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Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe : building the ICT capacity of women's NGOs

2002

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The article describes an innovative project called Women Connect!, in which the Pacific Institute for Women's Health worked with women's non-governmental organisations in Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe to optimise their use of new ICTs. The project aimed at bringing about greater empowerment of women through the effective use of communication strategies in media and technology, through collaboration, communications, training and information sharing, and to help women's organisations strengthen their ability to achieve their own objectives, especially in the areas of women's health and well-being. The project focused on strategies to enhance NGOs rather than focusing on the mechanics of connection

Challenges and concerns

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This article follows on from several case studies presented on the Reproductive Health Outlook website. It draws together key issues based on a review of recent literature and project experiences. The main themes are around the significant financial, political, cultural and technological obstacles that affect the establishment of sustainable programmes, especially for computer-based ICTs. These obstacles have been identified as lack of affordability, lack of human capacity, lack of awareness of the benefits of ICT, lack of ability to use ICT proficiently, and lack of content suitable for local residents. ICTs that rely on access to the Internet need good-quality access to be truly useful

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