The 2005 GICT Awards focused
on information and communication technology initiatives which
promote women's economic empowerment and development in Asia
Pacific. Economic empowerment was defined as the ability to
overcome marginalisation and oppressive social norms, provide
choices and opportunities for women, provide strong encouragement
for women to fulfil their potential, and enable women to acquire
the voice and capability to counter their lack of socio-economic-political
power in the community. Emphasising this focus are three major
criteria: the use of ICTs to promote women's economic empowerment
and gender equality; upscaling of initiatives and community-centred
technologies; and the promotion of cooperation and social networking.
The
2005 Gender and ICT Award Winner:
The Pallitathya
Help-Line: Helping women help themselves
Runners-up
Seelampur
Community Information and Communication Technology
(ICT) Center: Building lives and business thorugh
ICTs
eHomemakers
Network of Malaysia: From homemakers to home business
owners
Finalists
The SCALA (Sharing
Computer Access Locally and Abroad) Project, Philippines
Foundation for
Rural Integrated Enterprises N Development (F.R.I.E.N.D),
Fiji
Women's IT Professional
Training Program, Republic of South Korea
The winners with Rinalia Abdul
Rahim, Executive Director of the Global Knowledge Partnership
(GKP) (first from left) and Chat Garcia Ramilo, Global
Coordinator of the APC WNSP. The award ceremony was held
during the 10th AWID International Forum on Women's Rights
and Development on 27 October 2005 in Bangkok, Thailand.
