A (more than) virtual door for women's empowerment

Pam_fem

Of Gender Inequalities and other Demons

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• 2010 VOF Week 1

Web 2.0 is a revolution for the World Wide Web as well as a revolution for the daily life and the global social movements. I conceive it as a door always open between the world wide web and the “wide” world. The amazing advantages of this type of technology are that internet has become a partecipatory platform, and a space for e-democracy. The internet users are not mere passive customers but they are part of the game, they are actively creating knowledge. The Web 2.0 allows me as user to give feedback: I can answer, say what I like or dislike, I can share and spread the content or just ignore it. Thanks to this approach people have the power to choose what to read or say or they can just shut the virtual door. The other really innovative features are networking and collaboration. You can get to know a lot of people from all over the world or just in your town.You can chat, share dreams, get tips for everything, even a job or a simple smile. It is a real social capital.

Great innovations have their drawbacks . As for every democracy there are inequalities, even for this e-democracy there is the digital divide. Not everyone has a secure access to it. Neverthless community leaders are mostly connected and they can be responsible delegates, rising problems worldwide they shape a portion of public opinion. . The word is a sword and young leaders are blogging worldwide to express discontent or report abuses.

Global women's movement also is using the technology to call for social and political change to empower women. The Web 2.0 is filling the gap between mainstream media and traditional human rights organizations. Women all over the world connect and dialogue across regions, cultures and religions. Women collective organized through the web can use information as inputs to the agendas of women's organizations and political initiatives and put it to service of women at large. The Empowerment of women is both a process and a result that increase women's ability to take strategic decision in their life. Today women in the net have the possibility to empower themselves making their choices. There is not danger of reducing femminism to clicktivism, the only (positive) danger is that this approach is drawing a growing number of women into deeper commitment outside the “traditional leftist” circle of feminists.

My experience with web 2.0 has started recently and it has already changed my view on the net potential. I log into twitter every day this is my virtual door. For example I came in contact with Women Worldwide Initiative and its amazing young founder. I am collaborating posting articles and video in her platform. I've met also italian women that are giving me advices, unconsciously models and sources of inspiration. Working together in a worldwide dimension make me feel empowered, I feel I have more possibilities in front of me and more different amazing people all around.