Building Movements Using Technology At The Feminist Tech Exchange

Today is the second of the Feminist Tech Exchange taking place in Cape Town at Monkey Valley.  Different amazing women from all over the world have all gathered here to learn more about the linkage between information communication technologies and women's rights.

Women'sNet is facilitating training in the digital story track to fourteen amazing women from countries like Fiji islands, India, Malaysia, Pakistan and Nigeria.  They all have been working on their scripts since this morning and recordings as well.  Other training taking place in other tracks include social networks, audio, video and wireless.

The women in these different tracks shared what is happening in the different tracks during the discussions in the plenary.  It was quite interesting to hear that most are still not sure how they are going to incorporate the technologies they are learning with their work.  In my discussion groups, there was a lady who is a participant in the social networking track.  She said that although social networks are good tools, she wont be comfortable using them. 

Jac (the local celebrity at FTX) spoke about the connection between violence against women and ICTs.  She illustrated different elements of how technology can "support, strengthen or disrupt power" and these included culture, norms, homogenization etc.  The last part of her presentation was based on Take Back the Tech - a global campaign of using technology to stop violence against woman and in South Africa; Women'sNet also holds the same campaign.

Anriette Esherhuuysen the executive director of the Association for Progressive Communication (APC) was also one of the presenters at the plenary session and she spoke about ICT policy.  I loved her presentation because:

1. The issue of ICT policy is very close to my heart
2. She explained it in a way that was easy for everyone to understand.  ICT policy tends to be boring to most people because it is usually explained in a technical way.

To understand ICT policy, Anriette simply said that one needs to identify the issue that impacts on you and then find out who is responsible for the policy formulation of that particular issue.  I wish I had known about this two years ago when I developed my interest in ICT policy.  My learning process would have been much easier. L

Tonight there will be different discussions on different themes.  I have signed up for mobile technology.  I have signed up for Mobile phones for Activism and Take Back the Tech and will share with you what took place.