Proceedings of 13th Asian Business Research Conference
26 - 27 December, 2015, BIAM Foundation, Dhaka, Bangladesh,
ISBN: 978-1-922069-93-1
Women Empowerment through Information and
Communication Technology (Ict) Training Program: An
Interpretive Case Study
Zakia Haque
This study intends to portray the impact of utilitarian value of Information and
Communication Technology (ICT) in women empowerment of Bangladesh. It
tries to find out how truly it can stand as a meaningful means for empowering
women in Bangladeshi context .To get the answer it tracks an interpretive
paradigm to get closer to the reality which helps to dig out how ICT training
skills and knowledge conducted in Bangladesh is helping women in
empowerment.
This study takes qualitative approach, case study design as a research method,
interview and observation as a data collection tools. Publicly provided ICT
training program in east part of Dhaka city in Bangladesh had been selected
(case) as study site and with six respondents where liberal feminism and
empowerment approach have lens to interpret the experiences and data from
the field.
Experiences of the respondents commonly identifies that ICT knowledge is a
very strong means to change their live positively and empowering themselves
in the context of Bangladesh. It effects on liberating women to different
situations, from workplace to family, and societal participation. Utilizing this skill
and knowledge they are getting multiple benefits such as cultivating required
communication skills and through it they are getting access in information. This
has made noticeable enhancement in their actions that increase scope and
access to participate in the everyday business and in decision making process
in their lives. Besides, it contributes towards changing the attitude of the male
counterparts of the family and in the society. It increases their dignity and
importance to others and assist them to get freedom of choices and authority of
life. It has also been making the opportunity to earn and spend according to
their needs. Thus, it opens up the window of their thinking and selfdependence.
Key Words: Information and Communication Technology (ICT) training,
Women Empowerment, Scope and Access, Decision Making.
Field of Research: Business Education Research
1. Introduction
The diffusion of ICT has come to play a major part in development intervention around
the world (Linda, 2008) as it is a powerful force of transforming social, economic and
political life constructively. A number of development strategists see the need for
developing countries to embrace information technology both as a way to avoid further
economic and social marginalization as well as to offer opportunities for both growth
and diversification of their economies (Castells, 2008). ICT has been used in various
______________________________________________________________________
Affiliation: Manager, Research and Development Department, Education Program, JAAGO Foundation
(www.jaago.com.bd) AND Vice-President, MOVE Foundation, a youth-led non-profit organization
(www.move-foundation.com); Address: H# 247/1, New Circular Road, Malibagh, Dhaka-1217, Contact
No. +88 01 777 756 703, E-mail: lizuk.99@gmail.com
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Proceedings of 13th Asian Business Research Conference
26 - 27 December, 2015, BIAM Foundation, Dhaka, Bangladesh,
ISBN: 978-1-922069-93-1
programs to combat poverty and give the people a chance to join the new information
society that is widely spoken of and experienced in different societies (Islam, 2010). It
pointed out that the tendency being too optimistic about technology and believes that by
providing relevant training and implementing a certain technology certain outcomes will
be noticed (Jain, 2007). People use information and communication technologies in
different ways, for different purposes and in different contexts.
Women are the cross cutting part of the development aspects and their contribution is
the most talking issue in global arena. Moreover, the world is now concerned about
sustainable development and if the platform can be made for women, they can play an
active role in the movement. On the other hand, empowerment of women in the context
of knowledge societies requires building up the abilities and skills of women to gain
insight into the issues affecting them. Building up their capacity to voice their concerns
in terms of practicing their rights and control over life and assets are concern for
empowerment. Country like Bangladesh, women are considered as second class citizen
and get less scope and access on resources to utilize the capabilities (Hussain, 2014).
Their participation in the development actions are concern for the governments of
Bangladesh and to meet up the needs it incorporates women in all the developmental
activities related to technology and communication with giving equal priority and scope
through multiple initiatives. It has been trying to ensure women participation in the
technology and assist them to getting the benefits of this (Islam, 2012) and formulate
act and laws for ensuring women access as well (ibid). Although a small number of
women is getting the benefits of ICT by the provided training of different institutions of
non government and government from my experiences while working with the women.
But for the rest the blessing has not reached yet which is a concern for the government.
If the small percentage shows a noticeable changing in their lifestyle, it would be easy
for GoB to ensure more participation of women in the information and communication
sphere. Utilizing resources with ensuring access to exercise their rights for empowering
women can be brought change in their life as well as the society. Since only 1.72
percent of women citizen are taking the opportunity of using technology with significant
impacts on extending women communications sphere (Ministry of ICT, 2013) and this
small figures make an influence in the life. It is important to synchronize the utilization of
ICT for women and ensure its proper uses for getting economic progress to make an
overall development in their life.
Abbas found in his study that skill based training helps to promote citizens to generate
income for the individual to national development (Abbas, 2009). It says that this kind of
training also helps one to become confident for doing any work according to once own
choices. This type of training is related to individual application of knowledge or skills of
a particular work for enhance employability and livelihood (Medel, 1995). If women
utilize the ICT knowledge it can be playing a pivotal role for changing their livelihood
pattern and living standard. While in context of Bangladesh access is the central issue
necessary for women empowerment (Castells, 2008) where they are traditionally been
excluded from the external information sphere, both intentionally and because of factors
working to their disadvantage such as lack of freedom of movement or low levels of
education (ibid). As ICT opens up a direct window for women to the outside world and
information flows to them without any distortion or censoring (Jain, 2007) leads to
broadening of perspectives, greater understanding of their current situation and the
causes of poverty and the initiation of interactive processes for information exchange.
