Paul Senene Msaki and Hilda Pius Kessy.

ABSTRACT

This paper focuses on the aspect of Women Interaction with Information Technology fields.

This interaction will be analyzed in the International perspective by considering women involvement in Training as well as the Employment point of view. Their Success, Obstacles and Problems they face.

It visualizes also how a Digital Divide age, -a fast growing factor, divides the world into two groups those with access to information -the information "haves" and those with no access, the information "have nots." Revealing the aspect of women in this scenario.

1.0 INTRODUCTION

The current global trends moves so fast towards what is known 'Digital Devide Age' or Information Technology Age`.

This paper tries to analyze How Women Interact with Information Technology. By considering some areas of our globe, developed countries, developing and finally underdeveloped countries, ranging from some parts of East and Central Asia, Southen Europe, Latin America, Northen America and mostly Africa especially East Africa.

It considers their interaction,based on Training as well as Employment. It also analyze on their performance/success, failures weaknesses), obstacles and the problems they encounter in this field.

Finally, this paper focuses on encouraging and emphasizing women to involve themselves and participate fully in the Information Technology field, while the society should take concrete measures so that women acquire the Digital Devide Age (Global Information Society) as well as gender equality.

HOW DO WOMEN INTERACT WITH INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY.

2.0 Through Training Initiatives Worldwide.

In Developed Countries
In United States of America, statistics show that there are disproportionately small numbers of women in the computer industry and in academic computer science. In Chicago, the "Women in Technology International "is an international organization providing education, conferences, online services, publications and a resources network for women who work in technology. The American Association of University Women (AAUW) that promotes education and equity for all women and girls, lifelong education, and positive societal change. AAUW is the author of the widely read Tech Savvy: Educating Girls in the New Computer Age. The Gender Equity Fund of AAUW Illinois (www.aauw-il.org) promotes equity for women through various outreach programs including programs designed to increase the participation of women and girls in technology. (5.)

In CANADA, the IT Empowerment Initiative for Women and Girls (Ontario), brings together the efforts of local organizations to move women and girls into information technology and computer science. The effort spans from career awareness opportunities to breaking down barriers about non-traditional fields, to the means and encouragement for achieving the appropriate education or training level to enter these fields, to support and advancement once in the field. (22.)

In ENGLAND the Amanda's workshop group discussed the new 14-19 agenda and how this might affect training and support for women and girls. Subjects discussed included; a new specialist system: transforming secondary education into IT based. -Get on with IT, -Reduction of core subjects, - Extension of literacy/ numeracy and IT field. The 14-19 agenda works with some elements of learning with Information technology. There is a recognized gender gap in the uptake of IT and familiarity and comfort with technology between boys and girls, men and women. This is to bridge that gap. (25)

In Queensland - AUSTRALIA, the Office for Women and girls is the Queensland Government's lead agency for issues relevant to women and girls. The Office for Women works to increase participation and representation in ICT Training and job recruitment as well as all aspects of the community. A large number of female have benefited. (13)

In Developing Countries

In SOUTH AMERICA (LATIN), the largest proportion of women in IT and the other fields of natural science and engineering is found in Central and South America. Recent enrollment statistics indicate that more than 50% of students enrolled in natural sciences (including IT) in Argentina, El Salvador, Nicatragua, Panama…, were women. Women comprises at least 30% university level students in natural sciences in a large number of other countries including Jamaica, Brazil, Paraguay, Albania. (13, USAID REPORT), (15). The Association of Latino Information Technology Professionals (ALITP) is an organization geared towards the advancement of Latinos in information technology. ALITP offers opportunities for leadership and education, provides information on relevant information technology issues and offers forums for networking with experienced peers and other information technology professionals. (13)

In MALAYSIA, the federal government of Malaysia began offering free ICT training courses for women, including single mothers, in the Sabah province.(28)

In INDIA, Nari Raksha Samiti, an Indian NGO working to improve the lives of poor and destitute women, is using new technologies to train and address the wrongs that result from the traditions associated with the dowry system. (28)

In another case, UNITED ARABU EMIRATES(UAE), women outsmart men in ICT education. IT Training and Workshop census indicates that, Women in the United Arab Emirates are increasingly pursuing information technology courses at the higher education level. The higher education institutions in UAE have nearly 72 per cent women and the country boasts one of the highest female literacy rates in the Arab world.

