Minutes-Track 4 Workshop II

Minutes of Workshops Know How Conference / August 1998

Minutes of Track 4. II

Forming Regional and Global Networks

Wednesday 26 August 1998

Workshop co-ordinator: Jennifer Radloff,
(African Gender Institute, University of Cape Town, South Africa)

This workshop is about (regional) networking between women's information services, for Cupertino and the exchange of skills, knowledge, and strategies. The workshop's goal is to share the experiences of regional networks in using information and communication technology as a tool for improving the accessibility of women's information.
The workshop aims are:

- to explore regional commonalties and differences;
- to gain an understanding of regional contexts and their challenges;
- to explore global trends and the impact on regional networks;
- and to explore ways of supporting each other beyond the conference.

General
A large audience in the Aula (approx. 60). The eight papers were very interesting partly to the fact that all presenters had completely different backgrounds and starting points and still there was so many commonalties and so much consensus.
Presenters:

1. Isabel de Torres Ramirez (Instituto de Estudios de la Mujer, Universidad de Granada, Spain) The information network of women in Spain is co-ordinated by 4 libraries/documentation centres in Barcelona, Sevilla and Granada and Valencia and their are about 45 documentation centres on women's issues in Spain that are nvolved. Periodical meetings within the network resulted in a directory of networks and knowledge guide that is available at the conference. The exchange of information of the diverse specialists is the basis for this network.


2. Cordula Albert (Member of the board of directors of the FFBIZ, Women's Research, Education and Information Centre, Berlin, Germany which is part of the Lesbians' and Women's Archive Network of Berlin) Cordula gives us the history of FFBIZ, which is sort of German IIAV. There is big gap in women's information due to the 2nd World War. The collection of the 1960s and 1970s is comprehensive however. The 1980s and 1990s literature is more specialised and focus is on grey material. At this moment they appear on internet though a Library Network but they soon hope to have their own site. In 1999 there will be a CD-ROM of FFBIZ information.


3. Mylene Sol Cruz (ISIS International-Manila, Philippines); Reiko Aoki (Asian Japan Women's Resource Centre) and Kio Chung Kim (Asia Pacific Women's Information Network, South Korea) The three presenters all belong to a the Asian Women's Resource Exchange (AWORC) and present a strategy for electronic Resource Sharing and Networking for Women's Organisations in Asia. The Objectives of AWORC are:: a. to explore and develop new information and communication tools towards building sustainable electronic resource sharing;; b. to build women's and gender resources that address women's empowerment; and; c. to promote net literacy and electronic networking within the women's network of Asia and provide training in ICT. The AWORC website is demonstrated, see also http://www.jca.ax.apc.org/aworc.


4. Marijke van Kester (VENA, Netherlands) After some reorganisation problems the VENA library is now part of the Department of Anthropology in Leiden. After 20 year the network is extensive and world-wide in he field of Women and Development. There is a combined focus on theory and practice which is reflected in the collection (some 16.000 titles). Products and services are: a. tailor made information searches; b. deskstudies; c. library assistance; d. facilitating guest scholars; e.technical advise on information management; f. technical advise on gender analysis and gender assessments; and g. hosting conferences. VENA has a new homepage. And although it is time and money consuming, VENA is keeping up their informal network of individuals and organisations, either by electronically or ordinary mail for those unwired.


5. Shahrzad Mojab; Necla Acik; and Pauline van Gelder (Kurdish Women's Studies Network, Canada) The three contributors presented: Silenced Past, Silencing Present and Whispering Future: Kurdish Women in the shadow of history. Since 1991 when the ban on the Kurdish language was abolished, foundation could finally work to document Kurd Literature. Although the literature was male dominated at first, women's information Is growing. However, apart from the financial problems, there is the problem that non-Kurd Libraries are reluctant to collect Kurd material, much material is destroyed and private collections are spread all over the country. The network is a result of struggle and economic survival with state oppression and lack of finance. A platform to write on Kurdish issues needs not only financial but also moral support.


6. Barbara Terenzi Calamai (AIDOS, Italy) AIDOS established documentation centres and information networks in Russia, Tanzania, Jordan, Egypt, Lebanon and Palestine. Communication/language problems are discussed but the real basis for networking is sharing xperiences and helping each other. Especially the exchange of practical experiences from people with different backgrounds and technological levels is necessary. Flexibility is also needed. The network is utilised as a vehicle to work on a broader level. Barbara invites an Israeli participant to join the network of Egypt, Jordan, Palestine and Lebanon.


7. Sarah Cummings (Gender Resource Unit, Royal Tropical Institute, Netherlands) The series 'Gender, Society & Development' is an information product of the Gender Resource Unit from the Library of the Royal Tropical Institute (KIT), here in Amsterdam. The product is based on information exchange and networking with women's organisations primarily in the South. Sarah elaborates the vital role of networking, giving examples and experiences from her own work. A clear definition of networking is presented, its advantages and disadvantages and the challenges of e-mail are discussed. The unit has started electronic publishing on gender issues. The paper on which the presentation is based can be ordered at KIT: Library@kit.nl

8. Alejandra Scampini (REPEM, Uruguay) The REPEM network comprises 167 NGOs whose experience is related mainly to poor women and is part of the development alternative with women for a new era (DAWN). The network establishes networks, regionally and globally. The co-ordination of information flows regionally and globally, at grassroots and policy levels and vice versa is essential. REPEM initiated a contest in which people could send in their experiences of community initiatives and the contacts with the government. Drawing from the successful experiences, REPEM was able to write a lobby-manual for women. REPEM does advocacy trainings in the field of gender, income maintenance and education.

Questions raised:

- Some claimed that regional networks were much more important in solving grassroots problems. However, there are a lot of categories of networks. There are issue networks that are not regional, professional networks or networks of organisations. All need to be supplementary or complementary. In the case of Latin America (minus Brazil) there is the advantage that there is only one language for such an enormous region. In this case same-language networks are important.
- Network do have an impact on the contribution to women's empowerment. It is a tool of empowerment. Moral support alone can empower people and Barbara (AIDOS) and Mylene (ISIS) gave perfect examples.
- A network example from Tunisia is also shared. 3 training activities concerning legislation were launched by this network: solidarity with women in Sudan; solidarity with women Algeria; and solidarity with women in Palestine.
- AWORC calls for more technical assistance and training for women to use the internet as a tool of empowerment.
- Mapping the World (the printed as well as the Web version) is a good start for networking. However, funds have to be raised in order to disseminate the information in Spanish, French and Arabic as well.

The Workshop resolutions:
The Kurdish Women's Studies Network, Canada had already presented 4 resolutions:

1. The internet technology is urban-based for the educated elite. Focus has to be put on poor, rural, indigenous, and minorities
2. Feminist networks must come up with alternatives which contribute to solidarity
3. Globalisation needs be a globalisation of solidarity and struggle for justice rather than a globalisation of capital and consumption.
4. Hidden forms of violence, poverty and state repression do not make it to the news or information networks. These sustaining and structural issues need to be more valued.

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