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Proceedings of 13th Asian Business Research Conference
26 - 27 December, 2015, BIAM Foundation, Dhaka, Bangladesh,
ISBN: 978-1-922069-93-1
From the above discussion it can be says that with proper utilization and access of ICT
women of Bangladesh can make a change with making choices in their life and
transform this choice into desire in actions.
As World Bank says that the process of increasing the capacity of individuals or groups
to make choices and to transform those choices into desired actions and outcomes is
empowerment (The World Bank, 2011).If women can practice this in life then it will
assist them to become empower. It also shared that empowered people have freedom
of choice and action which in turn enables them to better influence the course of their
lives and the decisions that affect them. Factors that plays in the issue of women’s
empowerment depends upon having sufficient control over resources, personal
capacity, and sense of self-confidence and self-efficacy, as well as on changing
traditional ideology. Based on Grameen Bank’s explanation, if women are able to play
an active role in helping their family, fulfilling certain requirements, then the women can
be considered empowered (Grameen Bank, 2009). It also shared that women’s
empowerment in Bangladesh is linked in particular, with women’s economic
advancement and self- dependency. Basically, the factors that centered most in
women’s empowerment are to self-earning capacity. In addition, if a woman can earn
money by herself, she should be granted the following abilities: the ability to spend
money by herself, the ability to train by herself, the ability to help family members,
freedom of choice, a sense of self-confidence and self-efficacy, the ability to create a
happy and prosperous life, the ability to get involved politically, the ability to educate her
children.
It comes in mind that why access to ICT is essential for Bangladeshi women and its role
of sustainable economic and social development of this country (Islam, 2012). It means
that the power of ICT grows stronger day after day and its potential looks inestimable. It
offers the opportunities for direct, interactive communication even by those who lack
skills, illiterate, lack mobility and have little self-confidence. ICT can be an effective
enabler of women empowerment if we can utilize this in required places (Jain, 2007). It
leads that it has played an important role in changing the concept of work and work
pattern for women by proper ulitizations.In Bangladesh the uses of ICT has increaded
and the changes has started in the multiple sectors as well (Grameen Bank, 2009).
Understanding the potentials of ICT training knowledge and skills and the scenarios of
Bangladeshi women it is required to know the effectiveness of ICT in changing women
life. Besides, the training program based on ICT conduceted by Government of
Bangladesh(GoB) organizatons need to expand by knowing the enabling factors of ICT
in empoweremnt of women to ensure their equal participation in development
intervention. GoB has addressed the issue and has started different programs on ICT to
get its output on different aspects. If gender dimensions of ICT in terms of access and
use, capacity building opportunities, employment and potential for empowerment are
explicitly identified and addressed then it can be a powerful catalyst for political and
social empowerment of women, and the promotion of gender equality in Bnagladesh
(Islam , 2012). In the era of globalization with the view to ensure utilizing half of the
human resource of the country needs to address the benefits of these types of skills
development training using technology and its exercise for the improving
communication skills to connect with the world.
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Proceedings of 13th Asian Business Research Conference
26 - 27 December, 2015, BIAM Foundation, Dhaka, Bangladesh,
ISBN: 978-1-922069-93-1
On the other hand, from researcher experiences of talking, meeting and spending time
with women who have taken training on ICT, she has seen and observed women
changes their actions of everyday living and thinking. They have been using their skills
in multiple ways in everyday actions. It has seen a number of women are changing their
living through this skill by using it in multiple aspects. Since the percentage of ICT users
are very low but the impact is large. With the help of government organization those
women are getting chance to utilize ICT have shown a changes in their life which assist
them to get access in every day decision making process both is household and
community (Linda, 2008). Moreover, all the factors described above needed to know by
the women side for getting the actual changes and impacts of this program towards
their empowerment. This study focuses only on the small percentages of women ICT
user and training participants of different government run organization in Bangladesh
who is getting scope of utilizing ICT. Keeping it ground of this study, it inclined to know
the realities of the ongoing ICT training program’s impact on women; whether it has any
role to empower women in the development aspects both in household and society.
Therefore, the intention of this study was to understand the changes with the ICT
training programs to women’s of Bangladesh conducted by governments’ organizations,
thereby having their capacity building to exercise the freedom of choices to earn and
spend money.
Purpose of the Study
The main purpose of this study was to understand the changes of women with
increased capabilities by utilization of ICT trained by the Bangladesh government run
organization’s ICT training programs.
Research Questions
1. How do the women explain the benefits of ICT?
2. What are the perceived benefits of the training program in their everyday business
(decision making)?
3. How have the training programs enabled the participated women to have financial
freedom?
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8. 2. LITERATURE REVIEW
9. Thematic Review
Women in Bangladesh
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Proceedings of 13th Asian Business Research Conference
26 - 27 December, 2015, BIAM Foundation, Dhaka, Bangladesh,
ISBN: 978-1-922069-93-1
In Bangladesh women have very low social status (Rafiqul, 2011) and they are not
recommended to engage in economic activities. The women have had only limited
involvement in economic development issues in Bangladesh of the 21st century. Studies
conducted by the World Bank demonstrate that rural women in Bangladesh have limited
access to household decision making, physical and financial assets (Islam, Ahmed &
et.al., 2010). While having a very low level of individual assets (Islam, 2012), they are
heavily loaded with work, and are restricted in terms of mobility. They possess
inadequate levels of skills and knowledge, thus being very vulnerable to male
dominance and power relation in any social sphere (Sebstad, 2000). They are also in
many ways inferior to and dependent on men from early childhood (Rafiqul, 2011).