In SOUTH AFRICA, the current status of the IT industry in South Africa, Computer architecture and hardware had the lowest percentage of women (13.7%) and IT education, training and development had the highest (39.2%) with End User Computing (36.4%) and Information Technology Sales and Marketing (36,1%) also high. However, the highest percentage was in the unspecified category (47,1%). The percentage for the total sample was 27.2%. (16,23)

Ms Laina Raveendran Greene, Executive of GetIT Multimedia.com Pte Ltd, Singapore, ensures ICT should be used as a tool of training and empowering women, whether for the purposes of e-Learning, knowledge management, to help them do their jobs better, or for their ability to be an entrepreneur. (27)

In Underdeveloped Countries

In AFGHANISTAN, Women among first IT specialists trained in Afghanistan whereby first class of internationally certified computer specialists graduated recently. The new crop of engineers, one-third of which are women, are expected to help accelerate the country's reintegration into the global community. First batch of IT engineers, IT specialists which includes women, graduated from the Kabul University. The students hope to make the country more IT savvy. (25)

In CAMERON, the Commonwealth Service Abroad Programme (CSAP) started a project with its partners to enhance the business prospects of women entrepreneurs in Cameroon through the use of ICTs. Was held in three phases, the project focused on transferring technology in the areas of portal design and development, Website design and development as well as e-commerce training. (9.)

In NIGERIA, Winner of the first Hafkin Africa Prize, the Bayanloco Computer Learning Center in rural Nigeria has used part of the award money to provide scholarships to women for IT training. It is training women in the use of video cameras for income generation and raising knowledge and awareness. (9)

In SOMALIA, slowly, but effectively, the Internet is empowering women in Africa including Somalis to knowledge and follow events, as they have never witnessed before. The latest case in point is the women in Somalia who have been following their country's peace talks in neighbouring Kenya via the Internet. (8)

In the case of ZIMBABWE, Zimbabwe Women's Resource Center and Network secured funding to establish an internet cafe to provide email and Internet skills to those women who would otherwise not be able to get 'hooked up. Internet café project of the Zimbabwe Women's Resource Center is training women and girls in basic use of technology and research methods, so they are able to identify relevant information on the Internet. (9.)

In some of the NORTH AFRICA countries, Internews, an international non-profit organization, implemented an IT training programme with over 430 scholarships to women in Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco; These are for low-income women who will be trained to use IT effectively and become role models for girls in their societies. (20.)

For the case of TANZANIA, National ICT training for women; Integrating with Information Technologies and Electronic Commerce: workshop for women entrepreneurs in Small and Medium Enterprises Training developed focused on:- Practical on-line computer training sessions. Introduction to accounting templates & software. The implications of govt. policy and wireless trends for the business. Women's Access to ICTs. This workshop was to address the many issues that are so vital in daily life. Women are sometimes limited in their access to ICTs and the aim of this workshop was to tackle this situation head on by involving women in sessions, lectures and seminars and practical activity vis-à-vis ICTs. The training: -Introduction to the Internet. -Introduction to the new economy employment and education trends. -How to use the web; -How a search engine works.-Introduction to the new economy employment and education trends. Some Learning Institutes that provide IT based training include, Soft-Tech, National Institute of Information Technology(NIIT), Institute of Information Technology (IIT), Dar es Salaam Institute of Information Technology (DIT), Institute of Finance Management (IFM), University Computing center (UCC-UDSM ) etc.

Taking IFM as our case study for Tanzania.
In the case of Academy the Female enrolment in nearly all higher learning show low number than men. In this aspect this paper has taken The Institute of Finance Management Female enrolment Statistics in the CIT Departmental courses covering four different academic years; 1998-2002, as our Case Study. Statistics reveals an imbalance ratio between female and male who joins the institute through the courses under CIT Department. These figures are indicated as the charts shown in Figures 1 & 2 below. The statistics covers the whole period of four academic years in the institute, by considering the students enrollment in all the courses offered under the Computing and Information Technology Department, CIT. The courses include Certificate in Computer Science, Certificate in Information Technology, Advanced Diploma in Computer Science and Advanced Diploma in Information Technology.

