[Actionchix] potential activity - GICT Awards

[Jacqueline McNally]

Hello

I received the following notification of the GICT Awards 2005, and
thought that LinuxChix may be a suitable candidate for an entry to win
funds ($8000USD) which could then be used towards assisting other
Actionchix or LinuxChix activities.

I have only glanced at the application, and I think we are more than
eligible and very able to submit a complete and interesting submission.

Due to time constraints I am unable to take the lead on this, but I
would be happy to contribute if other chix wish to run with it.

Regards
Jacqueline

---///---
GENDER and INFORMATION & COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (GICT) AWARDS 2005
***ANNOUNCEMENT and APPLICATION FORM ***


'Empowerment'... refers broadly to the challenging of social norms,
shifts in equalising power relations, enabling voice and expression, a
sense and active claim of rights, an increase in perceived opportunity,
and increases in 'confidence' and the consequences that arise from this.
--Adapted from Research: ICT Innovations for Poverty Reduction, UNESCO; 2004


FOCUS OF THE AWARDS
The focus of the 2005 Awards is on ICT initiatives that promote women’s
economic empowerment as it relates to development.

Economic empowerment is seen in terms of:

----overcoming marginalisation, oppressive social norms, and inadequate
support and responsibility from governments in terms of access & rights
to resources & making sound decisions;

----offering women choice and opportunity,

----encouraging women to fulfil their potentials;

----giving voice and capability to counter their seeming powerlessness.

ICT-related development is defined not only as it relates to income
or material deprivation but as resolving basic needs of the community
and promoting social networking through ICT intervention.The focus is
not on the technology itself but in looking at the practical gender and
strategic application by women to address their local needs and the
specificity of their situations.


CATEGORY
Two winners will be awarded for:

Outstanding ICT Project for Women's Economic Empowerment

A cash prize of USD8,000 will be given to each winner.


ELIGIBILITY
The GICT Awards is open to civil society organisations, community-based
groups, women's organisations and networks and social movements in the
following countries: Afghanistan, Armenia, Australia, Azerbaijan,
Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, China, Democratic
People's Republic of Korea, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji,
Georgia, India, Indonesia, Islamic Republic of Iran, Japan, Kazakhstan,
Kiribati, Kyrgyzstan, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Malaysia,
Maldives, Marshall Islands, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nauru, Nepal, New
Zealand, Pakistan, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Republic of
Korea, Russian Federation, Samoa, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka,
Tajikistan, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Turkey, Turkmenistan, and Tuvalu.

The target beneficiaries of the projects must be women or girls. Special
attention will be given to projects initiated by women themselves.

Both project and project owners should be based in any of the Asia
Pacific countries mentioned above.

To be considered, the projects must be operational for **at least two
years** and should be able to demonstrate results.

The Awards program **does not** give grants for future projects, or
research studies by graduate or undergraduate students.

Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) refer to the broad
range of digital technologies like computer hardware and software, fixed
lines and mobile phones, electronic mail, satellite technology, wireless
or cable networks, multimedia tools (convergence of the Internet and
radio and/or video), and the Internet which are used to create, transmit
and distribute information and services. **Initiatives must have, in any
manner, actual use of the Internet** in order to qualify.

CRITERIA
The Awards will honour local, small-scale and community-based projects
with women and girls as the main beneficiaries.

1. Utilizes ICTs to promote women's economic empowerment and gender equality

a. Uses information and communications technologies (ICTs) in support
of women’s economic empowerment and the promotion of gender equality.

b. Demonstrates the impact of supporting individual women, communities
of women, or women’s organizations, to improve the quality of their
lives and to make meaningful contributions to equitable human
development and the broader struggle for social justice.


2. Upscales initiatives and community-centred technologies

a. Uses information and communication tools that are sustainable for a
long period of time and appropriate to the needs and specific contexts
of the community it is serving.

b. Has the potential and ease to be replicated in other areas taking
into account the different contexts and forces at play.

c. Broadens the reach and impact of pilot ICT initiatives targeted
towards women's economic empowerment and gender equality.


3. Promotes cooperation and social networking

a. Fosters multi-stakeholder cooperation and active participation among
different sectors (e.g., local communities and business, government,
other organisations) in the community.

b. Acts as a channel to access information, gain social support and
confidence, nurtures collective or community life.

c. Strengthens the capacity of people in implementing the project.

LEARNING LESSONS AND SHARING STRATEGIES
To be eligible for the Awards, applicants need to reflect on and express
understanding and strategic analysis of the methods and tools they used,
and of their own failures and ultimate success in such a way that others
can learn from their experience.


TIMETABLE
Nominations will be accepted from February 15 to April 30, 2005. Winners
will be selected and announced by August 30, 2005.


LANGUAGE
For the 2005 Awards, application forms must be submitted in English.


APPLICATION AND FILE ATTACHMENT SIZES
Completed applications must not exceed **10 pages** in length (not
including the application instructions). Fonts used to fill up the form
may be a minimum of 9 points and a maximum of 12 points in size. File
attachments such as photos must not be larger than **1MB**. Applicants
who wish to submit supplemental material such as video must send the
application packages by mail.


