African Women and ICTs Book launched in Douala Cameroon
GRACE Researcher Gisele Yitamben launched the GRACE book, 'African Women and ICTs' in Douala Cameroon. The launch took place at the Faculty of Science of the University of Douala during its “Week of Science, Enterprises and Development” event which took place from 7th to 12 December 2009. The GRACE Cameroon Projrct participated as a partner in the event.
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GRACE Researchers Participate in ACACIA Learning Forum Dakar, Senegal 5-8 October 2009.
The ACACIA Learning Forum is a networking, learning and sharing platform for projects within the IDRC envisaged ACACIA program whose goal is to unleash the potential of ICTs to empower poor African Communities
GRACE MENA Participates in The 2nd International Interdisciplinary Conference on Gender in Science and Development. Aden, Yemen, 12 to 14 December, 2009.
The Second International Interdisciplinary conference on gender in science and
development was held in Aden, Yemen, December, 12-14 2009. Invited speakers to the conference on Globalization, Engendered Knowledge systems and Strategies for Women's Empowerment, included experts from The Netherlands, Germany, Denmark and from India (President of the Third World Organization for Womenin Science), from Arab women's organizations and from the GRACE project (Gender
Research in Africa and Arab Countries into ICT for Empowerment), as well as
directors of gender studies centers in the Arab world. GRACE members presenting
were research team leader and conference organizer Rokhsana Ismail, GRACE
project leader Ineke Buskens, and research team leader Saneya Neshawy. Papers
will be linked to the GRACE site. For more conference information, follow this
link: http://wrtcau.org/default.asp? id=96
Dr. Rokhsana Ismail presented at the first Arab Women in Science and Technology Conference in Dubai
Dr. Rokhsana also presented on September 30 as part of a panel discussion on Arab Science and Technology, Women's and Community Participation.
GRACE Project Leader contributes to the Harvard Forum on ICTs, Human Development, Growth and Poverty Reduction
Convened by Nobel Laureates Amartya Sen and Michael Spence, in collaboration with Randy Spence and the International Development Research Centre, the Harvard Forum II: ICTs, Human Development, Growth and Poverty Reduction took place 23-24 September 2009 at Harvard University. Leading thinkers and practitioners in the area of development discussed how ICTs could contribute to poverty reduction in developing countries, now and in the future. GRACE Project Leader, Ineke Buskens, was one of 30 panellists from around the globe to contribute to the Forum. Her position paper and discussion paper can be viewed here, and details on the Forum, as well as on-line Forum coverage and papers are available via the IDRC web site: http://www.idrc.ca/en/ev-140355-201-1-DO_TOPIC.html
Pretoria Launch of AFRICAN WOMEN AND ICTs
On 8 September 2009 the publication of African Women and ICTs was celebrated by UNISA Press at the UNISA Library. The event directed by Dr Judy Henning, Deputy Executive Directory of the UNISA Library, and introduced by Ms Beth Le Roux, Director, UNISA Press. The keynote address, What it took: Reflections on the GRACE Research Journey, was given by Ineke Buskens, GRACE Project Leader, Research Director and co-Editor of the book, with a response by Dr Buhle Mbambo-Thata, contributing author and Executive Director of UNISA Library.
In the photo are: contributing author Gertrudes Macueve,
and Khaled Fourati, IDRC South Africa representative.
Professional Women in ICT Careers in Kenya: What Successful ICT Journeys Entail
Kenyan researcher, Salome Omamo, presented on her team's GRACE research at the Sixth International Critical Management Conference held at the University of Warwick, UK, July 13-15, 2009. Salome's paper presentation was in STREAM 3: ICTs and globalization. This stream aimed at critically questioning how Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) are presented and promoted as global capitalism has developed. Critical studies and empirical studies that question determinism whether of technology or globalization and place studies of ICTs and globalization in context were presented. To read Salome's paper, Professional Women in ICT Careers in Kenya: What Successful ICT Journeys Entail, please click here.
Book launches in Toronto and Ottawa, Canada
African Women and ICTs was launched by co-publisher and project funder the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) in Canada in Ottawa and Toronto (May 20 and 21). Heloise Emdon (IDRC), Ineke Buskens and Anne Webb (co-editors) spoke on the significance of the project, the research approach, and the essence of the chapters (http://www.idrc.ca/en/ev-141463-201-1-DO_TOPIC.html). We appreciate the contributions made at the launch, and also wish to thank Pauline Dole for organizing both events.
