PICISOC_WIT has undertaken a data collection exercise and gender analysis to assess issues such as applications, technology and content, and determine use of ICTs and women’s participation ICTs development. The overall objective of the project was to gain correct and updated information on women in ICT development in the Pacific region and to conduct a detailed gender analysis to ascertain the level and degree of access and participation of women. Our acknowledgements and very special thanks to the following people who have assisted us in completing the data collection exercise:

• UNESCO for the funding support. Special thanks to UNESCO Apia staff Abel and Nifo
• PICISOC Committee especially Rajnesh Singh, Les Allinson, and Franck Martin
• Lisa Horiwapu of Vois Blong Mere Solomons
• Sister Genevieve, staff and students of St Josephs Secondary School, Suva, Fiji.
• Adi Makelesi and Terry Wozniak at Saunaka Village, Nadi, Fiji
• Sharon Bhagwan Rolls, FemLinkPacific? Coordinator
• Jasmine Ali, Research assistant for Data collection exercise
• Vilisi Tokaulauver, Web administrator for PICISOC_WIT)

Report Available for Download
Data Collection and Analysis of Women and ICTs in Fiji and the Solomons Islands Project Report



On-going collaboration and networking with prominent women:

Our acknowledgements and very special thanks to:

1) Claudia Morell - Claudia Morrell
Executive Director
MDWIT
Secretariat Chair
International Taskforce for Women and ICTs www.mdwit.org


2) Sonja Bernhardt
Co founder and Secretary AWISE - Australian Women in IT and Science Entity First Australian inducted into the Hall of fame for Women in Technology International - www.awise.org.au


Asia- Pacific Centre for Women & Technology is gearing up for a key stakeholder meeting (Virtually) in Feb/March. They are keen to lock in some representatives from the Pacific. Those active and keen interest in women and technology issues and able to represent groups and their country, please contact Ms.Anju Mangal as soon as possible.

http://www.apcwt.org/ - One of the goals of the APCWT is to create a collaborative and comprehensive resource on which you will be able to draw for economic development, education, the workforce, business and research. As our plans progress and evolve, so will the look & feel of this site. Your involvement in the APCWT endeavour will contribute to education opportunities, pathways, careers, networks and new policy directions for women.

Pacific Representative for APCWT Virtual Meeting

Names	Email Address	Groups they represent/role	Country
Lisa Williams Lahari	lisa.lahari@gmail.com	WAVE Media Network of Pacific women in media	Solomon Islands
Lalen Simeon	lalen@pau.ac.pg	Pacific Adventist University, lecturer	PNG
Veikila Vuki	vuki61@yahoo.co.uk	SPC Women in Fisheries Network	Guam
Heileen Peuroux	heileen.iso@mail.gov.nu	ICT Trainee - Niue computer society/e-learning center	Niue
Sharon Rolls	sharon@femlinkpacific.org.fj	FemlinkPacific Coordinator	Fiji
Fuatai Purcell	fuatai.purcell@mcit.gov.ws	Head of IT, Samoa Ministry	Samoa
Sanjeshni Naidu	sanjeshni@sopac.org	Project Officer for Water Section, SOPAC	Fiji
Arieta Gonelevu	arietag@sopac.org	Senior Project Officer	Fiji
Peggy Fairbairn Dunlop	Peggy.Fairbairn-Dunlop@vuw.ac.nz	Associate Professor and Inaugural DirectorVa'aomanu PasifikaPacific? and Samoan Studies	NZ
Alisi Tuqa	AlisiT@spc.int	Co-chair – PICISOC WIT	New Caledonia
Noia	nanoia@gmail.com	ICT Associate	Tuvalu
	ccholai@gmail.com
Berny Nicholls	Berny.Nicholls@anz.com	Chair ICT Association Of Fiji	Fiji
Asela Naisara	tesdajean@gmail.com	National Council of Women - Fiji	Fiji
Tina Vaonelva	tina.vaonelva@schoolnet.net.sb	Supervisor, Kati Distance Learning Centre, Santa Cruz (www.schoolnet.net.sb) and PFnet operator	Solomon Islands
Josephine Teakeni	vbms@solomon.com.sb	Vois Blong Mere Solomon	Solomon Islands
Juliet Nully	ictasst@pipolfastaem.gov.sb	Assistant ICT Officer	Solomon Islands
Jenny Unity Ligo	jenunity7@yahoo.com.au	Chairwoman for Women Against Crime in Vanuatu	Vanuatu
Mitzi Ferguson	fmitzi@gmail.com	USP - Student	Fiji
Pamela Singla	pamelasingla@hotmail.com		India
Vilisi Tokaulauvere	Vilisi@sopac.org	PICISOC_WIT Web Adminstrator and SOPAC Officer	Fiji
Angeline Shobna Chand	program@pacificdisability.org	Pacific Disability Organisation Fiji/Pacific Disability Organisations	Fiji
Carol Cholai	ccholai@gmail.com	Papua New Guinea Oil Palm Research Association Inc – Information Systems	PNG
PICISOC WIT	wit@picisoc.org	PICISOC Women and ICT Group	Pacific
Jasmine Ali	Jasmine.ali@gmail.com	PICISOC WIT – Research Assistant	Fiji
Gunjan Singh	gunjan@patarapacific.com	PICISOC WIT	Fiji
Charmaine Scotty	charmaine.scotty@naurugov.nr	Secretary for Home Affairs, Nauru	Nauru
Prasheela Karan	prasheela.karan@gmail.com	Gender and ICT – PICISOC WIT	Australia/Fiji
Joy Papao	joy@sopac.org	PICISOC WIT – SOPAC GIS Officer	Fiji/Solomon Island
Louise J. Nasak	ljnasak@gmail.com	IT Manager - Reserve Bank of Vanuatu	Vanuatu
Baiki	baiki@tskl.net.ki	Telecom Service Kiribati Limited(tskl)Internet Officer	Kiribati
Alice Rore	gbvcanr@gmail.com	National ResearcherFamily? Health and Safety StudiesSPC-Honiara Office	Solomon Islands
Collete Vesikula	colette.vesikula@gmail.com	Community Technology Centre	Fiji

