Ubuntu Women

Ubuntu-Women is a team functioning under Ubuntu to provide a platform and encouragement for women to contribute to Ubuntu-Linux, a Debian based free and open-source GNU/Linux software. Our main role will be along the lines of supplementing and being the stepping stone toward the larger Ubuntu-Linux world. Membership is open to all.

An EC funded study (2006) summarized in the Flosspols report, indicates that about 1.5% of FLOSS community members were female, compared with 28% in proprietary software. The Ubuntu Census Survey (June 2006) also reflects a similar female ratio with 2.4% women actively volunteering in the Ubuntu community.

Ubuntu-Women is the first step in trying to usher in change by increasing the visibility and contribution of women by providing mentoring and role models, and creating opportunities for collaboration with new and existing Ubuntu volunteers.
It aim to provide an opportunity for women who want to be involved in the Ubuntu community thereby increasing the diversity in Ubuntu-Linux by :

• Encouraging women to participate, for example, to learn to create new FLOSS software (or revamp existing software), not only to use GNU/Linux software, but to integrate backwards and learn more about it.
• Mentoring women in specific areas (such as technical, documentation, translation and communication) so they have the information and support necessary to take these new steps, to get through barriers or difficulties, and to keep learning and growing in the Ubuntu-Linux world.
• Providing opportunities by sponsoring women who wish to give technical presentations, or talk about their Ubuntu experience at International conferences and seminars.
• Organizing hack-fests, bar camps for women at Linux conferences.
• Increasing the number of women using Ubuntu-Linux in a country-specific manner by providing a platform for talks at local universities, LUGs and schools, which will encourage others to join.
• Openly discussing issues facing women and their involvement in Ubuntu (and Linux) and how to address them.

Programming is highly development-oriented and the vagaries of each distro makes it even more difficult in terms of identifying a problem in "X" application, and knowing how to 'fix' it. We hope to increase the diversity ratio by creating an atmosphere for women to communicate openly and ask technical questions without any fear of being flamed or ridiculed for asking so-called silly questions.

To achieve the above objectives we currently :

• have a Mentoring program along the lines of Each-One-Teach-One, which is a neat way of sharing knowledge and learning something from others in the community.
• run the mailing list for discussion of related issues.
• run an IRC channel #ubuntu-women at freenode.net

Interesting? Join Ubuntu Women and introduce yourself, your interests or what you wish to share with others! Ubuntu Women have a wonderful group already, from many different cultural groups and occupations and you are invited to join the Ubuntu World !

Source: Ubuntu Community