|
|
 |
Cyber Dialogues - Sixteen Days of Activism on Gender Violence
Gender and Media Network Southern Africa. November 2004.
|
The cyber dialogues are one of several initiatives to raise awareness and change behaviour as part of the sixteen days of activism on gender violence using new information and communication technologies. The sixteen days is the period from 25 November, international day of no violence against women, to 10 December, Human Rights Day. This period is increasingly recognised in Southern Africa as an opportunity to conduct sustained campaigns against gender violence.
The campaign aims to: " empower citizens, and especially women, in the use of new technologies. " Encourage citizens to air their views and speak out against violence and abuse. " Make "e governance" work for gender justice. " Link people across provinces and across borders in a common cause.
The cyber dialogues combine facilitated, inter-active dialogues on the ground with a link to a central hub at national level where experts and decision-makers will be available at a fixed time each day to answer questions in a live "chat room". The concept includes a bulletin board to which individuals can post messages and a daily exchange of information between countries in southern africa, as well as a video link up between all those who participate on the last day of the campaign. Through organised debates and exchanges on agreed themes on each day of the campaign, as well as media facilities at the central hub, the strategy includes an important mainstream media component.
The cyber dialogues in South Africa are coordinated by a team comprising the government of South Africa through the Departments of Correctional Services, Government Communication and Information Systems (GCIS) and the City of Johannesburg which is serving as a hub; civil society organisations including the Network on Violence Against Women, Women'snet and the Southern African Gender and Media Network (SAGEM) led by gender links as well as Microsoft and Telkom. Content, facilitation and arrangements for each day are being made by a consortium of NGOs including: Gender Links, The Gender Advocacy Programme, ADAPT, NISAA Institute For Women's Development; Tshwaranang, The Inter-Faith Committee, Centre For The Study of Violence and Reconcilitation, Network on Violence Against Women, Amnesty International, Youth Development Network, Men's Movement of South Africa and Sexual Harassment Project.
Several NGOs, the GCIS multipurpose centres and counsellors will facilitate discussions and inputs at community level. Regional links are taking place through the Gender and Media Southern Africa (GEMSA) Network.
For more information on this initiative, please visit: http://www.genderlinks.org.za/16DaysOfPeace/CyberDialogues2004.asp |
| Was this article helpful to you? |
 ?100%???? ?0%
|
|
Back
|
|
|
|
