Paddling in Circles while the Waters Rise: Gender Issues in ICTs and Poverty Reduction

Abstract

"Can ICTs help reduce poverty? After so many decades of development theory and practices, why is poverty on the rise? The first phase of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) laid out an inadequate framework for gender, ICTs, and poverty reduction. This paper examines poverty from many different angles: from its definition to systemic causes of global poverty, as well as tools used to address poverty. It examines poverty measurements, indicators and political will within national and international contexts. It offers recommendations to facilitate a stronger gender perspective in poverty reduction, and in particular the application of ICTs toward this end."