Dimitra promotes information exchange by strengthening information and communication skills and collecting and disseminating information on gender and rural development issues.

To do this it follows three main principles:

1. partnership - working closely with its local partners to highlight local knowledge
2. participation - involving the active commitment of civil society organisations, without which - according to organisers - the Dimitra network cannot function
3. networking - promoting and supporting the exchange of good practices, ideas and experiences.

Dimitra’s main activities include:

• working closely with local partner organisations in Africa and the Near East to raise awareness on gender issues for sustainable development
• collecting a body of knowledge on organisations and projects concerning gender and rural development in Africa and in the Near East in an online database
• sharing information widely using both traditional and new communication methods and tools
• contributing to the organisation of workshops, conferences and other events on key issues of concern, as determined by partner and grassroots organisations
• reinforcing the information, communication, networking and advocacy skills of civil society and women's organisations
• promoting the exchange of information between rural women, grassroots organisations, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), the media, government institutions, and other key development actors

The Dimitra database contains profiles on organisations based in Africa, the Near East and Europe which have projects or programmes involving or concerning rural women and development and/or with a gender approach. The database does not claim to be exhaustive, but aims to show existing trends in different countries. All the information, including the project descriptions, was provided to Dimitra by the organisations concerned. All data are available in English and French and the database is freely accessible on the Dimitra website (see: Dimitra database section).

Dimitra also produces a bi-annual newsletter which provides information about the activities of the project and its partner organisations, as well as articles on relevant topics. The newsletter is disseminated worldwide and is available in English and French on the Dimitra website. (see: Dimitra Publications).

Dimitra is increasingly involved in supporting its partners in the organisation of workshops which are in line with its objective: to improve the living conditions and status of rural populations, and women in particular. In this framework, it supported its partners Comité National Femme et Développement (CONAFED) and SAMWAKI in the Democratic Rebublic of the Congo (DRC) to organise a workshop in Bukavu entitled “Strengthening of the communication capacities of community radios and rural women's networks in South Kivu”. The themes treated (as chosen by participating organisations) were: women's participation in the electoral process, the fight against sexual violence and impunity, women and disarmament, demobilisation and reinsertion (DDR), and the fight against HIV/AIDS. One of the outcomes of this workshop was the development of a 3-year project on the strengthening of gender and communication skills of listeners' clubs, rural women's networks and community radios in South Kivu. More information on this and other Dimitra-supported workshops is available on the Dimitra website. (see: News and events, Dimitra Workshops).

Women's Empowerment, Gender, Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Agriculture, Networking and Information Exchange.