The 3rd Congress of the Asian Association of Women’s Studies (CAAWS 2013)

and

9th National Conference of the Women’s Studies Association of the Philippines

THEME: WOMEN’S STUDIES IN THE INFORMATION AGE: CHALLENGES and AND OPPORTUNITIES

Date: December 9-12, 2013
Venue: GT-Toyota Asian Cultural Center, University of the Philippines Diliman

The Information Age, often known as the Computer or Digital Age has provided new opportunities for women to advance their status in society. Through easier access to varied communication and information technologies, women throughout the world have more opportunities now to improve their educational, health and economic status as well decision-making roles. But such situation has also posed challenges to the protection and promotion of women’s human rights. The increase in the incidence of transnational sex and labor trafficking in recent years, for instance, has been attributed to the use by criminal syndicates of digital technologies. In many Asian countries, the Information Age has not resulted to women’s effective access of reproductive health information and services, putting many at risk of pregnancy complications, unwanted pregnancy, maternal death and sexually-transmitted infections. Sexist portrayal of gender roles and identities in media continue to reproduce patriarchal notions of femininity and masculinity.

The Beijing Platform for Action states that the “advances in information technology have facilitated a global communications network that transcends national boundary and has an impact on public policy, private attitudes and behavior ...” It adds that “the potential exists for the media to make a far greater contribution to the advancement of women.”’ The UN General Assembly of 2004 recognized the need to bring the ICTs to rural women “as a quick way to bring women into leadership positions in their communities and help reduce inequality.”

This forthcoming Congress shall include the presentation of papers and interactive discussions by Women’s Studies scholars and students from Asia and other countries of the world. The sub-themes of the Congress are as follows:

Gender Biases in ICTs

• Gender, ICTs and Education
• ICTs and Women’s Economic and Political Empowerment
• Gender, Popular Culture and Media
• Policy Regimes and Women’s Right to Information
• Women’s Studies (Theory and Practice) in the Age of Information
• Network Building and Solidarity Movements

References:

Beijing Platform for Action. Chapter IV. J. Women and the Media – A CONF.177 20 Annex II, UN Documents.

GenderLinks, “The information age has not trickled down to women.” www.genderlinks.org.za/print-version-information 2004-07-1707-17

Download registration form here.

For those who need accommodation in Quezon City, Manila, please consider booking at the Isis International Women's House (Bahay ni Isis)