2013 VOF Week 1 Assiggnment - Sharing the Challenge, A Web 2.0 Un Utilised Opportunity
Jan 21, 2015
Story
- It’s a means of communicating and linking that has limited limitations. One only has to have access to internet to use it.
There is high level networking between women and girls and people of all walks of life and more interesting the way what affects women seems to be universal across nations and time.
Women are able to chat, discuss, get social support raise funds and ideas for improvement through the Web.2.0
The web is able to elicit emotional and passionate support as I the case of the breast ironing that have raised concern beyond country of origin but internationally by the women movement and other advocates - a lot of useful information is shared and helps the advocacy efforts against societal ills and ensures that there is continuous debate on these ill.
The web 2.0 can facilitate virtual coordination of programmes and projects; one doesn’t have to be in a place to coordinate as seen in the Egypt case. Shared vision is possible and whether losses and gains can be collectively shared by network members
the web 2.0 helps create a virtual family , shared stories and passions over issues affecting people of different races and a feeling that there are others who have overcome helps to calm women and girls and face the challenges astutely
It helps people to improve on their writing and discussion skills through continuous interaction between and across topics, self awareness and peer assist mechanism is enhanced. Women can monitor their achievements form the responses and feedback from the networks
the web 2.0 has a monitor and lens to follow government and other actors obligations to implement their roles in as far as women needs are concerned, particularly in addressing gender based violence - on a personal front I have been empowered to write what I have always wanted to share but never did, I have been good at procrastinating and thinking of visiting media houses for air space in audio visual media or space to write articles in print media. The other option has been to visit private sector to secure sponsorship to air issues. Now I know I can use another space that is completely free and accessible to me at minimal cost
I have been able to share and network with fellow applicants and share in their pain and feel a part of the family. This gives me more energy to move the agenda further. Sometimes even today before I went to a meeting on furthering combination HIV prevention I was feeling frustrated about HIV response and how political leaders have killed the drive to reduce HIV incidence and prevalence in Uganda but a realization that I can share with a whole team who are willing to listen and act upon the advocacy issues locally or globally gives me more energy to continue doing what I can do best that is to continue sharing and talking until someone in position of power can respond.
