The Swedish Program for ICT in Developing Regions (SPIDER) together with the Sida Gender Helpdesk at Stockholm University organized a  workshop on ''Access, Influence and Empowerment'', the First Swedish Workshop on ICT, Gender and Development. The workshop took place in Stockholm, Sweden, on March 6, 2008.

The aim of the workshop was to get an overview of (potential) actors and activities in Sweden in the area of ICT and gender with bearing on development countries issues, and to find areas where ICT could promote and create equality among women and men. The one day workshop gathered participants from a wide variety of organisations such as universities, authorities, NGOs and private enterprises. WOUGNET was invited to share experiences on our work in the area of Gender and ICTs from the perspective of a developing country. 

During the workshop, Women of Uganda Network (WOUGNET) gave a keynote presentation and shared about WOUGNET's experience on 'Empowering Women through the Use of ICTs'. WOUGNET was represented by Ms. Berna Ngolobe, WOUGNET Advocacy Offier.

A keynote presentation was also provided on ICT4D and gender research by Lena Trojer from the Blekinge Institute of Technology. There was elaborate discussion on how ICTs can be made available for women to participate in the information society, putting ICT into questions of gender equality and influence, and how the various forms of ICT can promote empowerment in different demand and situations, that made the workshop a great success.

For more information about SPIDER visit their website at http://www.spidercenter.org