WIGSAT is a founding member of the ITF and a member of its international Steering Committee.

The main site of the ITF is hosted by the European Centre for Women in Technology (ECWIT).

ITF in Canada:

The ITF is a consortium of global leaders and practitioners formed to create synergy in efforts to increase women's full participation in ICTs: from engineering and software, to access and use, to literacy and leadership. The network promotes communication and information exchange; increased sharing of research, knowledge and resources; development of a series of collaborative activities; and promotion of recommendations for policy and programming.

Its areas of focus are:

• Promoting women's representation in IT education, and the use of IT to promote women's education


• Increasing the representation of women in the IT workforce


• Supporting women's IT-based enterprises


• Promoting women's leadership in the sector.

One of the activities of the ITF is the Global Women’s Technology Network (GWT), a global multi-stakeholder strategy to set up a series of Regional Centres within a global framework. The centres work in one or more of the ITF areas of focus within the policy, resources and development priorities of their region to promote the ITF goals.

On August 12 and November 26, 2009, representatives of several Ontario initiatives and programmes promoting women in IT in various ways met together to discuss the feasibility and desirability of a Canadian initiative which would link into the ITF and GWT under one or more of the above focus areas. The Canadian Coalition for Women in Engineering, Science, Trades and Technology also participated in both meetings.

These meetings were hosted by the NSERC/RIM Chair on Women in Science and Engineering at the University of Guelph and The Diversity Institute, Ted Rogers School of Management, Ryerson University.

Results of the consultations:

It was agreed that it could be valuable to establish a central group to coordinate activities of a collaborative initiative. WIGSAT / ITF Canada It could act as a linking mechanism and provide an overarching mission, facilitator for collaborative activities, and information-sharing and storing mechanism.

The unique strength of the participating organizations lies in the bridges and connections among a range of sectors they represent, including government and civil society as well as academia and the private sector. It doesn't appear that any other group is providing this set of linkages in Canada. That could be the ITF Canada “niche”.

The next step is to develop a strategy or focus for moving forward, which is based on knowledge of what is already out there, and analysis of gaps and opportunities. Once a framework is established ITF Canada can propose how to intervene in order to influence the influencers or figure out the “levers” for change.

ITF Canada will develop this analysis in 1-3 sectors/issues to begin, then approach private sector, government, and other groups to develop joint initiatives to expand this work and extend promising practices.

Mapping the Field: Women and IT in Canada

By looking at “who's doing what”, the mapping will collect examples of and assess:

• policy at federal, provincial and industry levels


• educational participation and promotion of S&T education for women of all ages


• groups promoting women's employment in the IT sector and as IT entrepreneurs


• civil society groups and support strategies.

It will also research what resources are available to promote these women, provided by government, civil society, the educational system and industry.

Mapping the field would allow the participating groups to develop a strategy and approach which complement and add value, rather than duplicate or compete with existing initiatives in Canada.

Results will include:

• A web-based database of groups, funding, resources and initiatives promoting women in IT in Canada


• The database will serve as the basis for a portal on these activities and bridging initiatives in Canada.

Building on the results of the mapping, a project proposal will be develop to further expand a detailed analysis of gaps and opportunities in the Canadian sector.

Report of the Consultative Meeting on a
Regional Initiative for Women and ICT in Canada, held at the Centre for Families, Work and Well-being
University of Guelph, August 12, 2009, including the overview presentation.

Meeting Report: Developing an ITF Canada Initiative, Ted Rogers School of Management, Toronto, November 26, 2009.