Towards gender equal access to ICT

Abstract

Despite the great strides in information and communication technology (ICT) and the global and farreaching effects of its spread, women in the Arab Gulf region, in general, and in Oman, in particular, are at a higher risk of being marginalized from today's knowledge-based economy, due to factual findings related to a traditionally male-dominated ICT sector, unequal access to training, the lack of Arabized Internet content and training, and the lack of awareness and policy advocacy, among others. This research aims to provide a gender-sensitive assessment of the ICT space in Oman and the status of women within it, and to develop the seeds of an information base that provides gender analysis of the opportunities and challenges in the ICT space. Survey results show that socio-cultural norms, the innate character issues of Omani females, access and training, and career counseling are mostly the factors that inhibit them from entering and adopting a career in ICT. The analysis and recommendations presented in this research are intended to assist policymakers who are willing and committed to reorienting ICT policy to take account of the needs, aspirations, and constraints of women in Omani society. C 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The role of institutions in ICT innovation: learning from interventions in a Nigerian e-government initiative

“…Our work in this paper is informed by this view. While some discourses emphasize ICTs as an instrument for development, we argue that the provision of ICTs alone does not guarantee empowerment (Elnaggar, 2008;Madon, 2004) and also that development is more meaningful when spread across all segments of society. In these circumstances, the prevailing institutions of a country may intervene to influence the adoption and use of ICTs, which in turn may shape development outcomes.…”

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“…A rich set of case studies on ICT and development show bottom-up, context and culture sensitive policies have a better chance of success (Qureshi, 2005). Supportive social and institutional change is especially a prerequisite in regions where culture can exclude women from ICT (Elnaggar, 2008;Vodanovich, Urquhart, & Shakir, 2010), or the poor at the margins of society may find it difficult to access new technology (Cecchini & Scott, 2003;Sreekumar, 2007).…”

Gender and Public Access Computing: An International Perspective

“…Women are more likely to invest their earnings in their children and to assume critical, life-sustaining responsibilities". Elnaggar (2008) states that ICT can enable women to "participate effectively in numerous development fields, including planning and decision making at the family, institutional and societal levels".…”

“…Perhaps the most common barrier shared by men and women in developing countries is poor infrastructure, particularly in rural areas. Irregular power supplies and underdeveloped communication systems present significant obstacles for achieving Internet connectivity in some communities (Alumanah, 2005;Bonder, 2002;Comfort et al, 2003;Elnaggar, 2008;Islam and Hasan, 2009;Olatokun, 2008;Somolu, 2007). Additionally, the materials, installation, human resources and training necessary to improve the infrastructure and provide Internet access are costly and overwhelming (Alumanah, 2005;Best and Maier, 2007;Elnaggar, 2008;Gurumurthy, 2004).…”

“…In some Muslim and Hindu cultures, it is not socially acceptable for women to venture out in public without a male chaperone and traveling sometimes poses safety concerns for women. All of these factors pose access barriers to women (Best and Maier, 2007;Elnaggar, 2008;Gomez and Camacho, 2009;Gurumurthy, 2004;Hambly Odame, 2005;Huyer, 2005;Kuriyan and Kitner, 2009;Olatokun, 2008;Sreberny, 2005).…”