UNIFEM Study on Women and Technology

The United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) is currently preparing a study on women making a difference in science and technology and requests your assistance in compiling literature on the subject. The study will document and analyze, through a number of case studies, how women make a difference in science and technology design, production, utilization and in policy formulation and implementation, at both the formal and informal level. Questions we hope to address include: have women's contributions to science and technology been transformative; how are women changing the priorities and practice of science and technology, both as individuals and as organized groups; how do women approach science and technology; do they prioritize the uses of science and technology differently than men; is science and technology more successful and does it satisfy basic needs more often when women are involved?

The aim is to highlight women's vast wealth of knowledge; demonstrate how women's use of science and technology has benefited their own communities, as well as advanced a people centered science and technology; demystify science and technology and dispel several myths including the misconception that women's informal work is divorced from scientific and technological practice; and convince policy makers, the private sector and the public at large that women have much to and technology and that they should be equal players in decision-making and in its production and use.

Kindly forward any relevant information (such as documentation of your own work, newspaper of journal articles, newsletters, academic papers, contacts, etc.) to: Jennifer Sisk, c/o Lis Joosten, UNIFEM, 304 E. 45th St., 6th Flr., NY, NY 10017. Should you have any questions please contact Jennifer Sisk at: [email protected] or Lis Joosten at (212) 906-6446. With your help we can compile an invaluable tool that will move us closer to our goal of engendering science and technology. Thank you.