A Just Transition for Women: Striving for Digital Literacy in India
March 8 is International Women’s Day, a global day to celebrate the achievements of women and drive action to accelerate gender equality.according to United Nations, this year’s theme is “Innovation and Technology for Gender Responsibility”.Below, read about how researchers Columbia Climate Schoolof Sustainable Development Center and non-profit organizations Mahashakti Seva Kendra is helping teach digital skills to Indian women.
Let’s start with where we need to go.
according to International Labor Organization, a just transition means “achieving a green economy in a way that is as equitable and inclusive as possible for all involved, creating decent jobs and leaving no one behind.” Unfortunately, women are losing access to green skills and a greener future Work battle. The transition we’re talking about has dropped the word “just.”
Why are women losing the battle to acquire skills? Let’s take a deeper look. Labor force statistics from South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa show that women are increasingly joining the informal sector. In South Asia, 95 percent of women in the labor force are in informal employment.The percentage of sub-Saharan Africa is 89%. These large numbers of people joining the informal sector are alarming because many of the activities undertaken can be unpaid and exploitative.
Furthermore, women are disadvantaged in the job market due to the digital divide. The digitization of the economy is expanding, but women have limited skills in STEM and digital literacy. UNICEF Literature Review Reveals the lack of digital access and use by women and girls due to social norms, low levels of infrastructure and low costs. According to the report, 50% of women in the world are offline. In South Asia, women are 23% less likely than men to own a mobile phone. This is a serious disadvantage since more than 90% of jobs worldwide involve digital components.
In the case of India, there is a significant gender gap in employment in the formal employment sector. Women are dropping out of school.Our Organization – Columbia Climate School Sustainable Development Center and non-profit organizations Mahashakti Seva Kendra – are working together to reverse this trend.
Mahashakti Seva Kendra (MSK) is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing green skills and livelihoods to women in Bhopal, India. MSK currently provides green jobs to approximately 50 women living in resettlement areas or slums near Dwarka Nagar in Bhopal. Throughout the organization’s history, many women have been trained to learn the skills. The group has been promoting the message “No More Chemicals” in response to the 1984 Bhopal Gas Tragedy, an accident occurred in a pesticide factory, and poisonous gas was emitted into the city. Among the city’s 800,000 residents, it is estimated that about 2,000 died on the spot, more than 300,000 were injured, and the death toll was as high as 20,000.
The Center for Sustainable Development (CSD), in partnership with MSK, Develop a digital literacy curriculum It was first implemented in Mahbubnagar, Telangana. The course helps marginalized young and middle-aged female artisans change their own gender biases and perceived barriers by providing them with 1) technical digital skills to grow their businesses and expand their networks, and 2) life skills to help them change their own gender biases and perceived barriers. After the rapid success of Telangana – under the supervision of Srinivas Akula of the Energy and Resources Institute (one of our collaborators) – with the help of the Bhopal Municipal Corporation, the model was carried out with MSK in Madhya Pradesh test.
The curriculum framework was developed by CSD’s Haein Shin and Tara Stafford Ocansey and builds on the work of CSD economist Nirupam Bajpai. Dr Bajpai has been working on a model of economic development that uses information, communication and technology (ICT) to drive social change, especially in the areas of health and education.
Study sessions are held at MSK-operated centers for women only, at times that fit their schedules to maximize access. The female-only format is based on the finding that Indian women are more likely to speak freely, experiment with equipment, or participate in public spaces without the presence of men. Indian women who do not have access to computers at home shy away from male-dominated Internet cafes; thus, this ICT center provides a safe place.
Lessons include specially curated audio-visual aids that will help participants learn about and understand the larger social ecosystem and inform their thinking about biased social norms. The content sparked discussions about how to work together to build confidence to fight injustice in your own life. The CSD developed frameworks, facilitator guidelines, and materials to use interactive group activities to discuss sensitive topics.
The ICT Center has been operating since 2018 with MSK’s Shivani Batham, a teacher and counselor, who expanded the lesson plan to include Bollywood film screenings to discuss gender topics. The course is held every three months; to date, more than 100 women have graduated from the centre.
Graduation ceremony for a recent batch of students. Photo: Pooja Iyengar
According to Shivani, acquiring ICT skills is a basic requirement for women to work in government services, which many in India aspire to. However, girls lack access to digital skills and employment opportunities due to lack of access to computers at school and at home. Shivani also receives many requests to learn how to use accounting software.
Shivani says her students come to grips with digital skills easily, but she has to work on boosting their confidence. She has developed a number of confidence building activities and gender sensitive icebreakers for women to open up to learning computer skills. Health information, homework help for children and English speaking skills are other popular topics that have been added to the curriculum.
The MSK program avoids some of the pitfalls and challenges women face when trying to enroll in government-accredited technical vocational education and training programs in India. a study According to interviews with women at MSK’s ICT Center, women need permission from their families (especially men) to access educational opportunities provided by the government. The research also revealed that housework and childcare were considered women’s main jobs – so it would be difficult for them to be in classrooms during the busy hours of domestic work as part of government schemes’ strict hours. Literacy is also a barrier. While MSK women know basic Hindi, some are unable to read the complex texts required by government programs. So it’s easier for them to learn and practice on the job while still earning some money on the job, which is what the MSK program does.
Shivani Batham of MSK recently organized an alumni reunion. Photo: Pooja Iyengar
The research shows that women are still constrained by many patriarchal rules and social obligations. Therefore, women who want to gain digital skills and contribute to a green economy need the support of the entire ecosystem to access educational opportunities. For a truly just transition, we need to open many doors for women now to ensure a fairer future.
Radhika Iyengar is the Director of Education at the Center for Sustainability at the Columbia Climate Institute.
Pooja Iyengar Is the chairman of Mahashakti Seva Kendra.
