Women in the ICT profession in India: The Millennium Scenario of Empowerment

Abstract

The single most important factor in improving the ability of girls and women in developing countries to take full advantage of the opportunities offered by information technology is more education, at all levels from literacy through scientific and technological education. The need to align development in the ICTs (Information and Communication Technologies) arena with human development objectives is now widely accepted. However, to date, these reshaping efforts have been relatively silent on the need to include gender equality and promotion of women’s empowerment as central tenets of the transformation effort. In this regard, the ICTs arena trailed behind place, security, education, health, human rights, enterprises promotion, microeconomic reform and trade, where there is acceptance that there can be no meaningful progress, without consideration of women’s empowerment. ICTs cannot fulfill their potential for use root for gender equality, women’s empowerment and human development unless decision making and participation of women in the ICTs sector undergo fundamental change. So, the steps are needed for women to access potential benefits the ICTs and to minimize potential disbenifits associated with the ICTS revolution. The first part of this paper will deals with theoretical overview of women’s empowerment and existing reality of women’s general and technical educational status, while the second half of this paper will highlight the women’s participation in ICT profession in various organizations and last part will address why ICTs as a tool for women’s empowerment