On July 8th, the learning event will focus on sharing of findings and recommendations of an APC evaluation of gender networking and advocacy during the World Summit on the Information Society. On July 9th, the organisers will meet to map out further strategies for continuing gender policy advocacy post WSIS.
The impact assessment, “Gender Networking and Advocacy in the Context of the UN World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS),” forms part of a larger impact assessment undertaken by the Building Communication Opportunities (BCO) Alliance in relation to policy influence, advocacy and networking. The overarching BCO hypothesis which the research is
intended to support or refute is that: “Policy advocacy and networks influence and reshape the agendas of information and communication technologies (ICT) and information and communication for development
(ICD) policy-makers and developments practitioners.”
The two guiding questions for this gender assessment are as follows: [1] In what ways have gender and ICT networks influenced agendas of ICT and ICD policy makers and development practitioners in integrating gender perspectives and women’s empowerment concerns?
[2] To what extent have the gender/ICT networking interventions resulted in gender-responsive policy and process changes, implementation and delivery at the national level?