• Gender mainstreaming
• In organisations
• Mainstreaming in development programmes and policy

Gender mainstreaming

The application of ICTs as a tool for effective enhancement of learning, teaching and education management covers the entire spectrum of education from early childhood development, primary, secondary, tertiary, basic education and further education and training. This paper however focuses on attempts at introducing ICTs in formal primary and secondary school education in Africa.

Any consideration of the use of ICTs as a tool for the advancement of African girls and women in education has to confront three major contextual areas:

• educational and development issues
• ICT issues
• gender issues (and the confluence between these three).

This paper contends that a clear conceptual framework in problematising the education crisis from a developmental, gendered and ICT perspective is lacking and is critical in providing conceptual clarity on appropriate strategies for using ICTs as a tool for women’s empowerment particularly in Africa.

The author describes the context of all three of these issues and their inter-connectedness. She describes the SchoolNet programmes in Africa and gives examples of programmes that have been successful in including girls. The paper ends with recommendations, particularly with further research in this area and into whether increased access for girls to ICTs in schools does reap the benefits claimed for it. [Adapted from author]

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