BACKGROUND 

The Caribbean Telecommunications Union (CTU) recognises the pivotal role of women in the development of the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector. However, despite significant progress, women remain underrepresented in this field.  

To address the gender gap, the CTU’s Executive Council, at its 47th meeting in March 2023, approved the proposal “Advancing Gender Mainstreaming: Integrating Parity, Equality and Equity into the National ICT Agendas of CTU Member States.” This proposal was subsequently recommended to the General Conference of Ministers (GC) and at its 28th GC in Barbados in October 2023 and again at its 30th GC30 held in St Kitts and Nevis in October 2024 the GC resolved to adopt the Gender Equality proposal. It was agreed to recommend the appointment of National Focal Points (NFPs) from Member States and Points of Contact (PoC) from non-member states in accordance with Proposal 1 of the Resolution. 

A key mechanism for mainstreaming gender within the National ICT Agendas of CTU Member States is to establish the CTU Network of Women (CNoW), composed of NFPs from Government Ministries across the CTU’s twenty (20) Member States and PoCs from CTU private sector, regulatory bodies, academia and civil society members. 

OBJECTIVES 

1. The primary objectives of the CTU Network of Women are to: 
2. Promote gender mainstreaming, to achieve parity and equity in the National ICT agendas to respective Governments; 
3. Facilitate knowledge sharing, mentorship and networking opportunities for women and girls in ICT in the Caribbean; 
4. Advocate for policies and initiatives that support the inclusion and advancement of women and girls in ICT; and  
5. Provide a platform for collaboration on projects and initiatives aimed at increasing women’s participation in International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and Inter-American Telecommunication Commission of the Organization of American States (CITEL/OAS) activities.  

SCOPE OF WORK 

The scope of work for the CTU Network of Women includes, but is not limited to: 

1. Organising monthly or quarterly meetings and forums to discuss challenges and opportunities for women and girls in ICT in the Caribbean. 
2. Developing and implementing mentorship programs to support the professional growth of women and girls in STEM and the ICT sector in general. 
3. Conducting research and surveys to gather data on women’s participation in ICT and to identify areas for improvement. 
4. Collaborating with educational institutions to promote ICT education and careers to young women and girls. 
5. Advocating for gender-responsive policies and initiatives at the national and regional levels. 
6. Creating a digital platform for members to share resources, opportunities, and best practices. 
7. Facilitating and contributing to the review of Draft Inter-American Proposals, DIAPs, and Inter-American Proposals, IAPs, from a gender perspective to: 
8. provide valuable contributions to CITEL 
9. advance the work and impact of the work of the Network in the Caribbean