In Zanzibar, the Gender Evaluation Methodology (GEM) for Internet and Information and Communication Technologies (ICT S) Regional Workshops for Africa brought together over a dozen ICT Initiatives from South Africa, Zimbawe, Zambia, Nigeria, Uganda and Tanzania. With other objectives the Workshop pointed that, "…need for Women's networking organizations that will be evaluating the impact of ICTs in ther policy work in favor of women's rights,nationally and also throughout Africa" (4)

In Kenya, in order to highlight the problems faced by poor, urban women in Kenya, the Intermediate Technology Development Group has helped them in the field of IT training, the knowledge that they used to produce three video films. Shown all over the globe, the films focus on the various insecurities in these women's lives -housing, health, savings and income. More than 60 women entrepreneurs in Kenya's eastern and northeastern provinces are getting a chance to join in the technological revolution through exposure to computers. A two-week computer and Internet appreciation course was recently in Embu in eastern Kenya and another had been held in Garissa in the northeast. (8..)

For the case of Uganda, the Women of Uganda Network (WOUGNET) has won this year's AISI Media Award for its innovative applications of ICTs to local content, defined as "the expression of the locally owned and adapted knowledge of a community in Africa". Set up in May 2000 by several women's organizations, this NGO works to promote and support the use of ICTs by women and their organizations in Uganda. The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) selected Makerere University of Uganda as the site for its first women-oriented Internet training facility programme in developing countries followed by Kenya and Zimbabwe this year 2003. ITU said it plans to have 50 centers worldwide by the end of 2003. (12)

In Developed Countries
The USA, according to the US Commerce Department, just 28.5% computer programmers are women. (15)

In Canada, the 1997 Women's Internet Conference, launched an ongoing campaign to support women's access to, and use of, communication technologies for women's equality work. To ensure that women are able to benefit from the opportunities created by information and communication technologies (ICT), government developed policies which support women's access to, and use of ICTs, and recognize women's electronic networks. To ensure jobs availability in that sector was the aim. (22)

In the UK, according to research done by ICL and IBM, 32 per cent of trainee systems analysts were women, while only 3 per cent of data processing managers were women. The research also found a marked decline in recent years in female entrants to the sector. Reports show that the percentage of female IT professionals in the UK fell from 26% to 18% during 2001, with only 5% of young women considering entering the technology industry. (25)

By considering for instance Japan, automation has reduced the employment opportunities for low skilled women. Workers in Japan, Korea China and other "off shore" locations perform data entry and related tasks at greatly deflated wages. Corporations such as SAMSUNG, Phillips and Motorola have assembly plants in Southeast Asia which use a predominantly female workforce. (29)

In the Republic of Korea for instance, Ms Kio Chung Kim, Director, Asian Pacific Women's Information Network Center (APWINC), Sookmyung Women's University, Seoul. She chairs Gender-sensitive IT projects in the Republic of Korea, under the e-Korea national project; include e-business and web-design training, on-the-job training and the establishment of the cyber IT education center. (29)

For the case of Australia, Queens land Government's reports shows that, Women currently make up only 20% of those working in ICT roles in Queens land, yet the ICT industry offers many exciting career opportunities. (13)

In Developing Countries

In South America(Latin), there is an Association of Latino Information Technology Professionals (ALITP), the organization is geared towards the advancement of Latinos in information technology. ALITP offers opportunities for leadership and education, provides information on relevant information technology issues and offers forums for networking with experienced peers and other information technology professionals. In Brazil, the information-processing sector encompasses a vast range of activities, from simple data processing to complex tasks related to software. In Brazil, women account for nearly half of the information processing employees.

In Middle East & Central Asia, women are 22% of all Internet users in Asia, 38% of those in Latin America, and 6% of Middle Eastern users. Middle East has even lesser number of women in the ICT Industry than other parts. Only Israel has more than 40% women. (9)

In for case of Malaysia, the Government prioritized women workforce in ICT as the only mechanism of economy enhancement and empowerment. Senior posts in this sector are equally held by female professionals. Researches show about 7 to 8 women are among the 15 to 20 men ICT employment posts in Malaysia. (28)

In India, women comprise a significant percentage of software programmers in India. The IT landscape is full of women who are busy writing programs, running networked systems and delivering applications to clients on time. Approximately one third of our programmers are women. In fact, NASSCOM puts the figure precisely at 38%. Again a good example is Junu Kailay, Director, Regional Computer Center, National Informatic Centre, Ministry of Information Technology, India. (9)

In United Arab Emirates-UAE, women are emerging in ICT field and jobs recruitment is at a promising trend where by at lest 5 to 7 women engage in jobs among 20 to 30 men. These include secretarial duties, data entry and other related jobs.(9)

In Jordan, according to United Nations Development Fund for Women research entitled "Jordanian Women in the ICT Space", it has been found that women make up only 28% of Jordan's total ICT labor force.