When the girl reaches puberty her marriage will soon be arranged and in some cases
the family will pay the husband’s family a dowry to marry off their daughter to him. The
girl will thereafter pursue the rules of Purdah1 and live under seclusion if her male
counterpart and in laws member wants. Violence against women is common in
Bangladesh which might be physical or mental but in some cases it is revealed. Even if
the constitution promotes equal rights to women, women still suffer from discrimination
and violence that occurs in the home, at the workplace and on the society level as well
(Hussain, 2014). The women in rural Bangladesh are hard working and get fewer
opportunities. Foremost, they perform heavy household work throughout the days.
Women’s contribution to the family income is not recognized to the same extent as
men’s, but they are however involved in many activities (Islam, 2011). “A woman’s work
is never done”, a woman says in the study of Hartman and Boyce (1998). Although
women’s work is hard and time-consuming, such work does not provide them equal
status to men. A woman seldom earns money on her own, but is financially dependent
on her father, then husband and thereafter her son for economic security (Linda,2008).
In Bangladesh, to improve the literacy and education level among girls and women the
tuition fee is removed for girls the first twelve years, because the families often are
reluctant to pay for their daughter’s education (Linda, 2008) .Women, however,
constitute only 22% of the university students in Bangladesh (Hussain, 2014). But the
scenario of urban areas is bit different than the rural part of Bangladesh. In urban areas
of Bangladesh women have more access and scope in the urban areas rather than the
rural part of the country (Islam, 2010).
Understanding Women Empowerment
Women Empowerment is the process of strengthening the existing capacities and
capabilities of women to enable them perform towards improving themselves, their
families and the society as a whole to make choices and to transform those choices into
desired actions and outcomes (Vodanovich, Urquhart & Shakir, 2010). It encompasses
the provision of enabling environment for women productive and intellectual abilities to
be realized. In some societies where some groups have suffered discrimination for a
long time. Different people consider empowerment differently. However, there are four
aspects which seem to be generally accepted in the literature on women’s
empowerment. Firstly, to be empowered one must have been disempowered. It is
relevant to speak of empowering women, for example, because, as a group, they are
disempowered relative to men. Secondly empowerment cannot be bestowed by a third
1
Purdah is a religious system of Islam entails with some rules and restrictions for women.
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Proceedings of 13th Asian Business Research Conference
26 - 27 December, 2015, BIAM Foundation, Dhaka, Bangladesh,
ISBN: 978-1-922069-93-1
party. Rather those who would become empowered must claim it. Development
agencies cannot therefore empower women – the most they can achieve is to facilitate
women empowering themselves. They may be able to create conditions favorable to
empowerment but they cannot make it happen. Thirdly, definitions of empowerment
usually embrace a sense of people making decisions on matters which are important in
their lives and being able to carry them out (Medel, 1995). Finally empowerment is an
ongoing process rather than a product. There is no final goal. One does not arrive at a
stage of being empowered in some absolute sense. People are empowered, or
disempowered, relative to others, importantly relative to themselves at a previous time
(Grameen Bank, 2009).
According to UNIFEM (2000), Women’s empowerment is all about gaining the ability to
generate choices and exercise, bargaining power for developing a sense of self-worth
and a belief in one’s ability to secure desired changes, and the right to control one’s life.
Most of the literature researcher shows that even though definitions of women’s
empowerment may differ, the majority of writers at least agree on the fact that
empowerment is a process, and more specifically a process of change, enabling people
to gain the power so neatly incorporated in the word “empowerment”. The term
empowerment has different meanings in different socio-cultural and political contexts,
and does not translate easily into all languages (Majoor & Manders, 2009).
Indicators of Empowerment
Understanding of empowerment is a complex issue with varying interpretations and
meaning making in different societal, national and cultural contexts (Abbas, 2009). So,
indicator can differ but in some cases these are cross cutting issues. At the level of the
individual woman and her household participation in crucial decision-making processes,
ability to earn and train by choice, ability to spend, extent of sharing of domestic work by
men, scope to which a woman takes control of her reproductive functions and decides
on family size, extent to which a woman is able to decide where the income she has
earned will be controlled to, feeling and expression of pride and value in her work; selfconfidence and self-esteem as well as ability to prevent violence (Grameen Bank,
2009). The United Nations Population Information Network indicates that women’s
empowerment consists of five dimensions: 1) women’s sense of self-worth; 2) their
freedom of choices; 3) access to opportunities and resources; 4) the power to control
their own lives; and 5) the ability to influence the direction of social change (UNFP, 2002
cites as Rafiqul, 2011). However, this study followed the above five factors to meassure
participants empowerment through the ICT training program.
Information and Communication Technologies (ICT)
ICT includes a series of complex and heterogeneous set of goods, applications and
services (Castells, 2008). It used to produce, process, disseminate and transformation
of information that assist to communicate with world. ICT covers any product that will
store, retrieve, manipulate, transmit or receive information electronically in a digital form
(Sandys, 2005). So, ICT is concerned with the storage, retrieval, manipulation,
transmission and receipt of digital data (Riley, 2012). The ICT sector consists of
segments as diverse as telecommunications, television and radio broadcasting,
computer hardware, software and services and electronic media like example, the
Internet and electronic mail. Information and communication needs can be met by more
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Proceedings of 13th Asian Business Research Conference
26 - 27 December, 2015, BIAM Foundation, Dhaka, Bangladesh,
ISBN: 978-1-922069-93-1
traditional means, such as print media and fixed telephone lines, or and the Internet.
