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Geneva Chronicle: Gender Peripheries of WSIS PrepCom 3
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The second phase of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) gets underway later this year. Between September 19th – 30th, you can follow GenderIT.org writers Jac sm Kee and Brenda Zulu as they participate in the third and final WSIS preparatory meeting (PrepCom 3) before the summit in Tunis. Check out their chronicle from the PrepCom 3 in Geneva, and read the following unreleased (on the APC website) postings about the activities of gender advocates, and women concerns regarding key issues on the agenda – internet governance and financing:
*18 September 2005 – Civil Society Orientation Session (10:00am – 5:00pm):
The first day of WSIS Prep Com 3 already promises to be volatile. The Civil Society Orientation Session featured at least two white elephants straining to break free…
http://www.genderit.org/en/index.shtml?apc=f—e—1&x=91658
*19 Sept 2005 – Opening Plenary (10:00am – 12:00pm):
So, all in all, a much more politically charged day than I thought it would be. For the first time possibly ever, I was actually impatient to be on time for the Opening Plenary of an event…
http://www.genderit.org/en/index.shtml?apc=f—e—1&x=91659
*19 September 2005 – Gender Caucus Meeting (1:00pm – 2:00pm):
Admittedly I was late for this because I got hopelessly lost at the Palais de Nations Building. When I finally arrived, still hungry and panting, the meeting was in full-swing. Kind of…
http://www.genderit.org/en/index.shtml?apc=f—e—1&x=91660
*19 September 2005 – Civil Society Content and Themes Meeting (6:00pm – 7:00):
The evening reception happening outside of the meeting room really tested the commitment of the participants in this meeting (me). But Tracey Naughton (MISA – Media Institute of Southern Africa) who chaired the meeting was amazingly efficient…
http://www.genderit.org/en/index.shtml?apc=f—e—1&x=91661
*20 September 2005 – All Over the Place (pretty much the whole day):
After blogging till pretty late last night, woke up a wee bit late this morning =/ Managed to catch the tail-end of the Sub-Committee A plenary session, which discussed about internet governance issues…“what does internet governance mean then?”…it’s naming who gets to bake this multi-layered cake (at this point, everyone who’s going to have to eat it or feed someone with it – States, businesses, communities…), how it’s going to be baked, and using which common elements of multiple recipes (okay.. so the flour of internet stability and security is essential? how about the egg of freedom of expression? who needs to go for baking classes?)
http://www.genderit.org/en/index.shtml?apc=f—e—1&x=91665
*20 September 2005 – Getting to the Gender Ghetto:
(post-lunch-that-didn’t-happen: In the last hour where I sat through the plenary session, my ears were on high alert for the mention of gender. Granted I only managed to catch a few governments’ statements (i.e. Switzerland, Venezuela, Turkey, Burkina Faso, Singapore, South Africa and Republic of Korea) before stakeholders like the ITU, CCBI and the Civil Society Internet Governance Caucus were given the floor for their statements, gender relations, dimensions, -based discrimination/exclusion were missing from any of the statements…
http://www.genderit.org/en/index.shtml?apc=f—e—1&x=91668
*22 September – Quickie on IG (a little late):
Sorry for late blog today. The WSIS Gender Caucus have come up with a draft Briefing Paper that states its positions on WSIS PrepCom-3 so far, and by the time Lenka & I worked on inputs and comments to the draft to be submitted to the caucus, I couldn’t face Fabala anymore…
http://www.genderit.org/en/index.shtml?apc=f—e—1&x=91671
*23 September 2005 – Last Day at Geneva, End of Week 1 (concept of time no longer exists):
Of course! Just when I start to get the hang of things and feel like I am finally getting a vague idea of what is going on, it’s time to go. Brenda Zulu who arrived late last night will be taking over blogging for the next week while I go home to the land of good food at reasonable prices (yipee!). It should be exciting. A real test of the promise of participatory, multi-stakeholder, transparent processes that WSIS is distinguished for as a global event…
http://www.genderit.org/en/index.shtml?apc=f—e—1&x=91673
*23 September 2005 – Gender advocates advised to integrate MDGs:
The joint discussion of the Association for Progressive Communications Women’s Networking Support Programme (APC WNSP), African Women’s Development and Communication Network (FEMNET) and the WSIS Gender Caucus showed that it is important for gender and ICT advocates to embrace MDGs in order to talk in the same language with the government.
http://www.genderit.org/en/index.shtml?apc=f—e—1&x=91675
*23 September 2005 – Gender and internet governance in the African context:
“Is there such a thing as gender aspects of internet governance (IG) or does it boil down to the technical and political aspects?,” asked Christine Butengwa from the African Women’s Development and Communication Network (FEMNET).
http://www.genderit.org/en/index.shtml?apc=f—e—1&x=91677
*23 September 2005 – …but where are the women?:
The Working Group on Internet Governance (WGIG) report acknowledges that there is the lack of participation of women, indigenous peoples, civil society and small enterprises in the ICT decision making processes. However women’s participation is critical to shape just and equal internet use and evolution.
http://www.genderit.org/en/index.shtml?apc=f—e—1&x=91676
*24 September 2005 – Hosting of the WSIS II in Tunisia questionable:
Tunisia’s credibility to host the World Summit on Information Society (WSIS) has been questioned following the release of the report of the Tunisia Monitoring Group (TMG) as we move closer to pharse II scheduled to take place in Tunis, 16-18 November 2005.
http://www.genderit.org/en/index.shtml?apc=f—e—1&x=91679
*24 September 2005 – Police security tightens as freedom of expression report is launched at PrepCom III:
Imagine for a moment attending a session and suddenly Policemen show up to tighten the security of the just one session. The well attended launch of a report by the Tunisia Monitoring Group (TMG) attracted many delegates to the WSIS PrepCom III and as everybody took their seats Policemen also found their place.
http://www.genderit.org/en/index.shtml?apc=f—e—1&x=91678
…and more at GenderIT.org’s Feminist Talk
http://www.genderit.org/en/index.shtml?apc=f—e—1&nocache=1
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The WSIS section
*WORLD SUMMIT ON THE INFORMATION SOCIETY: POTENTIAL FOR ADDRESSING THE
GENDER DIGITAL DIVIDE?
Read reflections from Karen Banks, APC Networking and Advocacy Coordinator, about the changes and challenges in gender equality and women’s empowerment brought about by WSIS.
http://www.genderit.org/en/beginners/wsis-fulltext.shtml
*Women’s human rights: violence against women, pornography and ICTs
The position paper presented by Jac sm Kee from APC WNSP at Women Claiming The Information Society (WOCTIS), 11 September 2005, Berlin, examined the relationship between violence against women and information societies, using the recent debate about ‘.xxx’ as a site for examination.
http://www.genderit.org/en/index.shtml?w=r&x=91654
Visit the collection of a wide variety of other resources and articles related to gender & WSIS in the new WSIS section
http://www.genderit.org/en/beginners/wsis.shtml