--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- *APCNews, the monthly newsletter of the Association for Progressive Communications (APC)* - May 2003 No. 34 - --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- -- NEWS FROM THE MEMBERS -- -- NEWS FROM APC -- -- APC ACTION AREA: INTERNET RIGHTS -- -- APC ACTION AREA: MOBILISING PARTICIPATION - -- WOMEN & ICTs -- -- ONLINE TOOLS & RESOURCES -- -- COLLABORATING OPPORTUNITIES - --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- -- NEWS FROM THE MEMBERS - RITS, Brazil: Anti-Democratic Internet Administration is Tackled in Brazil In January this year, at the World Social Forum in Brazil, APC representatives criticised the anti-democratic nature of Internet administration which filters down and is often reproduced at national level. Prominent Brazilian ICT activists complained that the management of the Brazilian Internet is in the hands of a group of volunteers who are appointed by the Brazilian ministries and yet work behind closed doors and without accounting for the millions of dollars raised in the sale of .br Internet addresses. Now Brazilian civil society is getting together to change the way the Internet is governed in Brazil. A seminar was held February 25-26 2003 in Rio de Janeiro and partly as a result of discussions with government officials and the seminar recommendations, the Lula government has decided to support the transition to a new Internet governance structure for Brazil. Read the recommendations from civil society translated for us by APC member RITS. http://www.apc.org/english/news/index.shtml?x=12139 Colnodo, Colombia: Online Websites Promote Transparent Local Government in Colombia APC member in Colombia, Colnodo and Transparencia por Colombia (Transparency for Colombia) are working with the Mayor's Offices in four cities to produce online websites that will help fight corruption and increase the public's access to government information. The websites and tools created by Colnodo are used to monitor and verify public spending and to publish the information in a user-friendly format for concerned citizens to consult. http://www.apc.org/english/news/index.shtml?x=12177 BLUELINK, Bulgaria/STRAWBERRYNET, Romania: South East Europeans Use Collaborative Portal To Raise Visibility of Environmental Issues The APC members BlueLink Information Network (Bulgaria) and StrawberryNet (Romania) have launched a South Eastern Europe regional content-sharing website. Eight environmental NGOs networks from Bulgaria, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Moldova, Kosovo/a, Romania, Yugoslavia and Croatia pool information and special materials from their web sites and publish it collectively to create a portal with a regional perspective. The English-language initiative aims to strengthen the environmental information exchange in the SEE region through online content sharing and joint information flow. The content sharing platform allows the NGOs to find news, campaigns and announcements and aids their distributing information through their local electronic network. The content exchange process is possible due to a methodology developed by APC. The content exchange automatically pulls information from lots of different web sites using the APC ActionApps. http://www.see-environment.info BlueLink: http://www.bluelink.net StrawberryNet: http://www.sbn.ro APC ActionApps: http://www.apc.org/actionapps TAU, Argentina: Building Computer and Internet Skills in Argentina Remains a Challenge but Demand Grows APC member TAU, based in Argentina's second city Rosario, has started meeting with organisations which are interested in setting up community telecentres in their neighbourhood. "It looks like we'll be developing six new telecentres which will make nine in total set up in Rosario and hinterland since last year," said Luis Martinez, one of TAU's coordinators. Getting hold of donated computers and other hardware is still a major headache in a country that has suffered such an economic crisis that most businesses are just not replacing their old machines as they did previously. "It's also proving really difficult getting even a basic dial-up Internet connection in certain areas of the city," said Luis. http://www.apc.org/english/news/index.shtml?x=12181 SANGONeT, South Africa: Southern African Network Promotes Debate on the Role and Relevance of Technology for Civil Society As one of very few civil society organisations in Southern Africa dedicated to providing ICT services to the local civil society sector, APC member in Johannesburg, SANGONeT, will organise various one-day SANGONeT ICT Discussion Forums during 2003, called Thetha, which will focus specifically on the role and relevance of ICTs to CSOs. Thetha is a Nguni verb meaning let's talk, discuss, debate, share opinion/ideas and engage each other. The first Thetha was held on 27 March 2003, and focussed on "ICTs and Development in South Africa: Challenges and Opportunities". http://www.apc.org/english/news/index.shtml?x=12141 GREENNET, UK: Women with Megabyte! A national conference on women's organizations and ICTs in the UK The GreenNet Educational Trust and WomenConnect presented a two-day workshop for women and women's organizations in the UK. The event looked at how women's organizations in the UK were using, are using