Throughout the world technologies continue to be important for large numbers of
people, particularly in rural areas (Sandys, 2005). However, new technologies have a
vast potential for empowerment which needs to be fully exploited by satellite
technology, mobile phones.
ICT Training
According to Islam (2012), ICT training comprises the preparation and learning of the
series of events that gives the ideas and knowledge regarding a diverse set of
technological tools, resources and appliances used to communicate, create, store,
disseminate and manage information. These technologies include computers, the
Internet, broadcasting technologies like radio and television, and telephony. ICT
Training is also consider as the institutional learning facilitated for improving information
communication and technological skills and using capacity for one’s own necessary
(Jain, 2007). The goal of this training is to the uses of digital technology that already
exist to help individuals, businesses and organizations use information (Sandy, 2005). It
includes different types of training activities of like communication of data by electronic
means that is often achieved via networks of sending and receiving equipment, wires
and satellite links. This training is designed to uphold and promote once capabilities and
potentials to explore life and inventions using ICTs.
ICT as an Empowering Tool
ICT cannot bring individual or collective change potentially to the lives of women without
appropriate utilization and uses. It could be a weapon of changes that denotes the
factors of women’s empowerment through ICT intervention can be categorized in two
ways: enabling and disabling factors (Laizu, Armarego & Sudweeks,2010). Enabling
factors to promote ICT include extensive telecommunication networks, good ICT
infrastructure, availability of educated women, and low capital investment for ICT micro
enterprises. And the disabling factors are lack of skilled and trained women, cost of
training, and social taboos. These two key factors in the process of empowerment are
identified in control over resources denotes the conditions for empowerment; and in
agency means the ability to formulate choices in actions. Separating the process into
components such as enabling factors, agency and outcomes may be useful for
understanding that empowerment is a dynamic process (ibid.).
It arises a question that how ICTs make contribution to empower women. In 1995 the
conference The Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action adopted at the Fourth World
Conference on Women drew attention to the emerging global communications network
and its impact on public policies, with individuals the attitudes and behavior. It termed
for the empowerment of women through enhancing their skills, knowledge, access to
and use of information technologies (Sandys, 2005). It also included a strategic
objective of access and increases the participation of women to expression and
decision-making in and through the media and new technologies of communication.
Based on knowledge and experience that had emerged in the previous five years, the
twenty-third special session of the General Assembly, held in June 2000 to review
progress in implementation of the Platform for Action, recognized that ICT had created
new opportunities for women and contributed to knowledge sharing, networking and
electronic commerce activities (Sandys, 2005). This study considered ICT is a tool for
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Proceedings of 13th Asian Business Research Conference
26 - 27 December, 2015, BIAM Foundation, Dhaka, Bangladesh,
ISBN: 978-1-922069-93-1
women empowerment and it would help them to make choices and change this choice
into actions. Through the training program that has designed to enable women to get
access in technologies and get information of everyday life and promote them to
exercise the rights on actions. This way ICT works as tool for empowerment in this
study.
Theoretical Review
According to Cherry (2014) a theory is an inherent principle that describes some
characteristics of the natural world. Here researcher have applied one theory of
feminism names as liberal feminism and empowerment theory that she thought
important to explain and analyses the information collected from field to make
meaningful units of participants’ reflections.
Liberal Feminism
According to liberal feminism theory there is existence of exclusion of women from ICT,
specifically in terms of access to computers, the internet at various stages and in
various settings across their ways of life at home and school or in work (Baehr, 2013).
This theory concentrates on the under-representation of women. It also looks at the
conditions of work for women in the IT sector, including the low pay and limited
progress. According to this approach the most notable aspect of the ‘liberalist’ agenda is
the recommendation for more action.
This feminism approach also encourages women getting equal access of all level of
education and all types of competency development opportunity. Badran (2009) stated
on her work that the need for better and equal opportunities, scope and managing
diversity legislation and initiatives to advance women in ICT. Through better gender
equity, with the help of ICT, skills gap being narrowed by the greater participation of
women in all the ICT related industries and fields for the holistic development of the
country. In my study, this approach works as a pathway of making meaning of my
gathered data on the concern issue and helps to interpret it. This feminist theme on
impact of technological change for the welfare of women is considered to alter the
gender inequality and collected data from the field showed the impact of ICT training
knowledge in the scenarios of gender status.
Criticisms of the liberal feminist theme can be summarized as follows: It fails to question
women’s inclination to participate in the ICT activities and industry. This could be due to
the ignorance of women’s lack of education in certain countries which leads to failure to
attain knowledge and skills. In this study researcher considered women with equal
access and opportunities for all the aspects of development and scope where they can
take part with full phrase (Baehr, 2013). According to this theory women should not be
excluded from any kinds of advancement events whether it is ICT or anything. This
study considered all the participants having the right of basic welfare services, access to
resources, mobilization and participation, and control over power and also valuing these
activities in context of the liberal feminism theory.
