D.Net has organized a National Workshop on “Achieving MDG Goals: Development and Promotion of Handbook on “Technology for Women” on 5 March 2009, from 9.30am at IDB Bhaban Auditorium. Architect Yeafesh Osman, Honourable State Minister, Ministry of Science and ICT will be the chief guest on the occasion. H.E. Mr Robert McDougall, High Commissioner of Canada to Bangladesh will be the special guest on the occasion. The workshop was aimed to mainstream the discussion on technology for development and how women can participate meaningfully in technology development and appropriation process. The handbook of 'Technology for Women' has lunched on the program.



Honourable State Minister, Architect Yeafesh Osman told, Development partners would have to attain the Government program of 'changing ages'. If we fail to deliver the technology to the general people, especially for women, country wide development is not possible.

H.E. Mr Robert McDougall told, the publication of handbook is not only recognition but also contribution to technology and development agenda. It will help to the stakeholder to total gender of poverty and poverty elevation. The book will help not only increase the knowledge of technology but also able to solve any problem for a women.

Inauguration Session chaired by Ms Shirin Akhter, Founder President, Kormojibi Nari and President, Bangladesh Jatio Sramik Jote. Working Session chaired by Ms Farida Akther, Executive Director, UBINIG. Ms Afrina Tanzin, Research Associate, D.Net, has made a presentation on the Handbook of Narir Jonno Projokti. Dr. Ananya Raihan, Executive Director, D.Net; Dr Meghna Guha Thakurta, Executive Director, Research Initiatives, Bangladesh; Mr Kazi Rafiqul Alam, President, Dhaka Ahsania Mission; Ms Ferdaus Ara Begum, Additional Secretary, DCCI will be present as Panelists. Ms Angela Marianne Kuga Thas, Gender Evaluation Methodology Research Coordinator, Association for Progressive Communications Women's Networking Support Programme (APC WNSP) was Share the Global Experience on Technology for Women.

The main user of this handbook will be the employee of the grass roots level organisation who will encourage and train rural women to use the knowledge. The content included in this handbook is not something new. These knowledge and technology were previously invented but they were unused though they had lots of potentiality. The handbook titled “Technology for Women” is an effort to raise the issue for involving technology and women in mainstream.

Women have a unique role in human civilisation. Succession of civilisation is indebted to maternal role of women. Women’s economic role is in home and away from home but role of men is limited at away from home. Social role of women is appeared as regulator for achieving social development goals in many countries. Accomplished of the handbook is to use the technology and knowledge in these three roles. If we can not promote women as innovator of technology permanent termination of gender inequality can not happened. We have to go beyond for achieving this goal. This handbook has published with the financial help of the Gender Fund of Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). We are great full to all member of CIDA for their kind cooperation. We are also great full to those organisations who helps us by providing information of their knowledge and technology. Though there are lots of criticisms of Millennium Development Goal but we have to say that it gives emphasis on health, education and empowerment women which is really appreciatable. This hand book will help to achieve the target of MDG in grass root level.

We hope this hand book will encourage people and organisation to invent new technology and knowledge for women and the idea of Technology for Women will be mainstreaming in development debate.