VOF WEEK1 (My friend web 2.0)

Our friendship started with getting valuable information through web 2.0. Web 2.0 often described as ‘the web as platform’ by Internet users holds true by providing every writer the podium for publishing his/her work. The plethora of operations and data managing capacity of web 2.0 is just amazing. Though with the advent of web 1.0 we became familiar with sharing large number of information, web 2.0 equipped us with breaking up information into ‘ micro content’ that can be used further by tailoring data according to our need and looking beyond the same source of information through remixing the data. Prior to its genesis, we never thought of sharing our ideas, views and concern with such an electrifying speed. As I came to know about worldpulse community and sub community within it, I subscribed to groups working on issues like anti- trafficking, gender disparity, gender and sustainable water forums to enrich myself from the articles of my other colleagues from all corners of world. Likewise, there are so many social networking sites where we can find voices of many people espousing social causes unheard in mainstream developmental thinking. But can we visualize such forums without adequate facilities for exchanging views and solutions through conferencing, posting blogs, search engine optimization with people around the world in a small span of time? Many social networking communities have posted their views and work, their action plans, the problems encountered by them on their websites in past few years with the distinct purpose of advocating the cause of gender and women empowerment. What is more encouraging is the fact that the world perspective on gender has acquired a broad based social meaning rather than segregating women as reproductive machinery with little ability to participate in mainstream production functions. After Esther Boserup’s appealing argument against ‘trickle down’ benefits from macro economic strategies targeted towards modernization and growth, the women empowerment strategies have moved towards ‘gender and development’ approach from ‘welfare’ approach. This new stream of thinking has helped men in joining such forums to strengthen the women empowerment movements. Use of web 2.0 is facilitating the process with more men realizing the inevitability of gender equity and equality and joining the cause through accessing information on this subject. Another aspect I would like to mention is the enormity of women issues witnessed through the eyes of women irrespective of north- south divide. Many of our notions about developed countries being insulated from gender inequality got challenged by stories that we glanced upon in gender related networks. I am looking forward to internalizing more knowledge by working closely with groups working on anti- trafficking, gender based violence and sustainability of water and sharing some of my ideas and experience with my groups. Last but not the least, I would like to add web 2.0 has certainly helped the cause of women empowerment through providing us a platform where we can articulate or thoughts.