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Proceedings of 13th Asian Business Research Conference
26 - 27 December, 2015, BIAM Foundation, Dhaka, Bangladesh,
ISBN: 978-1-922069-93-1
Theory of Empowerment
Empowerment is a process of getting power and authority on resources with making
choice to transform it in actions and outcomes. Empowerment is a word that has been
used so often and so widely that its definition has become blurred. Activist groups use
the term to rally behind different issues, while academic circles frequently cite the word
in scholarly articles. This theory says that it is a process on gaining power on individual
life and it varies situation to situation and for individual. Many researchers emphasized
empowerment as a process of helping people gain control over their own life. For
example Adams (1996, p.5 ) defines it as : ‘the means by which individuals, groups, and
/or community become able to take control of their circumstances and achieve their
goals (Pease, 2002). But it also focuses on the process of increasing the capacity of
individuals or groups to make choices and to transform those choices into desired
actions and outcomes (The World Bank, 2011).Empowerment is a process of build
individual and collective assets, and improves the efficiency and fairness of the
institutional context. It is all about the people having freedom of choice and action which
in turn enables them to better influence the course of their lives and the decisions that
affect them. Consequently the term “empowerment” means to give somebody the
power or authority to do something (Oxford Dictionary). According to Malik and Luqman
(2005), it is the enhancement of assets and capabilities of diverse individuals and
groups to engage and influence and hold accountable the institutions which affect their
living (Malik.& Luqman, 2005). They further stated that among the different
disempowered groups like: poor, ethnic, minorities etc., women are one which is crosscutting category with all these groups (ibid.). Since this study deals with the
empowerment of women and this theory has light the participants’ experiences making
a meaningful unit to sense and say whether they are in the process of gaining power
and controls over life.
Policy Review
GoB has been trying to incorporate all the things related to gender equality and equal
access to all arenas in the policy where it give emphasis in separate section that
women are the half of the country’s human resource; therefore government are trying to
utilize them by the different approaches (Ministry of ICT, 2013). In the constitution of
Bangladesh it focuses on women strong constitutional rights and opportunities by
referring different Article. Through different Articles it describes the status of women that
are given below:. Article 27, 28 (1) (3): equality in the eyes of the law, no discrimination
on grounds only of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth and equal protection under
law. Similarly, Article 28(2), 29(1): equal opportunity for men and women in all spheres
of state and public life, also in respect to employment in the service of the Republic. No
discrimination on grounds only of religion race, caste, sex or place of birth in providing
access to any place of public entertainment or resort, or admission to any educational
institution that has discussed in Article 28(3) and Article 65(3) says that women are free
to contest election from any constituency and enabling laws framed to enhance
women’s participation in the economy, in social and political structures (Constitution of
people republic of Bangladesh, as cited ISN, 1972).
According to the National Skills Development Policy (2011), both in formal and informal
programs women should have the equal access to the resources so that they can
acquire or improve their knowledge and skills for meaningful employment or upgrade
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Proceedings of 13th Asian Business Research Conference
26 - 27 December, 2015, BIAM Foundation, Dhaka, Bangladesh,
ISBN: 978-1-922069-93-1
existing employment opportunities. Special efforts are necessary to correct this gender
imbalance, particularly in the formal training system which given the current low
participation rates of women in skills development. The participation of women in skills
development programs government will be increased by offering a broader range of
traditional and non-traditional skills training programs that could improve the
employability of women (Ministry of ICT, Bangladesh, 2013). Also reviewing different
programs and their delivery modes it says awareness raising for women on the benefits
of skills development and increase enrollment rates for females across all skills
development programs are maintain strictly. By providing a gender friendly environment
for female students; providing separate wash rooms for male and female students;
employing female instructors where possible; implementing a workplace harassment
prevention policy in public institutions. It also indicates that if it ensures all instructors
and managers undergo gender awareness, workplace harassment prevention and
equal employment opportunities (EEO) training; and providing a system where all
students have access to counseling services make it easier women (Education, 2011).
It says women should get all the scope for participating development intervention of the
country. However, reviewing ICT policy and other policies of Bangladesh I have found
that only few steps have been taken for women in practice and it is enough to bring a
huge female population of the country to ensure their empowerment.
Review of Related Research Studies
There is a growing body of evidence on the use of ICT to empower women all over the
world. For example, in Africa APC (Association for Progressive Communications) a
woman networking association has conducted training and workshops to support
electronic networking among women’s groups which assist them to get change their
thinking. In Senegal the Multimedia Caravan project provided rural women the
opportunity and access to develop their own ideas on how ICT can be used to meet
their development needs and goals (Jain, 2007). Since in Kenya, with the help of
internet women and men weavers were trained, learned and got new weaving
techniques and access more realistic prices for their products (DFID, 2010) while my
study tried to find out the benefits of ICT training to become empowered for the women
of Bangladesh. In Uganda, the Uganda Media Women’s Association established a radio
programme Mama FM where women can actively participate and learn about various
developmental issues such as economic activities, human rights, children, governance,
nutrition and health related things (Jain, 2007). Malik and Luqman (2005) have shown in
their study that in Ukraine, UNDP Tele-center project conducted in a way that ICTs have
been used for assisting agricultural and farm management to support women farmers,
who identified lack of information and networking tools as the major obstacles becoming
successful entrepreneurs in a new market economy. On the other hand my study tried
to see the impacts of ICT training program on women empowerment. These are
projects to bringing women in the empowerment process and have achieved the
objective whereas few literature have found to empower women with the help of ICT
training program specially designed for women to bring mainstream development. But in
India, it has been using ICT for development for more than two decades; there are
many good practices for the use of ICTs for women’s empowerment (Jain, 2007). India
Shop, an e‐commerce website in Tamil Nadu, has been designed to sell products made
by rural women’s co‐operatives and NGOs. The Dhan Foundation and Swayam Krishi
Sangam are using ICTs, such as handheld devices and smart cards, to improve
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Proceedings of 13th Asian Business Research Conference
26 - 27 December, 2015, BIAM Foundation, Dhaka, Bangladesh,
ISBN: 978-1-922069-93-1
microfinance projects to empower poor women (DFID, 2010). The Self‐Employed
Women’s Association (SEWA) has several ICT projects for women, including
community learning centers, a school of Science and Technology for self‐employed
women, and the Telephone project, which provides mobile phones to women in the
informal sector (ibid.). Similarly in Andhra Pradesh, a study done by Jain found that
self‐help groups of rural women have been so successful in marketing their products at
home and abroad that the major multi‐national corporations want to use their selling
skills (ibid.).He followed qualitative approach to find the result. Afore mentioned studies
shows the ICT related programs and projects and its consequences on women
empowerment
However, above discussion about ICT, its impacts and the different training programs
related to ICT which have a strong impact on women empowerment for the various
regions with several contexts and also about the impacts of ICT in women intervention
across the world. Nevertheless, this study dealt with the influence of ICT training
programs run by the government organizations for the women empowerment in
household and community. It was found that the literature mainly focuses on ICT uptake
and women empowerment in different societies in general, whereas the findings from
the research was able to provide a more in-depth analysis of how ICTs training
knowledge and skills are used by women in the Bangladesh and the specific obstacles
and opportunities that they face for their empowerment.
