Through twenty regional and country case studies, /Trading Stories/ pulls together the key links between trade, gender and economic development. Ten case studies focus on the gender impacts of trade policies, detailing differential consequences on men and women; and ten focus on linking women with global markets – including FairTrade, organic, niche and mainstream markets – through a range of best practices involving government, NGOs, people’s organisations and associations, private sector and international agencies. www.styluspub.com/clients/CWS/Books/BookDetail.aspx

Grace 2 Proposal

Authors: Ineke Buskens and Anne Webb

This proposal emerges from the accomplishments of the first phase (May 2005 – February 2008) of the Gender Research in Africa into ICTs for Empowerment (GRACE) project, and from a recognition that the emergence of a sustainable research network can be achieved through an additional implementation and capacity development phase. Based on the effectiveness of the first phase in relation to the objectives of research capacity development and analysis of the relationships between gender, ICTs and empowerment,1 we propose extending this initiative, enriching its initial methodological basis and expanding its reach. In terms of the network’s initial methodological grounding in qualitative research for transformation, we aim to evolve this focus into action directed approaches, participatory policy research, quantitative approaches that are coherent with the transformative objectives of the project, mastering the transformative qualitative techniques and methodologies that were initiated and explored in GRACE 1, and integrating outcome mapping methodology in the research designs. GRACE 2 will also expand the reach of the initiative to introduce certain elements from the overall process and specific training from the above mentioned transformative research techniques to partners in Asia and MENA (the Middle East and North Africa). It is envisaged that GRACE 2 will run from March 1, 2008 until February 29, 2011... READ MORE

Gender Research in Africa into ICTs for Empowerment

Author: Ineke Buskens

The dream for GRACE is to evolve into a sustainable research network that will continue to engage research into women, ICTs and gender issues beyond the limited time frame of this project and will expand its base of participating researchers and countries beyond the current ones. Inspired by this vision, GRACE embraces a strong emphasis on research capacity building in all the phases of the research process. Furthermore, creating a nurturing research environment for junior researchers is a priority for all involved: for the Grace coordinating team as well as for the site projects’ senior researchers... READ MORE

Author: Okwach Abagi

Although the three professional women did not face obvious gender discrimination or stereotyping during their school days, they believe that girls were and are still facing a lot of challenges that are gender based. They hasten to add that the challenges they faced while in school were normal. These had largely to do with the biological changes which occur, especially during puberty, which if not well managed, tend to affect girls’ performance in their work at school. This is particularly serious at high school, in cases of mixed secondary schools, where boys and male teachers harass female students... READ MORE

Have Women Taken Advantage of the Digital Revolution?

Author: Gisele Yitamben

Rethinking Energy Access: Integrating ICTs and gender for sustainable solutions

Author: Jocelyn Muller

It is estimated that 900 million of the world’s poorest people are concentrated in rural areas, and approximately 70% of these people are women (UNDP 2003). Why is this the case after decades of attempts at rural development, with many projects targeting women specifically? More recent attempts at reducing poverty include country level Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers and the Millennium Development Goals... READ MORE

Author: APC-WSPN

What do ostrich eggs, free attitudes, ICT and graciousness have in common? An exciting new research initiative that brings together African researchers to study Africa, ICTs and women's empowerment, called GRACE. The Gender Research in Africa into ICTs for Empowerment held it's first researcher capacity-building workshop in Durban in July 2005, and while researchers from all over the continent honed their project proposals and fine-tuned networking skills, they also learned how to create ostrich eggs around themselves... READ MORE

GRACE brochure, 2005

GRACE Project Rationale

Author: Ineke Buskens

Women are crucial to the transformation of Africa. The link between a country's overall status of evolvement and that of its women has found general acceptance. Research done in the last 35 years has made women's contributions and gender induced disadvantages more visible and yet much (and we do not know how much) is still unknown. Especially Africa appears under-researched when it comes ot women... READ MORE

Grace Proposal

Authors: Ineke Buskens, Anriette Esterhuysen and Jenny Radloff

This project aims to explore the ways in which women in Africa use ICTs to empower themselves, the external, structural barriers as well as the internal factors which prevent them from using ICTs to their advantage, and the strategies they employ to overcome these impediments. The project comprises 15 sub-projects, reflecting 14 research sites in 12 countries and one meta research sub project. While coherent with the general aim of the overall research initiative, the sub-projects differ from each other greatly in terms of target group and research focus. Furthermore, the concepts of gender and empowerment which frame the project’s general direction and commitment, may not have unequivocal meaning within the sub-projects... READ MORE