World Library and Information Congress: 73rd IFLA General Conference and Council

"Libraries for the future: Progress, Development and Partnerships"

19-23 August 2007, Durban, South Africa

Call for Papers

Women, Information and Libraries Discussion Group

Theme: Women, Information and Libraries in relation to the UN Millennium Development Goals

A newly formed IFLA Discussion Group, the Women, Information and Libraries Discussion Group, sponsored by the Section on Management of Library Associations, will hold its inaugural meeting at the IFLA World Library and Information Congress 2007 in Durban, South Africa.

The Women, Information and Libraries Discussion Group focus on women as users of library and information services, as workers in the library field, and as providers of information.

The Discussion Group's mission is the promotion, development and support of library and information services for the benefit of women, and society as a whole.

Women play a crucial role in realising basic human rights for all and in achieving the Millennium Development Goals; meeting the information needs of women is a major contribution of the library field to global development.

The Women, Information and Libraries Discussion Group welcomes short papers of general interest on the theme: "Women, Information and Libraries in relation to the UN Millennium Development Goals".

Topics may focus on, but are not limited to, specific projects and examples which relate to one or various of the following UN Millennium Development Goals:

Goal 3 - Promote gender equality and empower women: How has access to information contributed to the closure of the gender equality gap and the empowering of women within their local community?

Goal 4 - Reduction in child mortality (two-thirds by 2015): How does education for mothers on newborn health, nutrition, etc, contribute to doubling child survival?

Goal 5 - Improve maternal health (reducing the maternal mortality ratio by three quarters): Projects on education of women which have had/are having a positive impact on maternal health.

Goal 6 - Halt and begin to reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS (and the incidence of malaria and other major diseases): Is access to information on HIV prevention and treatment aiding to stop the spread HIV/AIDS in local communities?

Goal 8 - Developing a global partnership for development: Looking for an example which would relate specifically to women benefiting from the access to new communication technologies.

Please e-mail abstracts (in English, French or Spanish, 200-300 words) by 13th February 2007 to the Convenors of the Discussion Group:
Ms. Maria Cotera
E-mail: m.cotera@ucl.ac.uk,
Ms. Nthabiseng Kotsokoane
E-mail: ntabisen@gsb.uct.ac.za and
Ms. Em Claire Knowles
E-mail: emclaire.knowles@simmons.edu
accompanied by the following information:

Title of the paper
Abstract (250-300 words)
Names of presenter(s)
Position or title of presenter(s)
Employer or affiliated institution
Mailing address, Telephone/fax numbers, and E-mail address
Short biographical statement

Notifications of the abstract's acceptance will be issued by 21st March 2007.

The deadline for submission of full papers is 31st March 2007 (papers should not exceed 10 A4 pages, including abstract).

Accepted presenters are expected to: speak for no more than 15 minutes to introduce the main themes on their paper, stimulate discussion, and answer questions from the audience.

Please note that all expenses for attending the Durban conference will be the responsibility of the presenter(s) of accepted papers. No financial support can be provided but a special invitation can be issued to authors of accepted papers.