Research Gap
To conduct this study researcher read a number of literatures related to this issue. From
the review it found that most of the countries are using ICTs in multiple ways either in
training form or in campaign form to bring a positive impact on women life and the
discussed matters was all about women involvements in various counties by the means
of ICT, either by government level or by NGO level. In context of Bangladesh, studies
are done by scholars and researchers on ICTs and women where very few studies are
on ICT training component and its effects on women changing role in family and society.
While it comes to ICT training and changing impacts on empowerment researcher found
no studies. Despite countries have designed programs on ICTs and women
development and studies are accomplished to know the consequences where
Bangladesh is far away to this step and it is needed to know and informed the country
people regarding the designed programs outcome on women empowerment.
Researcher wanted to take the initiation to conduct this study on the running ICT
training programs in Bangladesh and its impact on women to get entrance into
empowerment. This study was a small effort to minimize the gap of information about
the ICT training effectiveness on women empowerment.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
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15.
16. 3. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Philosophical Considerations
Research philosophy is a belief about the way in which data about a phenomenon or an
event should be gathered, analyzed and used in the study. And every research is
carried out in a certain philosophical ground because the dimension of a research is
always guided by philosophical instance. Philosophical ground gives researcher a
standpoint to pave the way for methodology as designing research, selecting research
instruments, collecting data with the presentation of data, interpretation of data and so
on, and leads a researcher to new knowledge as well. In the regards of philosophical
stance, I would like to caste light on three broad branches of philosophy as ontology,
epistemology and axiology.
Interpretive Research Paradigm
Researchers using interpretive approach aiming to uncover meaning toward a better
understanding of the issues involved. This undertaking necessitates certain
methodologies, of which only a few are highlighted here. Interpretive paradigm is to
understand the subjective world of human experience. To retain the integrity of the
phenomena being investigated, efforts are made to get inside the person and to
understand from within (Cohen, Manion , & Morrison, 2007). Interpretive approaches,
on the other hand , focus on action. This may be thought of as behaviour-with-meaning
and a large number of our everyday interactions with one another rely on such shared
experiences. Interpretvists are anti –functionalists, who believe there is no single correct
route or particular method to knowledge. In the interpretive tradition there are no correct
or incorrec theoris.Instead, they should be judgeed according to how interesting they
are to the researcher as well as those involved in the same areas (Cohen, Manion , &
Morrison, 2007). They derive their construct from the field by in depth examination of
the phenomenon of interest. Resercher have chosen interpretive paradigm to make
appropiate meaning of the collected data to draw a clear a picture of the research
questions. This paradigm has given multiple ways to make meaning of participants’
information with variety of options that helped to come to an decision. Since ICT training
is shared knowledge and skills that could be measured through mulitiple options and
ways; and might be practiced in different aspects of life where interpretivism would be a
pathway to see the scenarios of actions.
Research Design
This research was based on case study method under qualitative research approach.
Interpretive case study on the other hand does not expect the researcher to have a
clear idea of what is being studied. Rather than following a fixed process, the research
process changes as the researcher learns more about the topic and what it actually
needs to research. Qualitative research does not produce facts and figures but in a
complete description of the subject of research.
Case Study Method
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Proceedings of 13th Asian Business Research Conference
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ISBN: 978-1-922069-93-1
Case study research excels at bringing us to an understanding of a complex issue or
object and can extend experience or add strength to what is already known through
previous research. Case studies emphasize detailed contextual analysis of a limited
number of events or conditions and their relationships (Yin, 2003). Researchers have
used the case study research method for many years across a variety of disciplines.
Social scientists, in particular, have made wide use of this qualitative research method
to examine contemporary real-life situations and provide the basis for the application of
ideas and extension of methods. Yin (2003) defines the case study research method as
an empirical inquiry that investigates a contemporary phenomenon within its real-life
context; when the boundaries between phenomenon and context are not clearly
evident; and in which multiple sources of evidence are used (Yin, 2003). I have chosen
case study in my study as it deals matters in detail and provides clear picture to
understand. On the other hand, my study topic was to understand how ICT training
knowledge and skills have been changing women life to become empowered. Since
empowerment is a vague and abstract matter to measure because of its contextual
attributes. It is measured few meeting or conversation. Case study involves in depth
information and intense study of a case so its methodology closely aligned with my
study issue to get more real and depth information that would assist my reader to know
the reality.