South Africa, This covers the Information technology (IT) Industry with regards to the employment and training of new black IT professionals. Here are the statistics from large IT companies that compare the percentage of employees classified by gender and race.

Zamambo Mkize, the General Manager of South Africa Broadcasting Corporation. "Putting women in decision making positions is important so that women's issues in general are considered. This won't be at the expense of male points of view, but it is needed to correct an imbalance," she said. "I am concerned with the ownership of the media, the person who controls the dissemination of information controls the very thought process of readers. Women have essentially become passive recipients of information. We need to decide more on what is broadcast and put over the Internet."Amanda Singleton, an executive with Telkom Communications in South Africa. (24)

In Singapore, for instance, where the government's focus is on using IT for national development, nearly 55 per cent of the workers in the IT sector in 1987 were women. There are many women already involved and many more who are at the forefront of creating new ICT technology, and if they are supported, they can serve to bring other on board. Ms Laina Raveendran Greene, Executive of GetIT Multimedia.com Pte Ltd, Singapore.(27)

In Underdeveloped Countries

In developing country women have used electronic communication for networking to promote their business interests. E-mail is the major information technology application that women's organizations and individual women in developing countries use.

Again in Afghanistan, Six women graduated from the University of Kabul's new Cisco Networking Academy, earning the first industry-standard certification for computer networking, being internationally certified information technology specialists "I am now one of the first Afghan women with a world-class information technology certificate in Afghanistan," said Nabila Akbari, one of the academy's top students. "My personal goal is to share this knowledge with other Afghans, especially Afghan women. I want very much to help my country build an advanced, high-tech networking system." (9)

In Cameron, The National Network for Women's Employment. Advocating for the economic security of women and families through policies, programs and partnerships and ICT applications. This is dedicated to empowering women from diverse backgrounds and helping them achieve economic self-sufficiency through job readiness, education, training and employment. In addition to individuals throughout the country, Network members include more than 1,000 education, training and employment programs.(9)

For the case of Zimbabwe, Until last year, only two of the staff of ten at the Computer Science department of the University of Zimbabwe were women - both expatriate.(9)

The case of Kenya, the Institute of Computer Science at the University of Nairobi is known to have recruited its first female lecturer recently.(8)

In Uganda, women have gone a step ahead of gender balancing as far as the Information Technology is concerned. At least some of the prominent posts are held by women. A live example is from Irene Muloni, Manager of Information Technology, Uganda Electricity Board (12)

4.0 THE SUCCESS / PERFORMANCES.

The Beijing process, another successful demonstration of the growing power of the Internet was the Fourth World Conference on Women, held at Beijing, China, in September 1996. The information superhighway was used to spread the word about the Conference and the related NGO Forum well beyond the boundaries of previous global conferences. In addition to 40,000 participants, most of whom were women who had travelled to Beijing from around the world, thousands of women and men followed the Conference and Forum using computers and telephone lines.

-Online Participation enhanced!
"…I'm studying sociology and can carry out research very easily online" said Zuwena Bakari who is studying at the University of Dar es Salaam,(24)
"…as women in Tanzania begin to use the internet, women's groups are beginning to look at ways of expanding its use and making it work better for women…women are already rising to the challenge by successfully using the information they find online…"; said Fatma Aloo, the founder of Tanzania Media Women's Association (TAMWA) (3)

-Running the Internet Cafes
"..I saw so many men opening internet cafes and I thought I could do the same" Said Anna Mbattah, runs her Inernet Café at Dar es Salaam. (24)

-Black women making their mark in ICT
Black women are reported to be making rapid inroads into the previously male-dominated information and communication technology (ICT) industry. The quality of women nominees in last year's Black ICT Achievers Awards was an indication of how much the influence and involvement of black women in the industry has grown in the past three years, says BMI-T. Nominees represented a cross-section of public and private sector organizations.(16)
In India; The IT landscape is full of women who are busy writing programs, running networked systems and delivering applications to clients on time.… Approximately one third of our programmers are women. In fact, NASSCOM puts the figure precisely at 38%. "…Women are storming the hitherto male bastion of Information and technology."…"But, more than programming ability, it is economic needs, social and cultural issues that are pushing Indian women into computing."
…"The less number of women workers in IT in the US and other western countries is a boon to the Indian woman..."
…"There are many families out there, who depend on the income of a daughter or sister writing program code."
…"Amongst Indian software consultants, girls are typically given a raw deal. Compensation and career advancement is skewed in favor of men." (21)

