Telecentres’ contribution to women's empowerment in rural areas of South Africa

ABSTRACT

The telecentre model was established to provide information and communication technology (ICT) skills to empower people, reduce poverty and unemployment in poor areas. Our study explored the relevance of telecentres as an ideal mechanism to empower women. Our study investigated how telecentres can contribute to women’s empowerment by analysing five telecentres in rural settings of the Western Cape, South Africa. A qualitative approach was adopted using semi-structured in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, and participant observation to collect data from 39 participants. The Dimensions of Empowerment Theory was used to describe the various empowerment outcomes. These include economic, social, informational, political, and cultural empowerment. The findings showed barriers hindering women’s utilization of telecentres included a lack of computer skills, education, language barriers, gender usage patterns, unemployment, and a lack of awareness. Our study contributes to the ICT4D/HCI gender field and suggests that ICT policymakers consider using telecentres for women empowerment.

KEYWORDS:

• Telecentre use
• ICTs
• women empowerment
• rural areas

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Abiodun Alao

Dr Abiodun Alao is a postdoctoral research fellow in the Applied Information Systems Department. She research in Information Systems, Development Communication, Media and Communications, ICT4D, Work Integrated Learning and Sustainable ICT. Before joining the University of Johannesburg, Dr Alao worked as a teaching and research assistant at the University of Cape Town and as a teaching assistant at the University of Fort Hare. Her research interest involves a multi-disciplinary investigative approach using Information Communication Technology (ICTs) as pathways to information and knowledge management on issues relating to the Sustainable Development Goals (Goals) and social implications of ICTs that affect societies. She explicitly explores aspects of entrepreneurship, social enterprise, human computer interaction, community and human development from the use of digital technologies.

Wallace Chigona

Prof Wallace Chigona is a professor in Information Systems at the University of Cape Town, South Africa. His research focuses on the use of ICTs for human development and ICT policy. He has researched on the use and impact of ICTs among the disadvantaged communities in different African Countries. Prof. Chigona is currently on the editorial boards of Electronic Journal of Information Systems in Developing Countries (EJISDC) and previously served on the board of the African Journal of Information Systems. Prof Chigona is rated as an established researcher by the South African National Research Foundation (NRF). He is a member of (i). UNESCO/Netexplo Advisory Board; (ii) The Communication Policy Research for the global South and previously served as the IFIP 9.4 Africa and the Middle East representative.

Roelien Brink

Professor Roelien Brink is an Associate Professor in the Applied Information Management Department at the University of Johannesburg. Her research focuses on information systems, information communication and technology for development, information management for the work-integrated learning process. She is the Vice Chair Africa on the International Research group for World Association for Cooperative Education (WACE) – Research for work-integrated learning, She was part of the advisory board for the World Association for Cooperative Education (WACE) Second International Research Symposium 2016. Prof. Brink is part of the international review team for the WACE 2nd International Research Symposium and WACE 20th World Conference. She is actively involved in the following Projects: Status of Women in Information Technology (SWIFT) and Sense of Belonging, Peer Support, Social Media, and Well-Being: Comparing Co-op and Non Co-op Student Perceptions and has an active experience in international project with the University of Waterloo in Canada.