The idea being proposed by some members of WIT is to create country focal points. The focal points will be responsible for the organization and co-ordination of their own groups/network and their own activities. Each country focal point will then send PICISOC_WIT feedback on their progress report. We have established good focal points for Fiji and Solomon Islands. Unfortunately, we haven’t organized a workshop in Cook Islands this year. Linda Petersen (HDP/Women Adviser, SPC) has advised us to develop women’s focal points through national councils of women or the departments and ministries for women in that country. It is important to keep them informed at least about what is happening.


WIT wishes to conduct a research on USP student’s computer knowledge – this is part of the youth and ICTs component that WIT is planning to take on. The justification for conducting research into USP’ student’s computer knowledge is to contribute to the limited research that is presently available on this subject. A pilot project has been conducted:

o To gain USP student’s High School background in computer education and their perception on computer studies being taught in High schools.
o To discover USP student’s knowledge of software and hardware programs.
o To discover USP student’s use of extra curriculum computer proficiency courses offered by USP

WIT wishes to conduct another research survey on: Women on the Internet (awareness of internet safety) – possibly in collaboration with Chris Thrasher – USP Library ICT Manager.

o While we see the potential of youths accessing ICTs, it can also facilitate the exploitation of children and women. New ICT tool on the internet attract sexual predators that have access to videos and images that can harm or make use of their vulnerability.

o There is a need to examine the challenges young women face and therefore it is important to involve youths in the information society so that they have knowledge of the negative and positive impacts of ICTs.


At the 2005 PacINET conference in Tarawa, Kiribati, the Women in Information Communication Technology (WIT) interest group was formed, first and foremost as a networking group for women working in ICT, and for sharing common interests in issues pertaining to women in ICT.


Women are under-represented in the Pacific ICT sector. In 2002, the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS) and the Pacific Islands Telecommunications Association (PITA) undertook a regional data collection exercise, the Pacific ICT Survey 2002, at the request of the Forum Communications Ministers in April 2002. The Pacific ICT survey in 2002 highlighted the under-representation of women in the Pacific. One of the key highlights was that women ICT professionals are somewhat lacking in Pacific organizations, and because of the unavailability of detailed gender analyses, issues of access, application and participation was not really well known. In general, women are engaged more in using ICT for administrative purposes (word processing, email, etc) then engaging as ICT professionals (computer engineers, etc).


WIT aims to help Pacific women better understand the current state of access, participation and leadership of Pacific Women in ICTs. It works to find and highlight solutions to increase women’s participation in the ICT workforce and in the knowledge society such that socioeconomic and political development is enhanced for the community at large.


The objective of WIT is to share information, exchange ideas and strengthen its network for the pursuit of mainstreaming and addressing women’s issues in ICT.


In detail the objectives are:

• Networking and Professional Development
o By establishing a regional Network for Women in ICT sector
o Establishing a Forum to exchange, share ideas and information.

• Lobby and Advocate for Women’s ICT Issues
o By entering into partnerships with women’s groups and other stakeholders to lobby and advocate for women’s ICT issues.
o Undertake research, including data collection, for detailed and updated reports.

• Empower Communities, especially youth and young women
o Through increased community outreach and awareness-raising initiatives on ICT issues.

