In a space where women have learned to self-censor, to not speak with another woman because of the negative perception that can be extended to them, the story circle takes on an unimaginable value. I am humbled by the courage shown by these women, women who continue to struggle against the onslaught of patriarchal discrimination, and not just discrimination, but unabashed violence. Here are women who face danger as soon as they step out from their homes, they risk it, because they have to survive. Yes, it is a survival issue. It has come to this. For the rest of us, in countries, where there are still spaces to be who we are, to claim control over our own bodies and to claim our human rights, we shy away from this struggle, and we find reasons to do so.
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As we get to the end of the third day of the digital story telling workshop in Islamabad, Pakistan, I look around the room to see every one of the participants working intensely working at finishing their stories. We have just demonstrated how to use windows movie maker and i-movie – the last of the tutorials in our training plan. The room is buzzing – they are finding images, re-checking their audio recordings, drinking tea with one hand while the other rests on their keyboard.
Colours, physicality, laughs, this women are the bright side of Pakistan. Their bodies are telling stories that go beyond sorrow, pain, uncertainty. As always life is something that cannot fit into a single frame. It is like looking at a mosaic, recognising the pattern that link one piece to another and while the big scene is getting shaped, understanding how rich is the texture.
Pakistan, precisely Islamabad. I arrived two days ago, despite the cyclone Perth I landed on Sunday morning. A person was waiting for me. A small van took me and drive me in front of the Fort Knox of all hotels. A huge white building with a security system that has not exception.
I walked the door and entered a 1000 nights environment. We, my friends, colleagues and companions are here for a feminist tech exchange using digital story, a means for voicing our diversity and advocate for our freedoms. Yes, the small, every day freedoms that are very often denied.
We arrived from different part of the world: south africa, cambodia, philippines, bosnia herzegovina and pakistan: karachi, lahore, islamabad. We are here to learn from each other, to use the power of new technologies for the transformation of ourselves, individuals, activist and citizens of the global village and the transformation of the ones around us. We talk about violence against women, we names things, we talk about been safe and having safe spaces. And it's at this point that the paradox of security hit me.
Defines our approach to training. It outlines the core values that comprise feminist technology training. It is based on the experiences and politics of feminists who train other women to use technologies creatively and strategically.
How do we approach technology as women's rights activists? Where do communication rights fit into women’s movements? How can we reclaim technology for women's empowerment?
The Feminist Tech Exchange, also known as the FTX, was developed in response to calls from feminist and women's rights movements for greater understanding of emerging technologies, their potential and...
Training agenda, presentations, trainers' notes that have been used in our FTX workshops. Definitely useful in planning your our training and your own FTX workshops.
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Tried, tested and true technology resources made for and used by activists and non-profit groups. Guaranteed to make your feminist tech training extra-special.
Fantastic women who know a thing or two (...or more) about appropriating technology for women's rights and empowerment. They have been trainers / facilitators in our FTX workshops.
Unless otherwise stated, content on the FTX website is licenced under CreativeCommons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0