THEIR OBSTACLES

In Underdeveloped Countries
Poor Economy and its immediate consequences
*A series of factors, including literacy and education, language, time, cost, geographical location of facilities, social and cultural norms, and women's computer and information search and dissemination skills constrain women's access to information technology. *Another important factor is Women's 'double shift', responsibilities at home and at work, undoubtedly affects their professional progress. *Women exclusion from their societies due to socio-economic, and political as well as cultural and and traditional norms. (2)
Women's ICT skills are undervalued: By women themselves, By employers, Reflects wider gender stereotypes and divisions in society.
Women's negative view of ICTs: Negative perceptions - Geeks, Perceived fears of the Internet. A critical approach to ICTs. ICT has an 'uncool' image to girls. Boys tend to 'hog' the computers. This image problem puts girls off ICT by the age of 11 and they are not attracted beyond that age. This has led to a reduction in the numbers of women entering the ICT professions in the last few years.Lack of confidence among women. Lack of good working conditions(incentives), low pay and low status. Most women returners gaining ICT skills and qualifications, go out into the workplace, they face low-status, low-paid and monotonous jobs, as well as lack of job incentives, all these acting as highly discouraging factors.(18)

*Globalization has had a significant impact on women's work in information technology in developing countries, greater technical and cognitive skills were required than in the first phase of industrialization, and the number of women employed in information technology manufacturing dropped.
`The extent to which the Interent is capital intensive, male dominated, Westernized and English speaking is simply distressing.´ .´ Says in an unpublished paper, presented at the KnowHow conference in 1998.
The attitude of the International Women´s Tribune Centre (IWTC) conflicts with the traditional view of many who think that the Internet is a white man´s medium. Also, negative notion 'academic feminis and the media's picture - little girls and the Big, Bad Net.'
"Currently, the notion of ICTs as tools for democratization presents more challenges than benefits. For the rural African women with no electricity or piped water, a computer is unrealistic. So the challenge would be, how do we fit such women into the information superhighway? The answer lies in reinforcing projects such as radio listening clubs where rural, ordinary women have created their own voice. We need to integrate radio and the Internet to create space for such women. But then again, rural Zimbabwean women speak Shona or Ndebele not English. Language, therefore, limits the participation of such women in the information revolution." By Aida Opoku-Mensah, in 1997 (23)

6.0 THEIR FAILURESS

There is a serious problem in computer science in Poor Countries, Less Developed and Advanced Countries. North America is the `Shrinking Pipeline' which describes the decrease in the ratio of women in computer science and Information Technology from high school to postgraduate studies. Additionally there has been a decrease in the percentage of bachelors degrees awarded to women over the last decade. There are similar concerns about the number of women in computer science in the United Kingdom, Europe, Australia and New Zealand as far as the Global Digital is concerned...".(15)

7.0 CONCLUSION

Women are still marginalized in the entire aspect of Global Information Society. The impact of 'Digital Devide Age' is the threatening factor that should be treated basing on gender equality, freedom of expression to women and encouragement in participation in all IT based fields in the Global Information society. This will yield a proper solution to utilize the potentiality of women talents that miss ambition and motivation.The impact of IT on Women is remarkable worldwide. Both in advanced countries as well as poor countries. The situation in developing countries is more of a success to women in IT than others. There are very few African female IT professionals although there are many who are users of the technology. Even less is known about the successful implementation of IT in organizations and what impact this has had on women, especially those whose jobs the automation may have directly influenced. Few women are producers of information technology, whether as Internet content providers, programmers, designers, inventors, or fixers of computers. In addition, women are also conspicuously absent from decision making structures in information technology in developing countries. (15) "There is a greater fear on the part of women about technology, because they haven't had a lot of access. This timidity needs to be got over, by literally touching computers and getting on the Internet. It's a big barrier for a lot of people. In addition, although there is a huge cost issue, it is more a question of timidity." By Christine Maxwell, Vice-President of the Internet Society (1997 interview)(21)