Founding Members of the Interim Special Interest Group related to women’s issues in ICT, PICISOC-PACINET 2006, Samoa

• Vaisualua Okesene – Samoa
• Miwa Fujii – Australia
• Joy Papao – SOPAC, Fiji
• Mary Raui – Cook Islands
• Christina Kuper Wini – Solomons Island
• Alexis Wolfgramm – Cook Islands
• Gunjan – Fiji
• William Tibben – Australia
• Maureen Hilyard – Cook Islands
• Jan Bieringa – New Zealand
• Laeimau Oketevi Tanuvasa – Samoa
• Ina Vakaafi – Niue
• Glenda Kay - Samoa
• Vilisi Tokaulauvere – Fiji
• Alisi Tuqa – Fiji
• Anju Mangal - Fiji


Saunaka Village Project

Terry Wozniak (Peace Corp Volunteer) has started a mentoring program for single women, unemployed women and children/youth of Saunaka Village in Nadi, Fiji. The program has been developed to raise the overall education level in the community. WIT wishes to continue working with the Women and Children of the Saunaka Community to create awareness on ICT issues and to promote and encourage participation in ICTs. The programme includes a session to train young women in ICTs, namely teaching basic computer skills. For those with basic skills, the aim is to enhance these skills, to give them skills to seek employment. The Saunaka Village is in Nadi where nearby are located numerous hotels (being a tourist bound area) and businesses, so having basic computer skills is an advantage especially for those seeking employment in nearby offices and businesses for administrative work. We have gathered some training materials for the women in Saunaka – just basic Microsoft word etc. A trip will be scheduled to Saunaka this year to deliver new training materials like Basic Microsoft Word/Excel/Database manuals. Thanks to Sharon Rolls for her support – she was the one who introduced us to Terry and her group. Anyone interested in finding out more, please contact Ms.Anju Mangal


WIT network currently has 46 members on the list – on-going collaboration and networking is done via mailing list and online messaging – skype/msn. How can we continue to increase participation from women, men, youths in strengthening the WIT network? Any suggestions??

To download the WIT Presentation at the 2007 PACINET Conference, please click here WIT Presentation at the 2007 PACINET Conference





Women in Information Technology(WIT) is a Special Interest Group (SIG) within PICISOC.

1) You can join WIT by first joining PICISOC. Details on how to join PICISOC can be found here:

Join PICISOC

2) By becoming a member of PICISOC and by virtue of you being female, your PICISOC membership will automatically qualify you to be a member of WIT.

If you wish to become a member of WIT, please join our mailing list by subscribing to

To post information (articles/questions) to the list – please use

3) On confirmation of your membership we will send you details on how you can participate in this group and help us advance the objectives of WIT. Please click on WIT Submission to access the WIT - Information and recommendation Paper that was submitted at the Forum ICT Ministerial Meeting 2006.

4) We will liaise with PICISOC to ensure that further development work is done to ensure that you can restrict your membership to only WIT when we have finalised and increased the number of members of this grouping.


Members of the Interim Special Interest Group related to women’s issues in ICT 26th August, 2006 – 11.00 – 1.45pm

Vaisualua Okesene – Samoa
Miwa Fujii – Australia
Joy Papao – SOPAC, Fiji
Mary Raui – Cook Islands
Christina Kuper Wini – Solomons Island
Alexis Wolfgramm – Cook Islands
Gunjan – Fiji
William Tibben – Australia
Maureen Hilyard – Cook Islands
Jan Bieringa – New Zealand
Laeimau Oketevi Tanuvasa – Samoa
Ina Vakaafi – Niue
Glenda Kay - Samoa
Anju - Fiji


Focal point

Alexis – Tonga
Mary – Cook Islands
Christina – Solomon Islands
Ina – Niue
Anju – Fiji
Vaisualua - Samoa


1)The members present endorsed that a group to examine women’s issues in ICT should exist

2)PICISOC will be the vehicle through which the group works

3)Purpose of the group will be:

a.Gathering more interested people to work on the issues for women in ICT to enrich the dialogue and to strengthen the network

b.Gathering and distributing information through PICISOC

c.To develop a plan to address the identified issues

Framework

1) Issues for women in ICT

Access
Content
Promotion/Awareness
Networking

2) Potential Targets

Women working in the field
Women in rural/remote areas
Women globally or generally
High school leavers
Equal opportunities

What can be done?

Networking

Establish a network first in each region/country
Link and widen the network
Staged Development of the interim working group into a formal structure

Information sharing

Recognition of other’s achievements in the field of ICT

Research – identifying difference in the region

Simple documentation – producing simple guides, e.g., internet

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