While the existence of a “digital divide” between ICT “haves” and “have nots” exists, the additional gender divide is often overlooked and women, particularly women in developing countries, are far less able to benefit from and influence the male-dominated ICT development than their male counterparts. Through skills diffusion and capacity building, the Feminist Tech Exchange (FTX) seeks to empower women’s rights organisations, advocates and feminists sidelined in the growth of the global digital commons. The Exchange has been developed in response to the expressed needs of feminist and women’s rights movements for greater understanding of emerging ICT and applications. At the same time, the Exchange is an opportunity to foster exchange between feminist and women’s rights movements and the ICT4D community through the participation of individuals involved in ICT for development projects who are looking to get a stronger understanding and integration of gender analysis and feminist values within their work.

Using an approach that prioritises feminist perspectives, women’s rights and movement building, FTX:

• builds capacity within feminist and women’s rights movements in the creative and strategic use of ICT
• supports the development of a community of trainers who can continue to augment knowledge and skills of women’s rights and feminist advocates in different locales, advocacy areas and movements
• creates partnerships between feminist and women’s rights movements and women working in the field of ICT to sustain movement-building
• provides a venue for open discussions and convergence between ICT issues and women’s rights agendas

• creates spaces where feminist politics and practices of technology are explored and discussed.

The FTX Hub, Cape Town 2008

The first three-day FTX trained men and women from across the globe in partnership with the Association for Women’s Rights in Development (AWID) and Women’sNet (South Africa).

The Latin American FTX is also preparing itself for the upcoming Encuentro Feminista in March 2009 in Mexico City, where it aims to build capacity among 15 – 20 women this year.