and could be using Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to sustain their work, challenge inequality and bring about social change. The event was attended by representatives from over thirty groups working in the UK women's voluntary sector and was an exciting learning experience. http://www.apc.org/english/news/index.shtml?x=11759 --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- -- NEWS FROM APC - ANNOUNCING THE APC BETINHO COMMUNICATIONS PRIZE IN 2003: Recognising people-centred technology initiatives in Latin America and the Caribbean In 2003, the APC Betinho Prize will be offered in recognition of outstanding examples of information and communication technology (ICT) efforts that are improving the lives of people and communities in Latin America and the Caribbean. We are looking for ICT initiatives that: * are people-centred and mobilise participation * are driven and developed in Latin America and the Caribbean * have positive community impact and we particularly encourage initiatives that: * Promote a culture of peace, mutual respect and tolerance * Monitor the defence of civil liberties * Promote the democratisation of the media * Make or use community-focused free and open source software * Encourage the use of ICTs by women * Encourage the use of ICTs by traditionally marginalised communities * Facilitate the creation and/or adoption of people-centred ICT policies THE PRIZE IS OPEN TO: civil society organisations, community-based groups, networks, and social movements anywhere in Latin America and the Caribbean. Applications will be accepted in some of the most widely used languages in the region - Spanish, Portuguese and English. THE PRIZE: USD$7,500.00 will be shared amongst up to three winning initiatives. DEADLINE FOR NOMINATIONS: August 15, 2003 MORE ABOUT THE APC BETINHO PRIZE: http://www.apc.org/english/betinho or write to betinho@apc.org --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- -- APC ACTION AREA: INTERNET RIGHTS - Training Course by APC and CTO Helps Civil Society Organisations Understand how ICT Policy Decisions Can Affect Your Work: Training moves to East Africa APC, with the support of the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organization (CTO) is now preparing to hold a second 'ICT Policy Training for Civil Society' workshop in Kampala, Uganda, June 16-19, 2003. The training course is aimed at building the confidence of CSOs to engage and influence relevant ICT policy processes at national, regional and global levels. An estimated 25 participants and facilitators, from countries such as Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda will attend. http://www.apc.org/english/news/index.shtml?x=12184 AFRICA: New "ICT and Civil Society in Africa" Reports from APC New research reports on the participation of civil society in national ICT policy-making in Egypt, Benin and Cameroon are now available on the APC Africa ICT Policy Monitor Website. The "ICT and Civil Society in Africa" reports were commissioned by APC to explore the role of local civil society organisations (CSOs) in developing and strengthening ICT policy-making at a national level in Africa. Egypt: Egypt's CSO sector is active and far reaching, however despite the increase in the number of users, and the fact that Internet policy and regulation is becoming an issue, although only a tiny minority of activists work in this area. Recent lobbying on the newest communication bill is an encouraging sign that representatives of civil society are waking up to the fact that civil society must stake a claim in ICT policy formulation processes. Benin: With a current population of about six million people, Benin has a poorly developed telecommunication infrastructure in spite of being connected to the Internet since 1995. There are few civil society organizations and most work primarily in "traditional" areas of health, education, human rights and rural development. A few have recently began work in the area of ICTs. This report examines ICT policy and regulation and the role of CSOs active in this field. Cameroon: Cameroon has fewer than two hundred registered NGOs, and few of these organizations are active in the ICTs sector. This situation is changing rapidly mostly because of awareness-raising on the importance and role of ICTs in development. The emergence of an information and communication sector in Cameroon has brought forward various debates regarding the formulation and strategies for the implementation of ICT policies. The "ICT and Civil Society in Africa" reports were commissioned by APC to explore the role of local civil society organisations in developing and strengthening ICT policy-making at a national level in Africa. You can read and download these and other country reports from the APC Africa ICT Policy Monitor Website: http://africa.rights.apc.org LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN: National reports from APC on Latin America gearing up for the World Summit on the Information Society The series of reports "Latin America gearing up for the World Summit on the Information Society" were commissioned by APC as a way of helping civil society groups reflect on and get involved in the process leading up to the WSIS which will take place in Geneva in December 2003 and Tunisia in 2005. Reports from