Engendering ICT Study Program - A World Bank Initiative on Gender and ICT
for Development

ICT is a crucial resource for developing countries striving to benefit from
the global knowledge economy and replicate its advantages in their own
economies. At the same time, ICT poses new challenges for women's inclusion
into the workforce, and threatens the efforts toward gender parity and
women's empowerment. This study will investigate the various aspects of
this dilemma, to discover the most effective way in which women may become
active participants in social and economic change, and gain from their
involvement in the production, use and application of ICT. The study will
look at five specific areas where concerted efforts can be made to ensure
equal participation of men and women in creating and sustaining a
knowledge-based economy through the use of ICT:

= The labor market in the ICT sector, as well as other sectors with
intensive use of ICT.

= Technical education and training.

= ICT-based micro-enterprises, such as community telecenters, and the use
of e-commerce to expand existing businesses.

= Social services delivered through ICT, such as health, education and
local government services. Increased access to social services and
increased communication with local governments can result in the
empowerment and political participation of both men and women.

= Policy and regulatory measures that will encourage gender equality in all
these areas.

Task Managers:
Robert Schware, Lead Informatics Specialist, Global ICT Department, the
World Bank
Kayoko Shibata, Knowledge Management Analyst, Gender and Development Unit,
the World Bank

The Study Coordinator is Dr. Nancy Hafkin, former Coordinator, African
Information Society Initiative, Economic Commission for Africa.

For more information on the program, visit:
http://www.worldbank.org/gender/ict/ [2]

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