| dc.description.abstract | The experiences and perceptions of ICT access and usage by women in marginalised South African
communities is sorely under researched. Where information from a gender-based perspective
reflecting potential digital gender disparities exists, it is typically a statistical view of the ICT
landscape (largely reflecting access). Exploration of the complex underlying socio-cultural factors
affecting women’s ICT usage is under-represented. There is an urgent need to hear women’s own
voices and perspectives on such intricate and often obscure subject matter. This research has aimed
to bring traditionally overlooked perspectives to the fore by exploring the experiences and
perceptions of women in marginalised South African communities regarding ICT access and usage.
This qualitative study, guided by a feminist phenomenological perspective, focused on the individual
lived experiences of twelve women living in three marginalised areas of the Western Cape of South
Africa. Data were collected via semi-structured interviews and analysed through the Interpretative
phenomenological analysis (IPA) approach.
The findings showed that the women had strong attachments to ICT and had integrated it into their
own individual contexts, to fit their needs and activities. ICT had been interwoven into various social,
economic, educational, political, cultural, recreational and spiritual dimensions of life. A range of
factors emerged as having influence on women’s digital participation. Some of the more significant
barriers were digital skills and confidence, poor social support systems, affordability of ICT,
awareness of personally beneficial opportunities, time constraints, resistance from a male partner
and poor literacy. Additionally, the women lived in highly gendered environments, with sociallyconstructed
gender norms, roles and identities, which had a strong influence on digital experiences
and perceptions. This socio-cultural gender inequality was fundamental in the time constraints, and
in the power dynamics and resistance women faced from male partners. Findings indicated that
gender identities and traits disadvantage females in the digital context, for example ideas of
femininity being viewed as conflicting with a perceived ‘dirty’ ICT field. Detrimental perceptions
associating sophisticated ICT activity with males were reportedly prevalent in the communities and
some of the women interviewed subscribed to the essentialist theory which considers men
inherently better suited to technology. These findings have important implications for policies and
practices in view of enhancing the digital inclusion of women in marginalised South African
communities. Recommendations towards this end are outlined, specifically centred on gendersensitive
approaches in the planning and implementation of digital inclusion initiatives. | en_US |
