Press Releases
Women's Commission urges Government to bridge digital divide
The Women's Commission urged the Government to continue efforts to bridge the digital divide in the community, in particular, to enable more women to gain access to Information Technology (IT) and promote their usage of it.
At a meeting of the Women�s Commission on January 8, Members of the Commission discussed the work of the Information Technology Services Department (ITSD) and Home Affairs Department (HAD) on promotion of IT.
Members appreciated that the Government had implemented a number of initiatives and measures in improving IT awareness and promoting wider use of IT in the community, including enhancing use of IT in education, providing free computer facilities for public use and offering free IT awareness courses, however Members observed that there were still gaps between the two sexes at different age groups regarding the usage of personal computer (PC) and Internet. Personal computer and Internet usage were relatively low for middle-aged and elderly women as compared with the other age groups.
�A major barrier for some women, in particular those from the grassroots, is their lack of convenient access to PCs,� the Chairperson of the Commission, Mrs Sophie Leung Lau Yau-fun said. �We suggest that more community cyber points should be set up at the neighbourhood level to provide convenient access for the women to the computer and Internet.�
�In promoting IT usage amongst women, it is necessary to understand their motivation factors and barriers,� Mrs Leung supplemented.
�We would advise the Government to take into account women�s perspective in promoting the use of IT. Indeed, some �train-the-trainer programmes� could focus more on women so that women volunteers may act as tutors for other women,� she added.
During the meeting, the Commission also discussed the work of the Education Department on parenting education.
�Parenting education programme should be gender-sensitive and tailored to accommodate parents and children from different backgrounds with different needs,� Mrs Leung pointed out.
She emphasized, �These programme should seek to equip parents with knowledge and skills to rise to life�s challenges so that their younger generations could learn such skills and knowledge to better prepare themselves for the future.�
The Commission felt that apart from equipping parents with the knowledge and skills in mentoring their children, caretakers, including grandparents and domestic helpers, should also be trained in parenting education programmes.
While it is widely recognised in principle that parenting is the responsibility of both fathers and mothers, for many practical purposes, it is in fact borne by women. Members suggested that more men should be encouraged to participate in parenting education programmes.
On empowerment of women, the meeting endorsed the guiding principles, strategic framework and action plan on the subject, which comprise actions at both collective and individual levels.
To take this forward, the Empowerment Task Force has identified five actions items, viz. compilation of effective empowerment practices, capacity building of women, compilation of a service directory, enhancing women�s participation in decision making and encouraging establishment of more mutual help services among women.
End/Wednesday, January 9, 2002