Study Site
My study conducted in two government run organizations named as Bangladesh Mohila
Shanstha (Bangladesh Women Organization) and Jatio Jubo Unnayan Proshikhan
Kendro (National Youth Development Training Centre) both are situated in East part of
Dhaka metropolitan city, Dhaka Division, Bangladesh. Reason behind this selection
was, both of these are government run and well renowned institutes for providing ICT
training to all level of women in Bangladesh. They have district offices and local
branches across the country for discriminating ICT knowledge towards women. Since
my intension was to understand the impact of ICT training program knowledge and skills
on empowering women and through the outcome of the study everyone would be
informed about the impacts of ICT skills and knowledge. This would be grabbed the
attention of women belongs to all level of the society having minimum level of education
and its effects would good for society as well as for the country. Another reason was
that these two organizations have chosen purposively as they are relatively near to my
residence that assisted me to get more authentic information by visiting multiple times
with the participants. These organizations are government run and developed training
focusing on women and the keep in mind the present needs of globalization for
developing their communication skills and enabling them to access in the information
world.
Research Participants
My study was guided by interpretive research paradigm under the qualitative approach
and it has followed purposive sampling method for selecting the participants. Sample
sizes in qualitative research should not be too large that create difficultly to extract
quality and rich data (Cohen et al.,2007). In my study, there are six participants (ibid.)
who are women and have taken ICT training from the mentioned organizations where
three participants were both home maker and students and other three participants
were student and service holder. I have chosen the participants purposively to explore
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Proceedings of 13th Asian Business Research Conference
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ISBN: 978-1-922069-93-1
the real scenario and to understand the impact of ICT training programs for empowering
these women in their everyday life. I have preferred different types of occupation to give
a space of thinking to my readers as well as to dig out the multiple scenarios and cases
of the training knowledge execution and uses in their everyday life. Through this
research report readers will be get the knowledge of this ICT based training impacts on
women life and its influence on empowering women.
Data Collection Approaches
In order to collect information of the concern topic and to figure out the answers of
research questions along with meeting up the purpose of the study, semi-structure
interviews and observation were used as data collection tools. Since interviews deals
with figuring out understanding the condition, participants’ views, experiences whereas
observation assists to realize and to see the real situation of the context (Creswell,
2011). After designing interview questions researcher had started communicate with the
organization to get preferred research participants to gather in-depth information and
then continued to visit the study area and meet with the participants more than one time
and built a rapport with them. During the visit few times researcher went to three
participants’ home with their permission to explore more information my observation
checklist and to cross check the information what they are saying. Throughout the
study, information has been written as field note, sorted in terms of truth and validity,
and explained to find out the underlying meaning of the sharing experiences and made
details in interpretive way with required explanation.
Interview
Interview is a primary tool to collect information for the qualitative type of research
(Creswell, 2011). It is a conversation between the interviewer and the interviewee where
questions are asked by the interviewer to obtain information from the interviewee. In this
study, researcher tried to find out the queries by semi structured interview questions
which required several times of interview schedule for the same participants. In this
study, researcher first asked the approval of asking interview questions about their ICT
training program and its effects in day to day life activities to enter in the empowerment
process.
Observation
Observation is one of the most important tools to collect the primary data for the
qualitative research (Creswell, 2011). Though empowerment is an abstract thing and it
is not visible or cannot be measured, thus researcher observed the actions of
participants’ during the different interview sessions and tried to find out the define
criteria of empowerment process by their different actions and saying, with the
permission of the research participants. Researcher also compared to the information
that are gathered from the interview and observation during the analysis and
interpretation to find out the differences of the events and circumstances.
Data Generation, Analysis and Interpretation
To generate data from the sampled data source, I interacted with the data source using
qualitative research methods within the designed strategy of inquiry. Data analysis is a
systematic process of segmenting the data into meaningful units. The qualitative data
has less number of participants than quantitative data but qualitative data gives detail
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Proceedings of 13th Asian Business Research Conference
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and deep information than the quantitative data (Cohen et al.,2007). It is a process of
dividing the data into different meaningful parts. Data analysis has done only after
collecting the information. In this study, researcher collected information from the
participants and visited and met with them several times for interview and observation.
First of all researcher went through the collected raw information several times for
making meaning that and then segregated gather information according to the code.
Researcher read this code multiple times to place them according to the theme of my
research questions. Then wrote the interview data according to theme of the research
questions and tried to find out the meaning from the sub questions of the research
questions. These themes were interpreted to make meaning and to get the findings of
this study for achieving the specified objectives. For the first research question
researcher interpreted their views and shared competency and skills of using ICT in
everyday communication activities under the theme. Then analyzed the views and
sharing of the participants to make a meaningful unit and according to their sharing and
with the help of empowerment indicator researcher explained whether participants are
on the empowerment process or not. Consequently, for the second research question
where it deals about the perceived benefits of ICT Training program in everyday
decision making process of empowerment where transcribe the gathered information
into the theme and interpret it according to their shared experiences of regular activities.
For the last research question where enabling participants become financially freedom
was concerned, to get the answers researcher followed similar strategy like the first and
second questions. After that, it interpreted the collected information for getting the real
pictures and scenarios of the issues and gets the inner meaning of the sharing. All the
findings from these tools and techniques were verified by triangulating the information to
get exactness. The findings were interpreted logically to achieve the answer of the
research objectives and suggestions are made based on the finding of the study.
Moreover, researcher engaged herself for several times to analyze, discuss and to
interpret the information according to the themes for making meaningful findings and the
conclusion.
