Gender and ICT “Achieving E-Quality in the ICT Sector” UNIFEM/Cisco Initiative

1. Gender and ICT “Achieving E-Quality in the ICT Sector” UNIFEM/Cisco Initiative 5th Annual Meeting for Telecom Development in the Arab Region Phoenicia Intercontinental Beirut May 28-31, 2003

2. Some Facts …

3. Some Facts Women … • Constitute 70% of the world’s 1.3 billion absolute poor • Work 2/3 of the world’s working hours • Earn 1/10 of the world’s income • Own less than 1/100 of the world’s property Human Development Report 2000

4. Some Facts Arab Women … • Constitute 2/3 of the 65 million illiterate Arab adults • Are the fastest improving in education • Have weak performance in economic and political empowerment • Have the lowest rate in women’s participation in work force Arab Women Development Report 2002

5. UNIFEM/Cisco Initiative Objectives and Components

6. UNIFEM/Cisco Initiative Objective … To empower women in the ICT sector, through building their capabilities and professional skills, ensuring equal opportunities with regards to the ICT job market and securing a gender sensitive policy environment • Executing Agency: UNIFEM • Implementing Agencies: • GOJ (MoICT, MoE, MoHE, MoP, MoL), UN Agencies, NIC • Collaborating Agencies: • GOJ, Cisco Systems, Cisco Foundation • Funding Agencies: • Cisco Systems, Cisco Foundation, UNIFEM, GOJ

7. UNIFEM/Cisco Initiative Components… Establish gender focused Cisco Networking Academy Programs (CNAP) through national institutions for the provision of high quality training for women Capacity Building Link CNAP graduates with the ICT Job Market (through Bridging-Training workshops and the job placement program) Job Placement Positively affect IT policies and policy forums through systematic monitoring that highlights gender gaps, women’s potential contributions and participation Policy Advocacy Develop and disseminate an information base that reflects a gender analysis of opportunities and challenges in the ICT market and policy environment Information Base

8. Achievements and Success Stories

9. Achievements and success stories Capacity Building - Cisco Networking Academy Program • Pilot Gender Focused CNAPs established and 60 Instructors trained • 80 Classes opened and 800 Students enrolled (65% females) • 600 completed semester 1&2, 100 graduated & certified (280 hrs.) • Database and tracking system developed • High demand from students and institutions • New experience, new method of learning • Phase II ‘Capacity Building’ action plan developed

11. Achievements and success stories Job Placement Program • Soft skills training workshops enhanced market required skills • Gender training workshops raised awareness on gender issues • Promotional and media campaigns raised awareness among students and ICT market stakeholders • Network of market stakeholders created • Coordination with Recruitment Programs and Initiatives • Phase II Job Placement Action Plan developed

13. Achievements and success stories Policy Advocacy and Awareness • Promotional and media campaigns targeting policy makers resulted in raising awareness on gender and development • Network of policy makers created • UNIFEM/MOICT Task Force developed mechanism to gender-sensitize national ICT initiatives • Major National ICT Initiatives are gender-sensitized • Phase II Policy Advocacy Action Plan developed

15. Achievements and success stories Gender Sensitive Information Base • “Jordanian Women in the ICT Space” Research covering Jordan’s ICT Sector, women in Jordan (students, users, professionals and policy makers) and qualitative and quantitative assessment of women in ICT • High demand for Research findings by policy and decision makers • Research acting as a reference for planning ICT strategies and formulating national ICT initiatives

17. Dua’a Jankhot – YWCA Dua’a was chosen from several candidates to work in an IT company. Dua’a says her Cisco training at YWCA’s Vocational Training Center has helped her find a job and has been very useful at her new job. Shireen Hassan, Wadi Seer College Immediately after finishing her training, Shireen trained at a leading computer company that specializes in building Networks. “I was amazed that they immediately accepted me. But I was even more amazed to find that I was able to apply all that I have learned from my Cisco courses in my training. My training period went so well that the company promised to hire me after I finish my studying. They even asked other Cisco students to train and work with them”. Ms. Kariman Abu Mughli Princess Eman Information Technology Community Center Ms. Abu Mughli joined the Cisco Program when she heard about the UNIFEM/Cisco initiative Because she believes that IT is a crucial tool for development. “I am not an IT person, yet I joined to help my children learn how to use the Internet effectively”. Alia Gharaibeh and Hayat Al-Jibali Ajloun University College Both Alia and Hayat have been appointed as lab technicians in Yarmouk University. “If it wasn’t for the Cisco training, I don’t think I would have been appointed, this is a great opportunity for us”.

18. Key Obstacles and Lessons Learned

19. Key Obstacles • Family pressure and socio-cultural norms • Lack of awareness on benefits of ICT for development and the need for ‘gender-balance’ in the ICT market • Lack of interest among females due to stereotyping, lack of role models and poor exposure • Gender-blind policies and lack of gender-sensitive statistics and information • Lack of commitment from partners, academies, contact persons and instructors • Access to PCs, poor Internet connection and English language barriers

20. Lessons Learned Raising awareness on the benefits of the program is an integral part for the success of the project Establishing a steering committee and developing regular communication among members is of great importance Documenting and updating database and tracking system is a key requirement Conducting soft skills training workshops (including Human Development and Career Development skills) is of great importance Formulating specialized task forces consisting of stakeholders, policy makers and experts raises awareness, creates commitment and helps develop better plans Regularly updating information and statistics on the ICT sector and disseminating among stakeholders and strategy planners, help facilitate dialog with policy makers and achieve objectives

21. Future Plans ..

22. Future Plans • Capacity Building: Ensure quality implementation, establish more networking academies in educational and training institutions and update database and tracking system • Job Placement: Conduct soft skills workshops, create regular communication network with market stakeholders, establish career counseling office and monitor ICT job market • Policy Advocacy: Strengthen communication with policy makers, monitor and evaluate changes, advocate formulation of ‘positive’ policies, update research and ensure engendering ICT policies & initiatives • Awareness: Launch an awareness campaign targeting market stakeholders, introduce role models and advocate new ICT practices • Extension and Expansion of the project

23. Thank You …