Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06PARIS7446
2006-11-20 07:18:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Paris
Cable title:
UNESCO-MEETING ON PROMOTION OF WOMEN AND GIRLS IN
how-tonull Lucia A Keegan 11/28/2006 10:01:58 AM From DB/Inbox: Lucia A Keegan Cable Text: UNCLAS PARIS 07446 SIPDIS cxparis: ACTION: UNESCO INFO: POL ECON AMBU AMB AMBO DCM SCI DISSEMINATION: UNESCOX CHARGE: PROG APPROVED: CHG: ACKOSS DRAFTED: POL: MAPOINTER CLEARED: SCI: NJCOOPER; PA: CBERGIN VZCZCFRI702 RR RUEHC DE RUEHFR #7446 3240718 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 200718Z NOV 06 FM AMEMBASSY PARIS TO SECSTATE WASHDC 3215
UNCLAS PARIS 007446
SIPDIS
FROM USMISSION UNESCO PARIS
FOR OES - ANDREW REYNOLDS
FOR IO/UNESCO - JIM DUFTY
DEPARTMENT PASS NSF FOR ROSE GOMBAY
DEPARTMENT PASS OSTP FOR GENE WHITNEY
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: UNESCO SCI TNGD PHUM
SUBJECT: UNESCO-MEETING ON PROMOTION OF WOMEN AND GIRLS IN
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)
UNCLAS PARIS 007446
SIPDIS
FROM USMISSION UNESCO PARIS
FOR OES - ANDREW REYNOLDS
FOR IO/UNESCO - JIM DUFTY
DEPARTMENT PASS NSF FOR ROSE GOMBAY
DEPARTMENT PASS OSTP FOR GENE WHITNEY
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: UNESCO SCI TNGD PHUM
SUBJECT: UNESCO-MEETING ON PROMOTION OF WOMEN AND GIRLS IN
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)
1. Summary. A two-day workshop, "Re-engineering Development:
Engendering ICT" was held November 13-14 at UNESCO. Though
sponsored by UNESCO, the event was organized by the Centers for
Women and Information Technology; Women in Global Science and
Technology; and the European Association of Women in Science,
Engineering, and Technology. Other sponsors included the National
Science Foundation and several American technology companies. The
workshop objective was to chart a course of action for projects and
initiatives to promote the role of women and girls in the field of
Information and Communication Technology (ICT). UNESCO officials
contributed opening remarks, and a representative from the Science
sector suggested a future partnership between a proposed task force
and the existing UNESCO network of university chairs working in this
area. End Summary.
2. The meeting, whose theme was "Global Efforts for Local Impact:
Moving from Knowledge to Action," included breakout groups on the
following topics: education through and with ICTs; workforce
development, recruitment, and retention; entrepreneurship for small
and medium-sized enterprises. Desired outcomes of the event focused
on the creation of new programs and collaborative projects
associated with each of these three primary areas of concern.
3. Claudia Morrell, Executive Director of the U.S. Center for Women
in Information Technology, led a debate on the proposed creation of
a five-year task force to achieve greater implementation of already
existing instruments and projects on gender and ICTs, as well as to
encourage progress on future initiatives. Participants debated the
criteria for joining such a task force.
4. Ms. Rene Clair of the Basic and Engineering Sciences division at
UNESCO reminded participants that UNESCO has already organized a
network of chairs from Sudan, Ctte d'Ivoire, Brazil, Argentina,
Morocco, Burkina Faso, and Pakistan called the "Women, Science,
Technology, and Development Network." She reiterated that this
network is ready to work with the task force on mutually beneficial
projects once the task force is created.
5. During the final plenary session, the breakout groups presented
ideas for several future projects. Russell Jones, Chairman of the
Capacity Building Committee of the World Federation of Engineering
Organizations, suggested that an electronic portal be created to
ensure that these projects go forward in the future. He also argued
that future gatherings should be organized to coincide with other
significant global events where task force members would already be
present.
6. Comment. Although this was not an official UNESCO event - it
simply took place at UNESCO -- capacity building in the areas of
water resources, basic science and math education and engineering
have been priorities for the U.S. at UNESCO. The aim of this event
was to launch an effort to which UNESCO would potentially contribute
by establishing networks and creating partnerships, including with
the private sector. This seems in line with the sort of role
advocated for UNESCO by leading members of the U.S. science
community. In addition to these positive points, this event
illustrates UNESCO's sometimes ad hoc approach to program planning.
