[Ict4women] Call for Applications: APC WNSP and AWID: Feminist Tech Exchange

[Sophia Huyer]

 From AWID Resource Net.

--
Call for Applications: APC WNSP and AWID: Feminist Tech Exchange (Cape
Town, South Africa)

Source: APC WNSP, AWID

[Please note: The information below has been adapted directly from the  
the
source(s).]

Feminist Tech Exchange
10-12 November 2008, Cape Town, South Africa
Deadline: 13 July 2008

Are you attending the AWID Forum? Would you like to "FTX" before the  
Forum?
If so, then read on.

What does technology have to do with feminism? How can we, as women's
rights activists, use tools better and combine digital and traditional
communication strategies to strengthen our advocacies and activism?  
Join us
at the first Feminist Tech Exchange this November, and be part of a  
growing
movement that strategically integrates information and communication
technologies (ICT) with the human rights of women.

What is the FTX?

The Feminist Tech Exchange, also known as the FTX, is an event  
preceeding
the AWID Forum 2008 that will bring together more than 100 advocates and
activists from Asia Pacific, Africa, Latin America, Europe and North
America working on women's rights, feminism and communication rights.  
It is
a three-day exchange where we will discuss issues, build skills and  
share
our knowledge and experiences on ICT and how they can strengthen our
advocacies and activism.

After the exchange, FTX participants will directly put knowledge and  
skills
learnt into action at the AWID Forum, by engaging in the strategic use  
of
ICT for movement building through content creation, skills sharing and
conversations.

What is it trying to do?

The FTX aims to:

- build the skills of feminist and women's rights movements in the  
creative
and strategic use of ICT
- provide a space for open discussions on the connections between ICT
issues and women's rights agenda, as well as on feminist politics and
practices of technology.
- create partnerships between advocates working on women's rights and
feminism with those working in the field of ICT to sustain
movement-building;
- develop a community of trainers who can continue to support  
knowledge and
skills building, even after the exchange

What are the skills exchanged at the FTX?

There will be five ICT capacity building tracks at the FTX. They will  
run
at the same time, so participants will be following one specific track
during the three days. There will also be discussions of technology  
issues
and skills exchange sessions open to all participants during the FTX,  
where
you can initiate topics for conversation or share your know-how.

The ICT capacity building tracks are:

Track 1: Digital storytelling for transformation

Digital storytelling is a way of using pictures, images, video, text and
audio to tell stories in one's own voice. This hands-on approach  
combines
new digital media skills for women tell their own stories. Digital  
stories
are emerging as a very powerful medium for spreading advocacy messages  
that
are grounded in women's realities.

Track 2: Social networking technologies for activism

Social networking technologies has a special role to play in  
strategies for
activism or for building campaigns. Technologies like blogs, social
bookmarking sites, online communities, tagging and so on can be powerful
mediums to build communities, get people actively engaged with your  
message
and to take action. This track will look at how we can strategically and
creatively adapt these platforms and tools to build movements and  
advocacy
campaigns.

Track 3: Wireless and mobile technologies for advocacy

Wireless and mobile technologies can transform the communication
possibilities for communities that have been traditionally cut off  
from the
wired telecoms networks that control people's access to telephones,  
faxes
and the internet. This track will look at how community wireless and  
mobile
networks offer cheap and accessible communication for your advocacy
strategies.

Track 4: Audio for action

Community radio is a local, accessible and potentially powerful way of
getting your message out. Podcasting is a simple way to produce audio
content (digital media files) that can be distributed over the internet.
This track will explore how participants can use audio formats for the
internet or for community radio.

Track 5: Video for justice

This track focuses on video as a compelling medium to document  
violations
of rights, record living testimonies and narrate diverse perspectives.  
The
track also looks at how publishing and dissemination of video can be
strengthened through ICT.

Who can attend?

The FTX is open to all, especially to support participation from:

- Women's rights and feminist advocates interested in connecting their
advocacies with communication rights issues;
- Women's rights and feminist advocates interested in building their
capacity in ICT for the purposes of movement building;
- Women web managers, developers, ICT trainers, exchange-supporters, and
those who perform ICT-based work for their organisations; and
- Researchers working in communications rights and knowledge  
networking who
are interested in women's rights and feminist issues.

How to apply?
Fill in the application form and submit it before the deadline. You can
fill it directly online, or send it to us via email.

Online application form: http://ftx.apcwomen.org/application/
Email (for submission or a copy of the application form):
ftx-apply at apcwomen.org

Deadline for the submission is: 13 July 2008

Please note that a level of familiarity with ICT, women's rights,
communication rights and feminism will be required. Participants will be
selected with an eye to representing a range of advocacy areas, ICT  
skills
and regional diversity, prioritising participants from the developing
countries. The Feminist Tech Exchange will be carried out  
predominantly in
English. Interpretation support is being organised for different  
aspects of
the Exchange.

Scholarships will be provided for deserving participants who have  
their own
funding to attend the AWID Forum. FTX scholarships can only cover your
accommodation, meals and local transport in Cape Town during the FTX.

Who are the organisers?

The FTX is organised by the Association for Progressive Communications
Women's Networking Support Programme (APC WNSP) and the Association for
Women's Rights in Development (AWID). The local hosting partner for this
event is APC WNSP member Women'sNet, a South African feminist  
organisation
working on gender and ICT.

For furthe information, please visit the following websites:

APC WNSP: http://www.apcwomen.org
AWID: http://www.awid.org
Women'sNet: http://www.womensnet.org.za/

We look forward to you joining the FTX in Cape Town!
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