Gender and ICTs: Empowerment of Women in Telecentres in Jamaica Satoko Nadamoto Gender Institute...

Gender and ICTs: Empowerment of Women in

Telecentres in JamaicaSatoko Nadamoto

Gender Institute

London School of Economics

and Political Science

Contents

Background Research Questions Methodology Research Findings Challenges of Telecentres Recommendations Further Research

Background: ICTs and Gender in Jamaica

(Kingston, 2006)

ICTs in Jamaica

Telephone Mainlines: 17.4 %

Mobile Phone: 61.5 % Household with TV: 70% Personal Computers: 5.4

% Internet Users: 26.5 %

(2004, World Bank)

Gender in Jamaica I

Adult Literacy Rate (F/M): 91.4/83.8 Combined Gross Enrollment Ratio

(F/M): 77/71 University of the West Indies (F/M):

66/34 Female-headed household: 45.4%

(PIJ, 2003; JSLC, 2002; UNDP, 2005)

Gender in Jamaica II

Labour force participation rate (F/M): 53.2/71.4 (PIJ, 2003)

Estimated Earned Income % Proportion: Female: US$3,279 Male: US$4,944

(UNDP, 2005)

Gender in Jamaica III

Political Representation The first female Prime Minister Portia

Simpson Miller was elected in March 2006.

2 women in the 14-member Cabinet 7 female representatives in the 60-seat

Parliament (2003, PLJ, 2003)

Gender in Jamaica IV

Violence against women 99 % of major crimes were committed by men. 71% of major crimes were committed by young

men from the age of 16 to 30. 24 % of murders are attributed to domestic

violence A large number of rapes

(PLJ, 2003)

Gender in Telecentres in Jamaica

(ISJ, 2006)

Research Questions

Is there any gender digital divide in Jamaica? If so, what kind of gender digital divide exists in Jamaica?

Who is included and excluded in telecentres in Jamaica?

Does a telecentre empower women in Jamaica? If so, what kind of role does a telecentre play to empower women in Jamaica?

Methodology

Participatory observation Questionnaire survey

Users Trainees

Focus groups Individual interviews to the managers

Targeted Telecentres

The Liguanea Cybercentre in Kingston

ZincLink I in Kingston ZincLink II in Kingston Bluefields People

Community Association in Westmoreland

International School of Jamaica in Port Maria

Findings in Jamaica

Gender Digital Divide in Jamaica Inclusion and Exclusion of Telecentres Gender Difference in Telecentres Empowerment of Women in

Telecentres

Gender Digital Divide in Jamaica

Gender Digital Divide in Jamaica

(N=160) Nadamoto, 2006

Access to ICTs

62%

91%

93%

93%

56%

39%

43%

96%

99%

99%

39%

9%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Telephone

Mobile phone

TV

Radio

Computer

Internet

MenWomen

Urban/Rural Digital Divide in Jamaica

(N=160) Nadamoto, 2006

Access to ICTs

58%

96%

96%

96%

50%

25%

29%

80%

92%

96%

36%

24%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Telephone

Mobile phone

TV

Radio

Computer

Internet

UrbanRural

Inclusion and Exclusion of Telecentres

(ISJ, 2006)

Inclusion and Exclusion of Telecentres

Annual Report 2004, JSDN

Inclusion and Exclusion of Telecentres

Annual Report 2004, JSDN

Inclusion and Exclusion of Telecentres

Users by age

28%

39%

14%

10%5% 3%1%

0- 1718- 2425- 3435- 4445- 5455- 6465 and over

(N=154) Nadamoto, 2006

Who is excluded from telecentres?

Old people Unemployed Poor women and men Illiterate women and men Rural men

Gender Difference in Telecentres

(Zinc Link II, 2006)

Gender Difference in Telecentres

Frequency of Use

35%

25%28%

5%8%

27%

15%

32%

11%15%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

More than 3times per

week

2 times perweek

Once perweek

Once permonth

Others

MenWomen

(N=114) Nadamoto, 2006

Gender Difference in TelecentresLength of Stay

29%

55%

8% 5% 3%

27% 31%24%

4%15%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

30 mins 1 hr 2 hrs 3hrs Morethan 3

hrs

MenWomen

(N=120) Nadamoto, 2006

Gender Difference in Telecentres

(N=122) Nadamoto, 2006

Activities in Telecentres

57%

22%

38%

25%

15%

28%

39%

9%

28%

11%

33%

20%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80%

Checking e-mails

Instant messaging

Search Engine/ Web surf

Playing games

Study

Typing texts

MenWomen

Gender Difference in Telecentres

Factors to increase the number of visits

47%

35%

13%

4%

2%

46%

42%

10%

0%

2%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%

Time

Money

Knowledge

Security

Others

MenWomen

(N=120) Nadamoto, 2006

Women’s Empowerment in Telecentres

(Liguanea Cybercentre, 2006)

Women’s Empowerment in Telecentres

Experience of Training among the users

10% 14%

90% 86%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Men Women

NoYes

(N=117) Nadamoto, 2006

UNDP/Microsoft ICT Training for Disadvantaged Youth

Men Women Total

LCC 30 40 70

ISJA 19 24 43

BPCA 26 57 83

C-CAM 4 10 14

Total 79 131 210

(Jun.- Dec. 2005)

Women’s Empowerment in Telecentres

“I would like to be able to work in a large business using different types of technologies including computers.”

(An 18-year old woman, ISJ)

“I plan to go further into more computer studies to know every aspects of computer and to get a job that involves the computer.”

(A 25-year old woman, ISJ)

Women’s Empowerment in Telecentres

“I would like to use it [a computer] on my job, help my son and my other family members who have no knowledge of computer skills.”

(A 25-year old woman, ISJ)

“I would like to use these [computer] skills by helping my children, when I can afford one.”(A 33 year-old pregnant woman with 2 children, LC)

Women’s Empowerment in Telecentres

(N=33) Nadamoto, 2006

How much do you think this training will help your career?

50%

94%

19%

31%

6%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Men Women

Very littleLittleFairMuchVery much

Women’s Empowerment in Telecentres

(N=35) Nadamoto, 2006

How much do you think this training will help you to seekfor further education?

56%69%

22%

25%17%

6%6%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Men Women

Very littleLittleFairMuchVery much

Women’s Empowerment in Telecentres

(N=33) Nadamoto, 2006

Would you like to take another computer training course if you can?

0%

18%

29%

53%

0%

13%

13%

73%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

No

Yes, if I had more time.

Yes, if the training course is free

Yes, even if I have to pay the fee bymyself.

WomenMen

Challenges of Women’s Empowerment in Telecentres

The lack of opportunity to continue the computer training

The lack of job opportunity after completing a computer training in a telecentre

Exclusion of poor women

Challenges in Telecentres in Jamaica

The shortage of technical staff The shortage of trainers The lack of the sense of

sustainability among the managers Exclusion of the poor

Recommendations

Training of the Managers Training of the Trainers Employment of more technical staff Reconsideration of the criteria for the

trainees The offer of literacy training in

telecentres

Further Research

Increase the sample size of survey Explore the barriers of use in the

telecentres Focus groups out of the telecentres

Examine women’s empowerment through the use of a computer

Individual interviews with successful Jamaican women with computer skills

Thank you!

Satoko Nadamoto

PhD Candidate

Gender Institute, LSE

Mail: snadamoto@aol.com