06 December 2011

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Take Back the Tech!:
Reclaiming ICTs to end violence against women

To commemorate the 16 days of Activism campaign of NO violence against women and children Women'sNet has been involved in a number of activities, including documenting women’s voices using technology and raising awareness on issues of communication and access to information rights of women

Under the “Take Back the Tech” banner and with the support of Vodacom, Women’sNet is running a campaign and twitter drive called Fone4Women. The campaign is aimed at getting people to donate their old cell-phones – which will be handed over to Women’s rights organisations, to benefit women and girls who experience violence.

Cell-phone ownership is very high in South Africa even in rural areas amongst the poor, even though it is basic cell phones that are used. One of the first things that perpetrators of violence against women do to their victims is to take away the communication tools – cell-phone! Even incidents of rape show that women are robbed of their cell-phones after being raped!

On the other hand victims of violence are reported to be using cell-phones to report their cases or keep evidence of abuse. The aim of this campaign is to restore the communication and access to information rights of victims of abuse by giving them back tools to communicate. Some survivors of domestic violence have used phones to document their stories which have proven to be a powerful tool to share stories and help others heal as they watch and listen to similar experiences.

You can empower women and girls by donating a cellphone at a Vodashop in the following malls: Eastgate, Southgate, Rosebank and Clearwater.

Come join us hand over the donated cell-phones to organisations working with victims of violence against women.

Where: Civicus House, 24 Gwigwi Mrwebi Street, Newtown Johannesburg
What: Screening of 16 stories highlighting VAW issues, Hand-over cellphones to NISAA, TVEP and POWA and Occupying the streets to MAP incidents of VAW, where ICTs are implicated

When: Friday, 09 December 2011
Time: 09h00 – 14h00

What to bring: bring your old cellphone to donate
Why: restore women and girls’ communication and access to information rights

For additional information or media comment, please contact:

Lebo Marishane, Co-Director, Women'sNet
Tel: +2711 429 0000 or 0793125843
Email: lebo [at] womensnet [dot] org [dot] za

Or

Fanisa Masia, Project Officer, Women'sNet
Tel: +27 11 429 0000 or 0736011698
Email: fanisa [at] womensnet [dot] org [dot] za

For directions, contact Civicus on +2711 833 7997.

For more about the Women'sNet, refer to www.womensnet.org.za or www.takebackthetech.net

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