Launch of African Women and ICTs in Tanzania
The Gender Research in Africa into ICTs for Empowerment (GRACE) Network, Zed Books and the International Development Research Centre launched our book African Women and ICTs: Investigating Technology, Gender and Empowerment, on April 24th 2009, in the presence of Her Excellency, Ms Mary Nagu, Minister for Industry and Trade, at Karimjee Hall in Dar es Salaam.
The editors and 15 co-authors were present.
The GRACE Network is pleased to announce our book:African Women and ICTs: Investigating Technology, Gender and Empowerment
Second Phase of GRACE underway in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) in Aden, Yemen, December 2008
From 13 until 19 December 2008, thirty researchers from seven countries in the Arab world met in Aden, Yemen, with the purpose of initiating another GRACE Research Network: Gender Research in the Arab world into ICTs for Empowerment. The week was filled with several rounds of research presentations, lively discussions, walking on the beach, good food and riveting visits to old Aden and the historical water tanks which may have been established by the Queen of Sheba.
The interest from the national media was astounding. We were visited by camera crews during four of the six days, resulting in twice being front page news in national news papers, several radio broadcasts and two appearances on national television. The group took all this attention in its gracious strides and kept its focus.
GRACE MENA Workshop Participants
The result of this dynamic event is a collection of fifteen viable research pre proposals which touch the essence of women’s disempowerment in the region.
EuroAfrica-ICT Project presentation, Brussels, December 10, 2008
Ineke Buskens spoke in Brussels at the 6th concentration meeting of the EuroAfrica-ICT project as an invited key note speaker. EuroAfrica-ICT aims at promoting and supporting the development of strategic cooperation on ICT research between sub-Saharan Africa, the Caribbean and Europe. The one day conference brought together officials of the European Commission, network leaders and project managers operating in Africa. To view the program, please follow this link: http://euroafrica-ict.org/events/concertation_meeting_6.phpIneke’s talk was titled: Gender Research in Africa into ICTs for Empowerment: what did we learn from GRACE? The presentation can be viewed here: http://euroafrica-ict.org/downloads/cm6/ineke_buskens.pdf
ITC research seminar, Enschede, the Netherlands, 31 October 2008
GRACE Project Leader, Ineke Buskens, spoke about the lessons learnt from GRACE with a group of staff and PhD students of the International Institute for Geo-information Science and Earth Observation (ITC) in Enschede, the Netherlands (http://www.itc.nl/). Issues of coordination of multiple research sites, capacity building, leadership and transformation in the context of a research network were addressed.
GRACE Zambia researcher Kiss Abraham presents his GRACE research at the first Communications Authority of Zambia ICT research symposium (October 2008) – information on the presentation can be viewed here.
Second Phase of GRACE underway in Africa with workshop in Pretoria, September 2008
The second phase of GRACE, which began in March 2008 with Africa members preparing research proposals and finalizing the manuscript of our forthcoming book, brought Africa research teams together in September for the first Proposal Development Workshop of this phase. Thirteen research teams in eleven countries are preparing to explore the role of technologies in women’s empowerment processes, engaging an action research orientation in the interests of creating an emancipatory and transformative research process for those involved, while seeking change that will further women’s capacity to assert their own agency (see GRACE 2 research proposal).
The workshop lasted five days. We found that, after working together for more than three years, the benefits of mutual sharing and feedback among Network members have become highly self-evident. There is a sense of trust and intellectual sharing and support that makes the GRACE Network a unique community.
The Africa research teams will fully develop their proposals and meet again in April for a Methodology Training and Design Workshop.
Grace Bantebya Kyomuhendo promoted to a full Professor of Women and Gender Studies
Grace Bantebya Kyomuhendo, a member of the GRACE Network from Uganda, was promoted to the position of full Professor of Women and Gender Studies on 1 October 2008. The professor position is the highest in academic institutions. According to Grace Bantebya, “it is indeed fulfilling to attain my vision.” Her GRACE colleagues may remember the flip charts in first Durban workshop, “all the drawing and cutting and pasting we did, mapping out our vision – I have attained mine. Now I have to draw another one!! The GRACE Network has indeed made me a different person especially in terms of reflections on my inner soul. With that reflection it becomes easier to understand situations and appreciate diversity and differences. As a member of the GRACE Network, I have indeed benefited a lot from our deliberations, training and networking.
Professor Grace Bantebya Kyomuhendo
The experience I have gained as a member of this network is insurmountable. The love and encouragement even when situations seem difficult have kept me going. Graciousness you are all part of my journey and I will forever be grateful for this opportunity.”
