This document discusses how internet and information communication technologies (ICTs) can promote women's empowerment. It reviews literature on the topic and establishes several key points. ICTs have the potential to provide women with greater access to resources, education, health services, and social interaction by reducing barriers like distance and costs. However, factors like infrastructure, costs, digital skills, and gender norms can influence women's adoption of technologies. The document concludes that while not perfectly gender-neutral, the internet is a tool that can increase women's inclusion if barriers to access and use are addressed. It suggests TVETs should train women using ICTs to empower them.

1. By
Prof. Waswa Balunywa, PhD and
Shakilah Nagujja

2. Paper format
 Introduction
 Objectives of the study
 Theoretical framework
 Literature review
 Conclusion

3. Figures
 Globally 6% of the women are in top positions
(Eagley et al, 2007)
 Literacy levels of women are 66% compared to
82% of men (World bank report, 2011)

4. Introduction
 Women are excluded/marginalised in various
aspects of life
 This is due to the socialization Process which has
led to social exclusion
 Acquisition of an acceptable behavior in society
from a child through a parent is the socialisation
process (Lyton, 1980)

5. What has been done…
 Legislation: Constitution, Employment Act, etc.
 Ministry of Gender and youth
 Affirmative action
 Establishment of Ministry of ICT for policy &
Regulation

6. What is internet?
 A network of computers,
 A form of ICT
 Different forms of ICT
Televisions
Computer
Radio
Mobile phone
Internet

7. Importance of Internet
 Access to information
 Reduces distance
 Reduces need for travel
 Facilitates research
 Increases productivity (Ashrafi & Murtaza, 2008)

8. Usage of Internet worldwide
WORLD INTERNET USAGE AND POPULATION STATISTICS
December 31, 2011
World Regions
Population
( 2011 Est.)
Internet
Users
Dec. 31, 2000
Internet Users
Latest Data
Penetration
(%
Population)
Users %
of Table
Africa 1,037,524,058 4,514,400 139,875,242 13.5 % 6.2 %
Asia 3,879,740,877 114,304,000 1,016,799,076 26.2 % 44.8 %
Europe 816,426,346 105,096,093 500,723,686 61.3 % 22.1 %
Middle East 216,258,843 3,284,800 77,020,995 35.6 % 3.4 %
North America 347,394,870 108,096,800 273,067,546 78.6 % 12.0 %
Latin America / Carib. 597,283,165 18,068,919 235,819,740 39.5 % 10.4 %
Oceania / Australia 35,426,995 7,620,480 23,927,457 67.5 % 1.1 %
WORLD TOTAL 6,930,055,154 360,985,492 2,267,233,742 32.7 % 100.0 %

10. Objectives of the paper
Overall objective
To review literature and establish whether internet promotes
women empowerment
Specific Objective
 To establish whether internet promotes women access to resources
 To find out whether internet creates opportunities for women to access
education and health
 To establish how women adopt technology
 To assess whether ICT promotes social interaction

11. Theoretical framework of
disempowerment
 “Social exclusion is a broader concept than poverty, encompassing
not only low material means but the inability to participate effectively in
economic, social, political and cultural life and in some characterizations
alienation and distance from mainstream society” (Duffy,
1995).
This is applicable to all vulnerable groups or communities eg blacks under
apartheid or children or the disabled or minority communities in various
countries.

12. Social exclusion theory
 Women are systematically:
- Denied ownership, access and control of
resources e.g. capital and land
- Denied opportunity to education, health care,
housing.
- Denied social interaction.
- Denied mobility
(Prakash, 2008)

13. Theories that explain adoption
of technology
 Theory of planned behavior
 Experiential learning theory
 Theory of Reasoned Action
 Theory of technological adoption model (TAM)
 Unified theory of acceptance and Usage of
Technology UTAUT MODEL
 Diffusion of Innovations

14. UTAUT model
 By Vankatesh et al,.2000
- Performance expectance i.e. usefulness
- Effort expectancy i.e. ease of use
- Facilitating conditions
- Social influence

15. Evidence from the literature
 Legislation has increased numbers of women in
education, leadership and business.
 Affirmative action has also increased numbers.
 Modernization has also increased numbers.
These are wrought with challenges.
Technology is a silent promoter of empowerment
Easily accessible? Easy to use? No gender bias?

16. Internet promotes women
access to resources
 Eggleston et al, 2002 argues that internet can
enhance functioning of markets
 UN summit in 2005 stressed that internet allows
women increased participation in Various aspects
of life
 ICTs have the potential to redefine gender roles
(Kelkar, 2002; Drucker 2001)

17. ICT creates opportunities for women to
access education and health
 Brown states that ICTs have the potential to help poor
communities to meet key development priorities, especially
in the areas of poverty, health and education.
 Gurumurthy (2004) argues that new ICTs play a critical role
in health delivery
 Gurumurthy (2004) further states that new and old ICTs
offer many possibilities for non-formal and continued
education

18. Performance expectancy
 This whether technology is useful.
- Technology has been found to be useful in many
situations:
Reduces distance
Eases communication
Reduces cost

19. Effort expectancy
This is the ease of use, how much effort is needed
to adopt the technology.
 Technology sophisication.
 Ability to learn the technology.
 Availability of teachers.
 Availability of instructions on gadgets .
 Language barriers

20. Facilitating conditions
 Availability of infrastructure e.g. band width,
electricity etc.
 Cost of access
 Availability of the gadgets
 Cost of the technology

21. Social influence
 Current usage by society
 Current usage by peers
 Peer influence

22. ICT promotes social interaction
 Wald and Koblo (2008) argue that the internet has
improved social integration
 Internet offers new opportunities for communication.
Batchelor (2005)

23. Conclusions
o ICTs are powerful enablers of economic development
ICTs bring about change in society
o Internet promotes inclusion of different groups
including women.
o Internet while not gender neutral is more easily
accessed and implemented as a tool of change.
o Internet adoption is limited by cost.

24. Lessons for TVETs
 Women are an important group in social
economic development.
 Women should be empowered to make the
contribution.
 ICT should be a key tool in empowering women.
 TVETs should use ICTs in training women.