The
Government of Saint Lucia has identified increased access to regional broadband
networks and the development of an ICT-enabled services industry as priority
areas in which ICT's potential could be harnessed for the reduction of poverty,
opportunity, empowerment and security. Indeed these benefits should obtain equally for men and women, but presently that is not so. The Saint Lucian Women & Girls in ICT Campaign is a collaborative effort between CARCIP & the SLCSI to increase gender parity in the ICT Sector by encouraging more women and girls to pursue careers in ICT (Information and Communication Technology).
2016 heralded St. Lucia's first celebration of Girls in ICT Day through the staging of a Women and Girls in ICT Conference! The conference represented a seminal opportunity to inspire and be inspired. Real heart-to-heart conversation was had about the reality of gender relations in the ICT Sector and the excellent opportunity we are now presented with for effecting gender mainstreaming in various social, cultural, technical and economic spheres.
Many
Anglophone Caribbean countries have developed policies and programmes to
fulfill commitments to gender equality and the use of ICTs for sustainable
development. Recent research in St. Lucia (2015, L. Dunn & A. Samuels) however shows significant gaps
between policy commitments and practice along gender lines, with untapped opportunities for empowerment of women and unattached/at-risk males in the ICT sector, resulting in significant socio-economic fallout. My keynote examined the results of the 2015 Gender Equity in the St. Lucia ICT Sector Study, and examined ways in which the island's policy framework can be enhanced and the capacity of vulnerable groups improved to promote
good governance, gender equity and broad stakeholder participation in, access
to and use of ICTs for development. I wrapped up with a personal exploration of key lessons learned from my own journey in the field of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM). Sights and scenes from the fun day that it was are below!
The day kicked off with a morning interview with Radio St. Lucia.
We then went to the conference location where I had chats with other St. Lucia radio and TV stations.
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| Front Cover of St. Lucia Women and Girls in ICT Day Conference Booklet |
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| Agenda for St. Lucia Women and Girls in ICT Day Conference |
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| More info on St. Lucia Women and Girls in ICT Campaign |
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| Waiting in the audience before delivering the keynote |
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| Speaking on the topic of gender equity about which I am most passionate! |
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| Presenting to the audience on the findings of the 2015 Gender Equity in the St. Lucia ICT Sector Study (Dunn & Samuels) |
Exploring ways to bring about gender parity
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| Enjoying a photo opportunity with some of the participants |
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| Close of proceedings photograph with most of the Conference participants |
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| Choice TV Interview with Christopher Roberts (to my left), Director of CARCIP St. Lucia, and our fun-loving host |
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| All smiles post our TV interview |