SUBMISSION
Applicants may complete and submit the Application Form below and send
as a file attachment to: awards2005-apply at apcwomen.org

Please write the name of your project in the Subject line of the e-mail.

For applicants who may want to submit their application by filling up
the online application form, please go to: <www.genderawards.net>

Or send your application by fax to: (632) 9203330

If applicants are unable to send their forms through e-mail, or wish to
add supplemental materials such as videos, application packages
may also be mailed to:

Gender and ICT Awards Project Team
2A Madonna Lane
Sanville 1, Brgy. Culiat
Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines 1128

Mailed applications must be postmarked by April 15, 2005. Proof of
posting is not proof of receipt. Only complete application entries
received by the closing date will be considered for the awards.

For those who have queries or require guidance in completing the
application form, please submit all inquiries by April 1, 2005 through
email to: mylene at apcwomen.org


GENDER AND ICT AWARDS 2005

***APPLICATION FORM***


A. PROJECT INFORMATION

1. a. Project Name or Title:

b. Project URL, if any:


2.Describe how the initiative reflects each of the Gender and ICT Awards
criteria.

a. Utilizes ICTs to promote women's economic empowerment

a.1 What types of ICT tools do you use?

a.2 How does the application of these contribute to the promotion of
women's economic empowerment and gender equality?

a.3 How was the achievement of women’s economic empowerment and gender
equality assessed/determined?

a.4 Which cultural, traditional and religious gender-biased notions and
beliefs were challenged, if any?

a.5 In what ways is your project different from others in enabling
women’s economic empowerment and gender equality?

a.6 What added value does your project bring to the ICT for development
fora?


b. Upscales initiatives and community-centred technologies

b.1 Please narrate specific innovative or new approaches employed by
the project, if any, that contribute to its development and its
relevance to the community it is serving.

b.2 Describe the processes or mechanisms that are in place to ensure
the project’s sustainability.

b.3 How can your project be replicated elsewhere?


c. Promotes cooperation and social networking

c.1 Who participates in the initiative? (Please identify participants,
beneficiaries, and implementation partners. Provide specific demographic
(age, income, rural/urban) information about your beneficiaries.)

c.2 Please identify the project’s most important partners and explain
their role in the project and in helping to mainstream gender.

c.3 How does the project foster cooperation and active participation
among the different sectors (government, private sector, civil
society) in the community?

c.4 How does the project strengthen the capacity of those who are
involved in its implementation?


3. Learning Lessons and Sharing Strategies

a. Why, when, and how did the project begin?

b. What are the goals of the initiative?

c. How are decisions being made in project implementation?

d. What mechanisms are in place to ensure transparency and
accountability in implementing the project?

e. What results and/or immediate outcomes has the initiative achieved,
and what impact has it had on the beneficiaries, participants, and
community?

f. What tools and processes did you use to monitor and evaluate the
results of the initiative?


B. GENERAL INFORMATION

1. Name of organization

2. Address

3. Country

4. Telephone number

5. Fax number

6. E-mail address

7. Organisation's URL (if applicable):

8. Name and designation of person submitting this application form

9. Organization’s Vision/Mission

10.Where did you hear about the Gender and ICT Awards?

11.References: Please provide the names and contact information
(below) of _3 referees_. At least 1 to a maximum of 2 of these referees
must be from the country in which the project is based.

Referee 1
Name:
Designation:
Organisation:
Email Address:
Mailing Address:

Referee 2
Name:
Designation:
Organisation:
Email Address:
Mailing Address:

Referee 3
Name:
Designation:
Organisation:
Email Address:
Mailing Address:

12.Please list any additional materials (including photos and video)
that you are including in your application packet.

......................................................................
................................................................





To our applicants: We want to inform you that by submitting an
application to the APC WNSP and GKP Gender and ICT Awards 2005, you
are permitting APC WNSP and GKP to translate, distribute and publish
information from your application (and any subsequent information
requested by Awards officials) in any form, through the use of printed
materials, ICT (including the Awards website), or otherwise.

THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR STORY. BEST WISHES!

The Association for Progressive Communications Women's Networking
Support Program APC WNSP) and the Global Knowledge Partnership (GKP)

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

The Gender and ICT Awards is sponsored by the Association for
Progressive Communications Women's Networking Support Program (APC
WNSP) and the Global Knowledge Partnership (GKP).

The APC WNSP is a global network of women who support networking for
social change and women's empowerment through the use of ICTs.
<www.apcwomen.org>

The GKP is a worldwide network where governments, donor agencies,
private sector companies, civil society, networks and international
institutions gather as equals to apply ICTs for development.
<www.globalknowledge.org>

The GICT Awards is funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and
Cooperation (SDC) <www.sdc.admin.ch/> and the Department for
International Development (DFID), United Kingdom <www.dfid.gov.uk/> .

---///---