Feminist Approach to Technology (FAT)

New Delhi, Delhi, 110024 India

Mission Statement

To build collective leadership of girls so they can use technical tools, STEM innovation and feminist awareness, to bring sustainable change in their lives and communities.

About This Cause

FAT was started in 2007 (registered in 2008) as an NGO aiming to promote technology for women and question the impact of gender gap in STEM fields on larger gender inequality in society. Over the first 10 years of our work, FAT has inspired and supported more than 200 young women across 4 states of India to take collective action within their communities for gender justice. With our community’s leadership in the forefront, FAT is now transforming into a network of community collectives led by young women, working together for sustainable development, equality and equity in their communities, through a feminist approach to technology. We aim to complete the transition of our organisational structure by March 2024. We believe that the most effective way to advance gender equality is by investing in girls’ and young women’s feminist leadership so that they can come together to solve their own problems and work towards sustainable change within their community. A movement for girls’ leadership can be built only when individual girl (and young women) leaders emerge. And in the 21st century, effective leadership requires both new age technical skills and STEM awareness. Hence, we work with girls and young women to build their individual and collective leadership intertwining feminist awareness with STEM skill building. We also work with families and communities the girls come from as secondary stakeholders. Where we work We work with adolescent girls and young women between the ages of 10 to 30 years from urban, peri-urban, and rural disadvantaged communities. Particularly targeting those who do not have access to basic technical tools and technology education due to social marginalisation. Local communities in Yerwada (Pune), South Delhi (Delhi), Giridih (Jharkhand), Patna, Buxar, West Champaran, Muzaffarpur (Bihar) are our primary communities We invest in the leadership and agency of the girls to be able to speak for themselves and emerge as change agents within their own communities advocating for girls' rights using technology as a medium. Instead of us working directly with the families and community, we support the emerging leaders to build that dialogue. Through :- 1. Young Women’s Leadership Program (YWLP), we support the leadership journey of girls from an early age starting from personal agency development at Level 1 to building collective voice against gender oppression in Level 2 to nurturing individual and collective leadership for sustainable change within their communities in Level 3. This is a multi year, regular engagement with main focus in girl-led movement building using technical education and tools. Program is run via Tech Centers located within communities, run by YWLs graduated from the program and promotes collective leadership of alumni to take forward our mission using our program model to reach more girls in their local community. 2. With Girls in STEM (GiSTEM) Program we work towards bridging the gender gap in technology and STEM by promoting non-traditional education and livelihoods for girls. Our multi year, regular engagement program helps girls not only learn new STEM skills but also shatter their internalised gender beliefs regarding STEM, advocate for girls in STEM within their community and become trailblazers within their community with collective support. What makes our model effective? - Creating of Feminist Leaders: The programmatic strategies of FAT have led to a large pool of girls who have become leaders in their own right. They are now able to not only understand their rights better but relate their learning to their own situation and that of their families and communities. FAT has been successful in developing a cadre of young feminist leaders. The girls are spreading and practicing the values of feminism within FAT as well as taking it to various platforms at local, regional, national and international level and are expressing, living and promoting feminism. - Community-led Programming: All of FAT's programs have been developed over years by building on the ideas and suggestions given by program participants each year and hence continues to evolve as per the need of each group. Participants' initiatives are at the heart of our program design which promotes leadership and ownership. Participants represent themselves, their community as well as FAT in different forums and bring back their learning for the community. - Gendered Approach to Technology: Each of our curriculums start with decoding gender by understanding personal relationship with technology and the root causes behind internalised as well as imposed stereotypes. Technology is being used effectively for advocacy on women’s rights and for young women becoming aware of their rights on violence, sexuality etc. This combination of feminist leadership building with STEM education helps build courage in girls to explore new life paths that had been previously unimaginable for them. - Innovation: FAT has a culture of being a learning organisation. It has been evolving organically and adapting its strategies and programmes based on its learnings from experience. While extending its work in the other states, FAT has been very innovative to adapt quickly to the differing needs/requirements for each of the contexts. Establishing partnerships and collaboration is quite a complex task, with innovative ideas and adaptation, FAT has evolved modified strategies without compromising on the core for each of the extended programmes.

Feminist Approach to Technology (FAT)
134, 3Rd Floor, Vinobapuri, Lajpat Nagar-2
New Delhi, Delhi 110024
India
Phone 91-11-41004951
Twitter @fattechy
Unique Identifier 5833081650416_c890