NGO “Equal Opportunities” is organization established with the goal to facilitate equal access for both women and men in using modern information and communication technologies (Info-Communication Techology – ICT) through establishment of permanent mechanisms for bridging the digital divide and the gender divide.

The number of women that use ICT is still very small, as shown in many studies, and “Equal Opportunities” is making efforts to decrease that gap, through creating conditions for involment of women in e-economy. In the same time that will reduce poverty and improve quality of life of both family and society in general.

NGO “Equal Opportunities” is registered in Belgrade as non-governmental and non-political organization based on:

Mission:

• To facilitate equal access for both women and men in using modern information and communication technologies (ICT)
• To bring awareness of gender digital divide and promote bridging the digital gap
• To establish permanent mechanisms for bridging the digital divide and the gender divide, particularly in rural areas
• To promote the inclusion of a gender perspective and coordination of the gender activities in ICT sector and in national ICT policies
• To encourage the use of ICT in empowering women and their daily lives

Objectives:

• Creation of educational centers to qualify trainers for teaching peoples how to use ICT in work and everyday life
• Build ICT capacity of marginalized groups
• Start up the initiative for advancement of applying ICT in everyday life and work, for citizens and specially women, providing support analytic, project, and business documentation
• Development of gender portal in local language
• Printing of popular ICT literature in local language to facilitate creation of citizen’s interest, especially female population, for achieving knowledge in ICT area, and improving their chances for employment
• Organization of educational forms: training, courses, seminars, lectures, workshops, exhibitions and other form of gathering, specially women
• Research by assembling, elaborating and analyzing data of gender participation in using of ICT
• Collaboration with Universities, experts associations, organizations, non-governmental organization, ICT companies

Partnerships with Government and ICT Companies: The work of “Equal Opportunities” is based on partnership with Ministry for Education and Sport of Republic of Serbia, Ministry for Science, Technology and Development, Advanced School for EE and Advanced PTT School and also the companies from the area of Info-Communications. Until now the cooperation is established with various companies including Ericsson, EUNET, PTT Serbia, Telekom Serbia a.d., Mobtel, Teri Engineering, Telegroup, CYPTT. This tri-sector collaboration has already resulted in several projects, with more on the way.

Source: NGO Equal Opportunities