The Impact of Public Access to Telecenters: Social Appropriation of ICT by Chilean Women

This chapter reports the findings of a study in Chile that examined the impact on women of public access to computers and the Internet through the Quiero Mi Barrio telecenter network. Gender and culture variables are taken into consideration because these define forms of practical as well as symbolic meaning of a public community space such as the telecenter and of the Internet as a means of communication and information. The study highlights the importance of telecenters, given the limitations that cybercafés (the most common public access option) present to women. The analysis forms the basis for the following recommendations: the State should strengthen telecenters as spaces that attend to the needs and demands of women, encourage greater participation of women in the access to and beneficial use of technology, and foster the development of new models to develop women's digital skills and help them realize their aspirations and meet their everyday needs.