*Take Back the Tech: take action - online and off - to end violence
against women
*Whether it's through community radio, posters, sms, emails, audiocasts
or websites, creative and informed use of information and communication
technologies (ICTs) helps get the word out on violence against women
(VAW). We have to know about technology to best use it for our activism,
we have to understand it to protect ourselves and others, and to keep
shaping an internet for all. From 25 November to 10 December it's time
once again to Take Back the Tech! and use ICTs to end violence against
women.
Women around the world are increasingly using ICTs to strategise,
protest and mobilise: an SMS message brought together hundreds of women
to protest their right to choose in the UK in a flashmob; an online
petition in a social networking community attracted signatures against
the stoning of women in Kurdistan from corners of the world previously
unimaginable; mobile phones allow for quick snapshots to document abuse;
blogs in dozens of languages decry VAW. At the same time, perpetrators
of VAW also take advantage of technology: a husband switches his wife's
SIM card to spy on her mobile phone callers in Free State, South Africa;
the Iranian government repeatedly blocks access within Iran to a website
calling for an end to discriminatory laws against Iranian women.
For 16 days of activism against VAW, the APC Women's Programme (APC
WNSP) calls on all ICT users to stretch and hone internet skills and
strategies for activism to ensure women's safety online and off.
*What is the campaign about?*
Take Back the Tech is a collaborative campaign by internet users,
advocates,collectives and organisations that take issue with the
prevalence of VAW in our diverse realities. Initiated by APC WNSP in
2006, the campaign is part of the 16 Days of Activism Against
Gender-based Violence initiative.
It is our right to shape, define, participate, use and share
knowledge,information and technology, and to create digital spaces that
protect everyone's right to interact freely without harassment or threat
to safety. Take Back the Tech calls on all users of ICTs - especially
grrls and women - to take control of technology and consciously use it
to disrupt unequal power relations.
*How can you Take Back the Tech?*
DAILY ACTIONS
Throughout the 16 days, daily actions using the internet to fight
against VAW aim to stretch skills and knowledge around ICTs and VAW.
It's an opportunity to take time to play with technology for a purpose -
exploring mapping, editing audio, transforming photos, sending mass SMS
through the internet to take action with new tools or apply the tools
you use every day in a different way. Simply visit the campaign website
at http://www.takebackthetech.net to check out the latest daily action.
CAMPAIGN SPOTLIGHT
Local campaigners have embraced Take Back the Tech in different ways:
training women's organisations in web 2.0 tools to help get the word out
in Mexico and Uruguay; putting resources in local languages such as
Khmer in Cambodia; building computers and learning how to sew in
Brazil. Campaigners are organising online protest petitions and
audiocasting public forums. Every other day a new campaign will be
featured on the Take Back the Tech website. Check out a campaign
spotlight, learn about the local reality of violence women face and
challenge, and help their cause from afar.
LOCAL INITIATIVES
Start your own Take Back The Tech campaign. Every year, independent and
creative initiatives to Take Back The Tech have taken off in different
parts of the world, translating content and action to address local
needs and priorities. Use the campaign website to highlight your action,
find useful tools and tips, and adapt images and graphics to your needs.
You can even create your own page on the site, just email us to let us
know how we can support your action.
ka-BLOG!
Deepen the debate around violence against women by joining the 16 day
blogathon. New to blogging? This is the perfect reason to start your
own, or at least, click that 'comment' button to have your say. Daily
topics will be posted on the campaign site to stir conversation, as well
as instructions on how to set up a blog.
DIGITAL STORIES, AUDIOCASTS & MORE
Learn by listening to the experience and stories of women and men
affected by VAW. The campaign website will feature digital stories,
audiocasts, video clips and postcards. If you have something you would
like to share, just log on to the campaign site and submit your story.
SUGGEST AN ACTION
Help shape the campaign by sharing your experience and ideas. Submit
your thoughts at the campaign website, and make it part of the campaign.
Check the _www.takebackthetech.net <http://www.takebackthetech.net>_ daily from
25 November to 10 December, and take action. Reclaim
technology to end violence against women.
For more information, consult the FAQ at _
http://takebackthetech.net/about/campaign_ or send an email to
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
_ <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Take Back the Tech" is an initiative of the APC Women's Networking
Support Programme (APC WNSP), a global network of women who support
women networking for social change and women's empowerment, through the
use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) especially
internet, founded in 1993. The APC WNSP is part of the Association for
Progressive Communications (APC).
_ http://www.apcwomen.org
<http://www.apc.org/>http://www.apc.org
<http://www.apc.org/>_
Erika Smith
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Association for Progressive Communications
http://www.apc.org <http://www.apc.org/>
Women's Networking Support Programme
http://www.apcwomen.org <http://www.apcwomen.org/>
Take back the tech!
http://www.takebackthetech.net <http://www.takebackthetech.net/>
Gender Evaluation Methodology for Internet and ICTs
http://www.apcwomen.org/gem
Gender and ICT Policy Monitor
http://www.genderit.org <http://www.genderit.org/>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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____________________________________________________________
helen varley jamieson: creative catalyst
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://www.creative-catalyst.com
http://www.avatarbodycollision.org
http://www.upstage.org.nz
http://www.writerfind.com/hjamieson.htm
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