This event also illustrates the limits of cross-sector cooperation.
The Deputy of UNESCO's Communication and Information (CI) Sector did
not know about the event when asked, and was almost certain that no
one from the sector had attended. This is ironic, since the CI
sector is one of the strongest proponents of cross-sector work at
UNESCO, and its ADG chairs the UNESCO cross-sector working group on
capacity building.
7. All of the issues highlighted above might be considered by the
high-level panel that is currently reviewing UNESCO's Natural
Science and Social and Human Sciences Sectors.
KOSS
SIPDIS
FROM USMISSION UNESCO PARIS
FOR OES - ANDREW REYNOLDS
FOR IO/UNESCO - JIM DUFTY
DEPARTMENT PASS NSF FOR ROSE GOMBAY
DEPARTMENT PASS OSTP FOR GENE WHITNEY
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: UNESCO SCI TNGD PHUM
SUBJECT: UNESCO-MEETING ON PROMOTION OF WOMEN AND GIRLS IN
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)
1. Summary. A two-day workshop, "Re-engineering Development:
Engendering ICT" was held November 13-14 at UNESCO. Though
sponsored by UNESCO, the event was organized by the Centers for
Women and Information Technology; Women in Global Science and
Technology; and the European Association of Women in Science,
Engineering, and Technology. Other sponsors included the National
Science Foundation and several American technology companies. The
workshop objective was to chart a course of action for projects and
initiatives to promote the role of women and girls in the field of
Information and Communication Technology (ICT). UNESCO officials
contributed opening remarks, and a representative from the Science
sector suggested a future partnership between a proposed task force
and the existing UNESCO network of university chairs working in this
area. End Summary.
2. The meeting, whose theme was "Global Efforts for Local Impact:
Moving from Knowledge to Action," included breakout groups on the
following topics: education through and with ICTs; workforce
development, recruitment, and retention; entrepreneurship for small
and medium-sized enterprises. Desired outcomes of the event focused
on the creation of new programs and collaborative projects
associated with each of these three primary areas of concern.
3. Claudia Morrell, Executive Director of the U.S. Center for Women
in Information Technology, led a debate on the proposed creation of
a five-year task force to achieve greater implementation of already
existing instruments and projects on gender and ICTs, as well as to
encourage progress on future initiatives. Participants debated the
criteria for joining such a task force.
4. Ms. Rene Clair of the Basic and Engineering Sciences division at
UNESCO reminded participants that UNESCO has already organized a
network of chairs from Sudan, Ctte d'Ivoire, Brazil, Argentina,
Morocco, Burkina Faso, and Pakistan called the "Women, Science,
Technology, and Development Network." She reiterated that this
network is ready to work with the task force on mutually beneficial
projects once the task force is created.
5. During the final plenary session, the breakout groups presented
ideas for several future projects. Russell Jones, Chairman of the
Capacity Building Committee of the World Federation of Engineering
Organizations, suggested that an electronic portal be created to
ensure that these projects go forward in the future. He also argued
that future gatherings should be organized to coincide with other
significant global events where task force members would already be
present.
6. Comment. Although this was not an official UNESCO event - it
simply took place at UNESCO -- capacity building in the areas of
water resources, basic science and math education and engineering
have been priorities for the U.S. at UNESCO. The aim of this event
was to launch an effort to which UNESCO would potentially contribute
by establishing networks and creating partnerships, including with
the private sector. This seems in line with the sort of role
advocated for UNESCO by leading members of the U.S. science
community. In addition to these positive points, this event
illustrates UNESCO's sometimes ad hoc approach to program planning.
This event also illustrates the limits of cross-sector cooperation.
The Deputy of UNESCO's Communication and Information (CI) Sector did
not know about the event when asked, and was almost certain that no
one from the sector had attended. This is ironic, since the CI
sector is one of the strongest proponents of cross-sector work at
UNESCO, and its ADG chairs the UNESCO cross-sector working group on
capacity building.
7. All of the issues highlighted above might be considered by the
high-level panel that is currently reviewing UNESCO's Natural
Science and Social and Human Sciences Sectors.
KOSS