17. 4. DISCUSSION
Researcher was interested to gain an insight into the impact of ICT training programs
and its role in empowering women. The finding of this study revealed that the
participants are getting positive response of the ICT training skills that have been
benefiting them mostly in developing their communication skills which enable them to
come closer to the family members. One of the interesting thing researcher found that if
women live in her father house or her husband house without in-laws members rather
than residing her in-law; they get more chances and opportunities to use computer and
technologies. Additionally, if their husband is cooperative they can able to utilize
knowledge smoothly. If compare their before and after effect of ICT in their regular life,
it is found that they look more confident and powerful as it is helping them to upgrade
their performance in study as well as in work place. Out of six participants two of them
want to do more advance training if they can afford it since it is helping them to think the
importance of ICT in life. This uses and access have been increasing their scope in
many ways and enabling them to do more productive works.
From the reflections of the participants, they are utilizing their ICT knowledge and skills
in regular activities to meet up different purposes which help them to developing their
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communication skills and this significant improvement of the communication aspects
fostering them to get power and exercise the freedom of choices. This self-efficacy and
confidence of performance are contributing most in developing communication skill that
is helping them to earn or increase the scope of earning or assisting them to save extra
expenses which give them the essence of empowerment.
On the other hands, these constructive and productive works show their capacity to the
surrounding environment and it is making space for them to participate in the everyday
business and in decision making process. One of the most inspiring finding is that it is
supporting them to change the attitude of their male counterparts and for this in many
family matters they take decision jointly and the dominant attitude of their husband is
getting low over times. These positive changes contributing the participants’ to think
themselves capable and powerful which increasing more chances to exercise freedom
of choices in their lives. This is, however, promoting women’s active role in decision
making matters in personal life as well as in the family aspect and this is a concern for
long around the feminist world.
Finally, the improving performance and capacity of using ICT have been assisting them
to earn and save money that they get for family maintenance (especially for home
makers) and it has also been leading them to spend the earning and saving according
to their own choices and needs. They can keep aside their earning for other purposes
and also able to manipulate the money according the choices.
All the factors and consequences reveal that ICT training is a strong enabler to
promoting women empowerment for the participants. However, from the above findings
it can be concluded that the ICT training of two governments run organizations are on
right track and in many cases successful to achieve their objectives. Likewise,
governments also very near to achieve the target of helping women to enter into the
empowerment process for equal participation in the development activities of the
country. This result says that the concern that liberal feminism and women
empowerment encompasses regarding women limited access on resources and less
scope of exercising power relation with bargaining power and control over resources are
lessened through this kind of training program.
Moreover, similar kind of skill based training has been reducing the barrier in inclusion
of women in the ICT sphere which helps the liberal feminism outlook to promote women
empowerment. On the other hand, government of Bangladesh can utilize these types of
training as an effective tool for attaining its vision of digital Bangladesh by 2021 with
equal participation of women in the development aspects. In addition, in order to sustain
this achievement, ICT training programs can be used in more innovative ways with
more quality and contemporary contents with participant’s accessible places and fees to
cope up with the world through the proper utilization of technology in everyday life.
18. 5. CONCLUSION
This study presents the impact of ICT training programs on women empowerment, and
it presents the cases. By presenting multiple cases, it is enabled us to think and
understand that ICT training in extensively across the country might be helping us and
working as a tool for empowering women. It also highlights that whether the ICT training
knowledge and skills are allowed them to get access and uses on resources in their
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regular life and whether it has any influences in their empowerment. The outcomes say
that ICT can be an effective enabler to empower women of Bangladesh. In this
interpretive case study, the outcomes will be helpful for the women to know the impacts
of getting ICT training that will simplify their access in the information sphere. The
outcomes that present both sides of the women lifestyles and living will motivate other
women towards technology learning for entering in to the technology society. This paper
will assist women to know more about the other participated women’s beneficial factors
along with the ways to get participated in everyday decision making and financial
freedom of life. Through the shared knowledge women will be more interested in the
government run organizations training programs which will assist development
intervention ahead. This study will also create a space for thinking of other women who
are in similar context and will be decided to take part in the same kind of training
programs. The reflections of the participated women will be helpful for the organizations
to redesign what kind of training contents will be helpful and able to create scope in
employability. Through this attempt, organizations who are working on this can be come
closer to the women with more realistic outcomes of the trainings.
On the other hand, governments of Bangladesh have formulated policies, and action
plan to include women in the development aspect by giving them more access and
opportunities on resources and incorporating the women in empowerment process to
achieve the goal of the gender equality as well as the vision of ‘Digital Bangladesh by
2021’. A project is on execution in Bangladesh (by the State) to empower women by
utilizing the technology and conducting trainings on ICT in different districts of
Bangladesh where this study will be a source of knowledge to know the impact of this
kind of training in women empowerment. The positive outcomes will be evidence that
the training skills are really helping women to penetrate into the empowerment process
by getting authority, freedom and power. The policy makers also get a chance to know
the aftermath of this kind of skill based training utilizing technologies. Moreover, multiple
cases would be a mirror to them for recognizing how these skills are contributing in
women everyday business and in decision making process which is minimizing the
social constructed barriers by women active participation.
For the academicians it opens opportunities to get details into the process, how ICT
alone or with multiple facets/factors is instrumental on empowering women in a
developing world like Bangladesh. This work focuses on ICT trainings effectiveness and
impact on women empowerment and it create a room for work more on it like how this
will be continued and what types of advance training is necessary for women to get
empowered. The future researchers can work on increasing the relevance of the
training contents with the present needs and address future needs to get the proper
access in the knowledge and information society and also what factors are playing role
to continue exercising their rights to be empowered since it is a continuous and neverending process (Medel, 1995) and how it could be make more sustainable for women.
This study will also give insight to further study on women empowerment status of
Bangladesh and present consequences of the utilization of ICTs in Bangladeshi women
capacity building process.
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