Poverty Reduction, Gender Equality and the Knowledge Society: Digital Exclusion or Digital Opportunities

The paper is based on the premise that any strategies to increase the participation of women in the information economy will increase national IT capacity, reduce poverty, and help to raise the national standard of living. It summarises international discourse on the connections between gender equality and poverty reduction, and defines the context of the knowledge society, including the digital and gender divides.
The overall purpose of the paper is to provide policy makers with an awareness of key issues and understanding of strategies, approaches and resources; and to promote the development of ICT projects, systems and infrastructure that will contribute to poverty reduction.