South Asia    

Women's Rights and Movements Online

June 1st – July 31st  2008

StreeNet is designed as an online course on women's issues, rights and movements, offered to women. The format is unique in that, for the first time, internet skills and women's studies are combined as course material.

*  StreeNet enables women to use the Internet and access e-learning

*    It introduces women to the issues of women's rights and movements through an interactive and dynamic learning process

*   It utilizes the internet as a medium to promote collaborations and networking among participants

Why have we fused together these objectives? 

We believe that the internet, which has created a virtual revolution in communications and information, will bypass women if they are not active users and developers. We find that societal gender inequality permeates the fields of information, communications technology. It is being defined and developed with a male perspective. There is a yawning digital divide, with twice the number of men using the internet.

Women need to eliminate this digital divide and gender stereotype by overcoming their resistance to technology. In order to achieve this, they must learn use the Internet as a resource, to develop their own content, to reach out to other women. This will ensure a more balanced virtual world, where women have equal rights and equal opportunities. 

However, most women are busy juggling so many things, they are always short of time.  StreeNet allows easy online access to texts, and the flexibility to complete assignments, tests and discussions, ideal for women with demanding schedules. Through our experience of several StreeNet courses since 2002 with many women’s activists and students, we felt the need to take such a platform to the South Asian level and facilitate dialogue among Women’s activists in Women’s movements across South Asia .

Through Streenet we hope to provide a platform for networking on many issues that we face in the women’s movement both at national level as well as South Asia level. It is one step towards creating a stronger women’s movement in our countries.

How you benefit with StreeNet?

*    Learn and/or upgrade your internet skills

*   Learn women's studies topics through interactive methods

*    Meet different women for discussions online

*    Network with other activists within Women’s Movements across South Asia

*    Qualify with a certificate at the end of the course

 Course Contents

*    Scheduled readings

*    Assignments

*    Discussion forums

*   Web based research

*   Online chats with other e learners

*    Self assessment tests

Course Framework

Struggle Concepts

*     Gender Construction

*     Patriarchy

*     Violence/Oppression

*     Sexuality

*     Division of Labour

Resistance

*    Feminism

*    Women’s Movements in South Asia

Current Debates

*     Media Representation

*     Political Participation

*     Identity Politics

About Akshara

Akshara is a voluntary, registered, non-government women's resource centre, established in 1995. We believe in changing society by changing people. Our mandate is to empower young women and enhance their capabilities by helping them to individually lead a better life and to collectively build a better society.

To actualize our slogan "Women and Youth for Change" we have a three pronged strategy of capacity building; information for learning; awareness and advocacy, which runs through all of our programs. We offer a free library on women's studies to students, give educational scholarships to underprivileged young women, train youth to become social change agents and engage with the women's movements and other progressive social movements.

StreeNet Application Form
We invite all women activists and staff of Development Agencies/Organizations to sign up for the course by filling in the form below:

* Personal Details
Name:                                                              Age:
Country:                                                          Education Level:                                                       
E mail id:                                                         Mobile:
  
* Work experience
Organisation Name: 
Nature of Organization:     

                             
No. of years of work:
Professional Duties/Accomplishments:

Address:                                                           Website:
 
* Computer Literacy
Please tick what you are proficient in
      Ms Word
      Email
      Surfing
      Using search engines
      Blogs
      Discussion forums or chats
 
How many hours do you use the Internet?
What do you use it for the most?

* Costs
It will be difficult to charge for the course across our countries so we have a novel method of payment. Think of one or two books that talk about movements in your country which we could add to our collection in Akshara.  All the selected participants are requested to donate relevant Publications/Books to the Resource Centre.
 
Please forward this information to other potential participants from your organizations and institutions. On completion, please e-mail this form to: aksharaprograms@yahoo.com

*The last date to register for the course is May 17th, 2008.