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T
HE OUTGOING CENTURY
has witnessed tremendous
advances in the fields of information and communication
technology (ICT) and artificial intelligence (AI). This tech-
nological revolution has radically reshaped our lives and has
deeply affected our way of thinking, communicating, learning,
accessing and treating information.
Needless to say, the broad range of intelligent tools offered by
ICT and AI are opening many possibilities for a wider participa-
tion in a global exchange and sharing of accurate and constantly
updated information in all domains. They are changing every
aspect of human life, communications, trade manufacturing,
education, services, culture, entertainment, research, national
defence and global security.
Undoubtedly ICT and AI promise to play this role even more
dramatically in the next millennium and to offer a better world
where equal opportunities and justice prevail. Nevertheless,
although most countries are trying to take profit from these tools
for leapfrogging to higher stages of economic development, a
major question remains at the heart of present concerns: is it a
great opportunity or a greater divide, mainly when it comes to
women’s development and empowerment through ICT?
Women and ICT
Until very recently, women have been rather worried about issues
such as gender equality, illiteracy, health problems and poverty. Now,
with the explosion of ICT and AI, those who lack skills and access
to the information superhighway are even more disempowered and
frustrated. Among them are women and girls, mainly those who
live in remote rural areas and in low-income families. If we focus
on developing countries, we can notice that the pace of women is
still slow but steady: more and more of them are concerned with ICT
and ready for the new challenges. Yet, we still need to ensure that
women have real access to knowledge and information to bring
them into the main stream of the technological world.
An action plan to involve women in a more effective way
should include the development of targeted methods for taking
the benefits of distributed intelligence to women. We should,
also, create a women’s cyber-culture where they interact and
expose their analysis and reality and feed it to the global commu-
nity instead of allowing themselves to be sponges or victims.
Women’s networks should use the worldwide web and AI tech-
niques to create their news and views.
For those who did not have the chance to finish their studies
due to social and economic constraints as well as some cultural
attitudes, distance education and E-learning offer the opportu-
nity to combine studying at home with their domestic duties.
This type of education opens up new vistas for them and helps
enhance their knowledge, create a positive image and self confi-
dence and, above all, contribute to their empowerment.
NGOs and Women’s empowerment through ICT
In this respect, the Tunisian government encourages civil society
and NGOs to play a crucial role in the promotion of ICT and partic-
ularly in relation to women. If we take the example of Tunisia – one
of the leading developing countries in the implementation and inte-
gration of ICT in different fields – we can notice that the number
of associations and organizations concerned with ICT and the
empowerment of women is growing steadily. Thanks to the support
of such associations by the government, we can witness the growing
presence of women on the Internet and in ICT-related domains.
We will take the example of Tunisie-21, an NGO which developed
new ideas regarding some problems that are of concern for women.
As a Professor - Researcher at ENSI-University of Tunis, PhD
Computer Science Major Artificial Intelligence and Head of the
Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (LIA) and a founding member of
this association, I organized several successful meetings and projects
about the information technology in order to narrow the digital gap
and facilitate access to information as far as women are concerned.
Some titles of these meetings and projects are:
• Challenges in the Information and Communication Society
(presentations, round tables and demonstrations)
• Artificial Intelligence and Internet (conferences, round tables
and demonstrations)
• Information Technology: Multimedia and Networks (confer-
ences, round tables demonstrations: Visio-conference and
internet navigation)
• The Y2K: problems and solutions (conferences, round tables
and demonstrations)
• Training sessions for the members of NGOs (computer science
and Internet tutorials)
• With a grant from the Japanese government, a computing
centre was equipped with PCs for children at a hospital. This
centre was inaugurated on 24 November 1998 corresponding
to the 51st anniversary of the Human Rights Declaration.
Supervisors appointed by the association provide training to
the sick children at the hospital.
We believe that information technology is central to poverty reduc-
tion, which in turn is central to the empowerment of women.
Indeed, ICT and AI applications can improve governance and
Women and ICT development
Faryal Mouria Beji, Chief Executive, INBMI;
Professor Researcher-ENSI, Tunis University;
Head of Artificial Intelligence Laboratory;
Member of the Working Group on Internet Governance