Gender and Information for rural development: the Dimitra experience

1. DIMITRA PROJECT Rural Women and Development Gender and Information for rural development: the Dimitra experience Conference ‘Women crossing the digital divide: empowerment through information’ 27-28 October 2003 Vienna, Austria

2. What is Dimitra about ? • Dimitra is an information and communication project • Implemented by the Gender and Development service of the FAO, SDWW • Coordinated in Brussels • Working with a large network of local partners in Africa and the Near East

3. Main Objective To empower rural women by highlighting the value of their work in their communities and improving their living conditions and status

4. Working Methods • Partnership: working closely with local partners • Participation: grassroots participation is at the very heart of the project • Networking: sharing best practices, ideas, experiences, support, etc.

5. How? • Working together with women and men • Collecting and disseminating information at every level • Contributing to organising workshops and conferences on key issues defined by grassroots organisations • Combining new information and communication technologies and traditional information/communication methods • Reinforcing the information, communication, networking and advocacy skills of rural women’s organisations

6. Dimitra website and database • The Dimitra free online database is a growing body of knowledge on organisations working with and for rural women in Africa, the Near East and Europe, projects developed and existing publications • The database is continually updated. At present it contains information on: -1100 Organisations -2300 Projects -900 Publications

7. Linking the grassroots with the decision-makers • Dimitra collects, disseminates and exchanges information on rural women’s contributions, issues and experiences • Dimitra works from the grassroots to the international level, involving actors from all strata of society • Dimitra relays back relevant and useful information to rural women and their organisations

8. Promoting gender equality and empowering women Example • In Tunisia, CREDIF has succeeded in integrating Dimitra into the Plan for the Promotion of Rural Women for the period 2002-2006 at the Ministry for Women, the Family and Childhood • This plan will strengthen the tools and mechanisms to help promote rural women’s interests and integrate them into the development process • Dimitra is cited as a tool for increasing the visibility of rural women’s contributions, promoting information exchange and networking of development actors

9. Making rural women’s voices heard Example • Workshop on Rural Women’s Access to Land, Thiès Senegal, February 2003 • Conceived and organised by the Rural Women National Network of Senegal with the support of FAO-Dimitra and Enda-Pronat • Widely attended by Senegalese rural women and representatives from other African countries (Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, Tunisia and Uganda) • Exchange of experiences, problems and initiatives: participants spoke of the influence of the Sharia in Tunisia, factors influencing rural women’s access to land in Niger and Burkina Faso, etc.

10. Impacts of the Thies Workshop • A set of concrete Recommendations and Plan of Action (sensitisation and legal literacy for all) • Large-scale networking between women from Senegal and from other countries on land issues • A seat for the Rural Women National Network of Senegal on the National Commission for the Revision of Land Tenure in Senegal (Government has been sensitised) • Widespread national and international media coverage (broad discussion involving local communities and people on this topical issue)

11. Land rights: human rights and women’s rights • Land Tenure reforms should be initiated so women and men have equal rights • Governments need to recognise women as farmers and landowners • Women must be present at meetings where rights to land and other resources are being discussed • HIV/AIDS leads to increased land dispossession for women

12. Information and human rights • Human rights and information are mutually dependent on each other • Information is a universal right and an essential means to fight poverty. • Goal 8 of the UN Millennium goals mentions the need for everyone to benefit from new technologies, in particular information and communication technologies

13. Information is a human right • Ignorance about one’s rights is closely linked to lack of education, especially for girls • Traditions and customs which are detrimental to women and gender equality continue to be widely practised • In many countries women’s lack of awareness of their rights prevents them from fully participating in community life

14. Networking supports Human Rights and Women’s rights • Women's rights are integral to sustainable and equitable development • Networks provide information on human rights and women’s rights • Networks provide support, information and solidarity to isolated populations • By linking up with each other, rural women are better able to influence the design and implementation of policies concerning their livelihoods and well-being

15. Benefits of networking • Working together in a network helps to: - Break through isolation and create solidarity - Share problems, exchange information and experiences and work together to find solutions - Reinforce self-confidence, build skills, provide training and strengthen organisations and individuals

16. “You can have information without development but you cannot have development without information and the ability to communicate.” Natasha Primo, Women’sNet on behalf of the African Caucus at the WSIS Paris Inter Sessional meeting, July 2003

17. Impacts of rural women’s access to information • Access to information will reinforce women’s influence in their communities and their ability to participate in decision-making • Information improves women access to resources (e.g. production and conservation techniques, credit, training, reproductive health, etc.) • Modern and traditional information and communication techniques increase the visibility of the work being carried out by rural women

18. Impacts of rural women’s access to information • New information and communication technologies (NICTs) offer rural people access to information that is rapid, broad, dependable and direct • ICTs allow exchange and help create solidarity • Accounts of experiences can be documented (on paper, cassette, video) instead of solely being passed on verbally • When women are empowered with technological knowledge and skills, all members of the family benefit

19. Obstacles to rural women’s access to information • A gender dimension is not included in national ICT policies • Inadequate physical and service infrastructure • Financial cost of IT hardware and software • Relevance of language and appropriateness of content • Gender specific constraints to access and apply ICT-based information systems

20. Other Gender/ICT activities at FAO Example • Socio-Economic and Gender Analysis Programme (SEAGA) -works through a gender approach at local, intermediary and macro level -promotes a better understanding of community dynamics, especially linkages between social, economic and environmental factors -uses various information and communication technologies, including long-distance learning, for its training activities and a multi-lingual website

21. Other Gender/ICT activities at FAO Example Rural radio - the Extension, Education and Communication Service (SDRE) • a tool for gathering information on key social issues to help define, plan and implement local development processes • a channel for interactive communication, dialogue and debate on a wide range of development issues • a means for training and transfer of knowledge and technologies

22. FAO Gender and Development Plan of Action 2002-2007 • Promote gender equality in the access to sufficient, safe and nutritionally adequate food • Promote gender equality in the access to, control overand management of natural resources, and agriculturalsupport services • Promote gender equality in policy- and decision-making processes at all levels in the agricultural and rural sector • Promote gender equality in opportunities for on- and off-farm employment in rural areas.