GRACE presents at the International Federation for Information Processing Pre-Conference Workshop and the 8th International Conference on Human Choice and Computers in Pretoria (September 2008)
GRACE was well represented at the International Federation for Information Processing (http://www.ifip.or.at/ ) pre-conference workshop (Working Group 9.4) and the 8th International Conference on Human Choice and Computers (HCC8 http://www.hcc8.org/), both held in Pretoria in September 2008. Project Leader Ineke Buskens presented on behalf of GRACE (Africa) Network members at the WG9.4 in a presentation entitled “Gender on the ‘ICT Research for African Development’ Agenda: Learning with GRACE” (the PowerPoint presentation can be viewed here).
The HCC8 conference included GRACE Researcher Leila Hassanin’s presentation entitled: “Egyptian Women Artisans: ICTs are not the entry to modern markets" (the PowerPoint presentation can be viewed here). GRACE also held a panel presentation under our own project name. The panel was chaired by Ineke and Research Coordinator Anne Webb, and the presenters were GRACE Researchers Susan Bakesha (Uganda), Gertrudes Macueve (Mozambique) and Ibou Sane (Senegal).Leila’s paper and a summary of the panel presentation are published in Social Dimensions of Information and Communication Technology Policy, edited by C. Avgerou, M. Smith and P. van der Besselaar (Springer 2008 http://www.springer.com/computer/ information +systems/book/978-0-387-8421-1).
GRACE panel
Twenty-two members of GRACE Africa attended the workshop and conference and actively engaged in the sessions, posing informed questions and contributing to discussions. Ineke was invited to join a closing panel at the HCC8 conference to discuss “Emerging Issues in ICT Policy Research.”
Ineke speaking during closing panel
Zimbabwe GRACE researcher awarded for her innovation
Precious Mwatsiya was awarded the Aluka Award for Innovative Teaching in March 2008. According to Precious, through GRACE "I have discovered the esearcher that is in me and have become more focused in my career as well. GRACE has taught me that I can be anything that I want to be and through this determination, I wrote a proposal that won me an award called the Aluka Award for Innovative Teaching." A brief description of Precious' proposal can be viewed at: http://www.aluka.org/page/about/news/award20080319.jsp?cookieSet=1
GRACE presents at the 3rd Global Knowledge Conference in Kuala Lumpur
Two GRACE research team leaders, Gisele Yitamben from Cameroon and Kazanka Comfort from Nigeria, along with GRACE Research Director Ineke Buskens, presented at the GK3 Conference in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 11-13 December 2007. The two GRACE team leaders presented on their research processes, findings and interpretations, while Ineke provided an overall understanding of the GRACE project and the approach to qualitative research learning and research processes embedded in GRACE during a 2-part workshop entitled: Learning from Stories Shared by Empowered 'Homepreneurs' and Tele-Workers in the Information Economy.
Following a lively discussion, which also drew upon the perspectives of Nigeria team member John Dada who was also present, one workshop attendee described the GRACE presentations as the most rigorous research that she had come across in Africa in 20 years ... the type of research that would belong to the finest universities. The content of the presentations will be captured in the forthcoming GRACE book, African Women and ICTs: Investigating Technology, Gender and
Empowerment, (March 2009), and in the country research reports that will be posted on this site in the Fall of 2008.
Stories of Women’s Empowerment: Experiences from GRACE
Kazanka presenting the GRACE Nigeria project
Leila Hassanin at the conference Rooms of their Own: Women in the Knowledge Economy and Society
Leila Hassanin was a speaker at Rooms of their Own: Women in the Knowledge Economy and Society, conference organized by the Royal Society of Canada and University of Alberta, Edmonton, May 2007. The conference addressed local and international cultures that promote and hold back women's active, creative and significant involvement in the knowledge economy. To view Leila's presentation click here...
Grace is an initiative envisioned and funded
by
the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), developed
by Research For the Future (RFF) and managed by The GRACE Project Voluntary Association. Grace est une initiative initiée et financée parle Centre de recherches pour le développement international (CRDI), développée par Research For the Future,
et gérée par l'Association Volontaire Projet de GRACE .
Rokhsana Mohammed Ismail, team leader of one of the three GRACE Yemen research teams, presented 
Convened by Nobel Laureates Amartya Sen and Michael Spence, in collaboration with Randy Spence and the International Development Research Centre, the Harvard Forum II: ICTs, Human Development, Growth and Poverty Reduction took place 23-24 September 2009 at Harvard University. Leading thinkers and practitioners in the area of development discussed how ICTs could contribute to poverty reduction in developing countries, now and in the future. GRACE Project Leader, Ineke Buskens, was one of 30 panellists from around the globe to contribute to the Forum. Her 
The primary authors Gertrudes Macueve and Judite Mandlate of 
