ICTs and Economic Empowerment of Women in South Asia

March 2, 2005, 8:30a.m. - 10:15a.m.
Participating Sites: Kabul, New Delhi, Goa, Dhaka, Geneva, and Phnom Penh

WEBCASTING (225 kps DSL/Cable) Women in Dharavi, the largest slum in Asia [Photo: NIIT]
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Presenter

Carol Le Duc (13.47 min)
Discussion (10:01 min)

Sugata Mitra (7:07 min)
Tulika Sinha (6.02 min)
Discussion

Chetan Sharma (8.34 min)
Asta Olesen (18.26 min)
Asenath Mpatwa (5.43 min)
Discussion (5 min)

Closing Remarks: Samia Melhem (3min)

Program Description:

This videoconference seminar explored how ICTs could empower South Asian women by facilitating their participation in economic activities. Women constitute on average 33 % of the total labor force in the South Asia Region, the second lowest level of female labor force participation in the world. The majority of these women are earning incomes through Micro and Small Enterprise (MSE) activities. For example, 76% of women's urban employment in Nepal, and 61% in Pakistan, is in the informal sector. Presenters discussed their experience and knowledge of programs that helped women take advantage of ICT opportunities to improve their economic empowerment.

Presenters:

Tulika Sinha, Vice President, NIIT Limited, India

Sugata Mitra, Chief Scientist, Center for Research in Cognitive Systems, NIIT Limited, India
Presentation material (PDF 50KB)

Carol Le Duc, Senior Social Development Specialist, Environment and Social Unit, Afghanistan and Tooba Mayel, Sector and Thematic Programs Group, World Bank Institute

Chetan Sharma, Founder, Datamation Foundation Trust, New Delhi, India
Presentation summary

Chair: Samia Melhem, Senior Operation Officer, infoDev, World Bank

Discussants:

Asta Olesen, Regional Gender Coordinator, South Asia, World Bank

Asenath Mpatwa, Coordinator, Africa Unit, International Telecommunication Union, Geneva

Introduction:

Kayoko Shibata, Knowledge Management Analyst, Gender and Development Group, World Bank

Sponsors: PRMGE, GICT, PRMED, the South Asia Gender Team, and e-Development Services
Thematic Group.