UNIFEM? What principles should be laid down to ensure a 
>gender-equal representation in any multi-stakeholder body, which will have 
>an implementation/ follow up role?
>
>
>
>WHAT DO WE WANT TO ACHIEVE
>
>=============================
>
>Our discussions have a two-fold objective:
>    * We hope that this discussion will enable us to identify, discuss and 
> integrate gender perspectives into the upcoming WSIS deliberations in 
> Geneva (prepcom 3) and Tunis.
>    * We would like to create a space for wider participation of women in 
> the WSIS process.
>We hope that our discussions will provide us with deep and significant 
>insights that will enable the Gender Caucus to develop well-articulated 
>position papers on crucial issues at stake at WSIS which can be used for 
>advocacy-based activities at WSIS.
>
>
>
>
>
>HOW TO PARTICIPATE
>
>===================
>
>Joining this discussion list is very easy!
>
>
>
>Just send a blank email to 
><mailto:mailadmin at genderwsis.org>mailadmin at genderwsis.org
>
>
>
>You will automatically be subscribed to the 4 discussion lists running 
>concurrently (one for each theme namely, Internet governance; Millennium 
>Development Goals and WSIS; Funding and Financing Mechanisms for ICTD; 
>Implementation and Follow-up of WSIS).
>
>
>
>CONTACT US
>
>===================
>
>The discussion list is being moderated by Anu Mundkur from IT for Change. 
>Email: <mailto:anu at ITforChange.net>anu at ITforChange.net
>
>
>
>If you face any subscription problem, please contact the WSIS Gender 
>Caucus Electronic Consultant Taran Rampersad at 
><mailto:cnd at knowprose.com>cnd at knowprose.com or the WSIS Gender Caucus 
>Manager Susana Fernandez at 
><mailto:sfernandez at genderwsis.org>sfernandez at genderwsis.org
>
>
>
>For more information about the forum, visit the WSIS Gender Caucus website 
><http://www.genderwsis.org>www.genderwsis.org
>
>
>
>We would be grateful if you could help us disseminate this call for 
>participation to your networks, organizations or to individuals that may 
>be interested to engage in these issues.
>
>
>
>Thank you, and looking forward to some interesting and useful discussions 
>soon.
>
>
>
>Susana Fernandez
>
>WSIS Gender Caucus