Women in Local E-Governance: A Case Study of Assam

Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) are understood to have distinctive social consequences. It is one of the most powerful forces that shape twenty-first century. Considering the huge prospective of ICTs in knowledge society, a recent trend particularly in case of developing countries like India is that the governments are attempting to provide internet access and improve online infrastructure for citizens. However, a wide range of literature goes on to suggest that the poorest and disadvantaged communities in the world include the women folk and that there is a certain and clear existence of 'gender divide' in the ICT arena. This research paper tries to describe the researcher's ongoing doctoral qualitative research work in Assam- a state in India, concerning the access and use of ICTs by grassroots women government functionaries; their issues and challenges in using ICTs and, perceptions about employing ICTs towards social change. The paper highlights the impressions of the researcher from the qualitative field work carried out in four districts of Assam. The doctoral study intends to identify the existing gap in ICT policy and the local context of Assam from a gender perspective.