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Connecting young women in Malawi to ICTs - Strengthening SRH information as a pathway to empowerment?

Klason, Lovisa LU (2016) MIDM19 20161
Department of Human Geography
LUMID International Master programme in applied International Development and Management
Abstract
Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) are becoming increasingly influential in social, economic and political spheres and have also been recognised for their potential within health promotion, especially when targeting youth and adolescents. Despite the potential of these new technologies, there is a growing understanding of how prevailing inequalities between men and women and socio-cultural norms create barriers for women in accessing ICTs and forms a “gender digital divide”. This qualitative case study used individual interviews and focus group discussion to investigate how projects use ICTs to address youth sexual and reproductive health (SRH) in Malawi. Bourdieu’s theory of practice and Kabeer’s concept of empowerment were... (More)
Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) are becoming increasingly influential in social, economic and political spheres and have also been recognised for their potential within health promotion, especially when targeting youth and adolescents. Despite the potential of these new technologies, there is a growing understanding of how prevailing inequalities between men and women and socio-cultural norms create barriers for women in accessing ICTs and forms a “gender digital divide”. This qualitative case study used individual interviews and focus group discussion to investigate how projects use ICTs to address youth sexual and reproductive health (SRH) in Malawi. Bourdieu’s theory of practice and Kabeer’s concept of empowerment were applied to understand how socio-cultural norms influence young women’s access to and use of ICTs and to explore how young women reflect upon their own empowerment in relation to ICT interventions for SRH promotion. The findings showed that socio-cultural norms underpin gendered inequalities in Malawi and translate into structures that impede women’s use of ICTs to gain information about SRH. It further indicated that using ICTs to access SRH information can further their empowerment, both because of the increased knowledge and because of the skills and capabilities acquired when operating the devices. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Klason, Lovisa LU
supervisor
organization
course
MIDM19 20161
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
ICT, socio-cultural norms, Information and Communication Technologies, Sexual and Reproductive Health: SRH, empowerment, gender inequalities, Malawi
language
English
id
8879546
date added to LUP
2016-08-25 13:23:34
date last changed
2016-08-25 13:23:34
@misc{8879546,
  abstract     = {{Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) are becoming increasingly influential in social, economic and political spheres and have also been recognised for their potential within health promotion, especially when targeting youth and adolescents. Despite the potential of these new technologies, there is a growing understanding of how prevailing inequalities between men and women and socio-cultural norms create barriers for women in accessing ICTs and forms a “gender digital divide”. This qualitative case study used individual interviews and focus group discussion to investigate how projects use ICTs to address youth sexual and reproductive health (SRH) in Malawi. Bourdieu’s theory of practice and Kabeer’s concept of empowerment were applied to understand how socio-cultural norms influence young women’s access to and use of ICTs and to explore how young women reflect upon their own empowerment in relation to ICT interventions for SRH promotion. The findings showed that socio-cultural norms underpin gendered inequalities in Malawi and translate into structures that impede women’s use of ICTs to gain information about SRH. It further indicated that using ICTs to access SRH information can further their empowerment, both because of the increased knowledge and because of the skills and capabilities acquired when operating the devices.}},
  author       = {{Klason, Lovisa}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Connecting young women in Malawi to ICTs - Strengthening SRH information as a pathway to empowerment?}},
  year         = {{2016}},
}