8.0 RECOMMENDATIONS.

Information technology can offer significant opportunities for virtually all girls and women in developing countries, including poor women living in rural areas. However, their ability to take advantage of these opportunities is contingent upon conducive policies, an enabling environment in their countries to extend communications infrastructure to where women live, and increased educational levels. Out of enlightened self-interest, women in developing countries need to involve themselves in the area of information and communication technology policy and regulation.(15)
This step alone will not be sufficient, more case studies would be needed to establish the size and direction of the impact of IT.
"`most of the positive effects of the information revolution have bypassed women and that the `information highway is still predominantly male-dominated and often a form of gender discrimination, intimidation and even harassment. ´"By Sophie Huyer of the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Gender and Information Group.(15)
For the sake of Underdeveloped Countries the corrective measures could be:
· "Provision of reliable telecommunication infrastructure suitable for voice, picture, text and data transfer;
· "Provision of Technologically based Education together with all necessary skill to run the IT fields.
· "Provision of reliable and accessible road networks to facilitate communication and documentary delivery;
· "Provision of adequate and reliable power supply in most parts of these countries; and
"Removal of ITC equipment and accessories from lists of items or goods that attract high duty and other taxes..." (17, 19)

1. The Institute of Finance Management, Computing and Information Technology -CIT and Admission Departments (…Students Statistics)

2. IT Vision (Tanzania) Magazine-May/June, 2003. Pg. 19 and Pg 49.

3. IT Vision (Tanzania) Magazine-September/October, 2003. Pg. 122.

4. International Institute for Comm. and Devt; 03.04.2003 -(IT and Women in Tanzania, 'Meet to discuss ICT use in healthcare education')

5. ICT assistance and know-how for Information communities in Developing Countries
Recent initiatives (1999-2003), Some Important Women IT Training initiatives.
http://www.digitalopportunity.org/article/archive/

6. http://www.cto.int/frame.php?dir=02&sd=21&id=40/ - `IT and Women in Tanzania 'National ICT training for women, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, July 2002: Integrating with Information Technologies and Electronic Commerce:

7. http://africa.oneworld.net/article/search/- ' Women's Access to ICTs', 1st - 3rd July 2002

8. Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation, 08.09.2003 - 'Training helps Kenya's women entrepreneurs learn IT skills'

9. Commonwealth Telecommunications -IT and Women in Cameroon, Zambia, Zimbawe and Nigeria, Cameron, Asia and Middle East

10. Women of Uganda Network, 06.03.2003 -'Uganda NGOs identify issues in ICT applications'

11. Communication Initiative, 17.07.2003 -'Kenyan women use videos to show their problems'

12. Association for Progressive Communications, 20.05.2003 - 'WOUGNET awarded for promoting ICT use by women'
13. http://www.mtholyoke.edu/~jhudging/eecswomen/au.htm

14. allAfrica.com, 27.12.2002 -'Uganda to host ITU's first IT centre for women'

15. OVERVIEW ON DEVELOPING COUNTRIES. -USAID EXECUTIVE REPORT.
(http://www.usaid.gov/wid/pubs/it01.ht

16. http://www.itweb.co.za/sections/business/2002/0208080957.asp -(' Black women making their mark in ICT' BY STAFF WRITER, ITWEB [Johannesburg, 8 August 2002])

17. United Nations Division for the Advancement of Women (DAW)
Expert Group Meeting on "Information and communication technologies and their impact on and use as an instrument for the advancement and empowerment of women",
Seoul, Republic of Korea, November 11 - 14, 2002; (http://www.usaid.gov/wid/pubs/it01.htm)

18. www.helpisathand.gov.uk/learning/learners/ women/conference-03/workshops/g/ http://www.womenconnect.org.uk, http://www.womenandequalityunit.gov.uk, http://www.womeninlondon.org.uk

19. The Times of Zambia (Ndola) November 11 - 14, 2002, Opinion column.

20. Association for Progressive Communications -(IT and Women in North Africa)

21. http://www.networkedintelligence.com/init.html

22. ICTs and Development: Testing a Framework for Evaluation; Canadian International Development Agency -CIDA -Report. ( www.acdi-cida.gc.ca/cida_ind.nsf/0/ 0058916d51fb84c4852564bf005431a1?OpenDocument -)
23. SAITIS Baseline Studies: A survey of the IT industry and related jobs and skills in South Africa. SAITIS (South African Information Technology Industry Strategy), January 2000.

24. BBC News, Monday 18th Nov, 2002; ``Tanzania Women get online Bug`

25 Tempting women into tech jobs
:source:www.qldwoman.qld.gov.au/publications/media/2002/04hightechwomen.htm

26. What Is Our Result From Beijing +5?(Beijing +5 Conference Highlighted Issues).
www.awis.org.
27. http://www.getit.org(Singapore)

28. http://www.nic.org(India)

29. http://apwin.Sookmyung.ac.kr (Asian Pacific Women's Information Network Center (APWINC))