The following (and attached) statement was made by Lettie Tembo-Longwe on behalf of the Gender Caucus at the World Summit of the Information Society at Tunis.

The WSIS Gender Caucus is a multi-stakeholder group of women and men whose main strategic objective is to ensure that gender equality and women’s rights are integrated into WSIS and its outcome processes.

The WSIS-Gender Caucus is seriously concerned that only a fraction of the recommendations made in the Tunis Plan of Action reflect the realities on the ground. The opportunity to ensure gender justice and equality in the Information and Knowledge Society was not fully realized. Your Excellencies, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, we cannot claim that we are building a World Information Society without assuring the channels and means for the full participation of all women and men .

On behalf of women from all regions, the WSIS Gender Caucus believes that implementation of the Geneva and Tunis commitments can only be possible through the inclusion of women's skills, leadership, different ways of communication and women’s rights as key values of the operation and implementation mechanisms of the World Information Society. The members of the WSIS Gender Caucus are committed to continue working with all partners towards equal participation of women and men at all levels in the World Information Society.

The WSIS Gender Caucus calls on all national governments to adopt a multi-stakeholder consultative approach that will benefit both women and men on equal footing, to provide funding for projects aimed at bridging the gender digital divide, supporting the use of appropriate Information and Communication Technologies such as community radio, and to ensure the participation of women in all Information Society decision making structures.

This is the most effective way to ensure the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals and end world poverty.

I THANK YOU
Lettie Tembo-Longwe
WSIS Gender Caucus Interim Chair
Tunis Summit
Tunisia
18 November 2005