A call is being made for participation in an online discussion to address the role of technology in violence against women. As women are largely the poorest sections of communities, they are deeply affected by issues of access to infrastructure, skills and information communities, and are largely not a part of the development process of technology. Further, because internet communication technologies (ICTs) have a major role in the dissemination of culture, sexist and misogynistic content can enable the perpetuation of violence against women. The online discussion about the connection between ICTs and violence against women will take place May 16th-22nd and is called “VAW, ICTs and Global Policy Processes (BDPA, CEDAW, WSIS Declaration, etc.) – seeing the gaps, making the connections.” The email discussion will be moderated by the Association of Progressive Communications Women’s Networking Support Programme (APC WNSP), and the aim of the discussion will be to help feed into a draft paper that explores this subject and to create a collective understanding of this issue and to strategize actions that can be taken.
To participate in the email discussion, please send an email to Lenka Simerska at lenka@apcwomen.org. The outcome of the discussion will be summarized and posted on www.genderIT.org.
Compiled from: Cultivating Violence Through Technology? Network of East-West Women-Polska/NEWW. May 9, 2005.