Argentina, Bolivia, Mexico, Ecuador, and the Dominican Republic are written in Spanish. http://lac.derechos.apc.org/investigaciones.shtml --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- -- APC ACTION AREA: MOBILISING PARTICIPATION - Africa Civil Society and the WSIS process: Special edition of Chakula The World Summit on Information Society (WSIS) is an initiative of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) and the United Nations (UN). Its stated intention is to provide a unique opportunity for all key stakeholders to assemble at a high-level gathering and develop a better understanding of the information revolution and its impact on the international community. Whether this goal will be attained remains to be seen. Nevertheless, it is an important opportunity for civil society organizations in Africa to critically engage ICT for development issues. May's edition of Chakula - the Africa ICT Policy Monitor newsletter from the APC - focuses on Africa Civil Society and the WSIS. http://africa.rights.apc.org/newsletter.shtml --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- -- WOMEN & ICTs - GKP and the APC's Women's Networking Support Programme (APC WNSP) initiate "The Gender and ICT Awards" Inviting submissions under the "Multistakeholder" and "Community-based/Individual" categories, the US$8,000 per-category Awards aim to: * Recognise gender and ICT initiatives globally and provide further impetus for others to mainstream gender in the field of ICTs; and therefore support a number of internationally agreed recommendations for gender equality, women's rights and empowerment, * Give due recognition to community-based or small-scale initiatives designed and implemented by women and women's organisations/networks; while appreciating larger scale but cost-effective multi-stakeholder initiatives, * Provide much needed opportunities to develop new collaborations/partnerships and opportunities for up-scaling small-scale and community-based initiatives. The winners will be celebrated at an award ceremony in conjunction with the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) in Geneva, Switzerland, from December 10-12, 2003. Watch this space for updates. APC-Africa-Women: Women's Electronic Network Training Workshop for Africa (WENT-Africa 2003) Participants at a workshop held by APC-Africa-Women in late March agreed that women training women in technology really works, and that an African women's ICT training network is crucial if we are to meet the enormous need for appropriate training in ICTs for women by women in Africa. WENT is a true example of South-South collaboration. WENT Africa 2003 is directly modelled on the experience of an Asian women's training which takes place annually in South Korea. The Asia and Pacific Women's Electronic Network Training Workshop has proved to be a highly popular and successful methodology and has taken place since 1999. http://www.apc.org/english/news/index.shtml?x=12193 --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- -- ONLINE TOOLS & RESOURCES -- History of Civil Society Networking: The APC History Archive For researchers, seekers of best practices and history buffs, APC's online 'History Archive' is becoming a real information goldmine. It features articles in English and Spanish from APC's tenth anniversary annual report which has been called "one of the most valuable resources I've found so far [..] contains some excellent articles on APC's pioneering efforts at using ICT" by a University of Hawaii professor. Ian Peter, founder of early APC Australian member Pegasus, recently sent an article for inclusion called "The Pegasus History" about networking in the Asian Pacific in the 1980s and early 1990s. Excerpt: "While in Costa Rica I dropped in to visit Barry Roberts at the University of Peace and he told me about the Association for Progressive Communications, and a meeting he, Peter Gabriel, and two people who were later to be come close friends of mine, Mark Graham and Mitra (who doesn't have a surname) had a year previously. This meeting had decided to set up an international network for non-government organizations, and was active in England and the United States. Their idea was to set up "nodes" in various countries and link them together. They already had a transatlantic network linking GreenNet (in the UK) with PeaceNet and Econet in San Francisco. That night in my room in the La Selva forest I thought about PeaceNet, Econet and GreenNet - that gave me the PEG of my acronym. I then started to think about who wasn't covered - Asia, South America, USSR, South Africa - There was my acronym - PEGASUS. The mythology of the flying horse as a messenger and the vision of a global network had totally captured me." The APC History Archive: http://www.apc.org/english/about/history/ Aid Workers Network The Aid Workers Network is an independent learning community for development and relief practitioners to provide mutual support and practical advice based on experience. Main activities are the Aid Workers Forum - an online place to ask questions and find answers-, and Aid Workers Exchange - a weekly e-mail for knowledge sharing amongst field staff in humanitarian relief and international development. The format of the e-mail alternates between questions/responses and short articles. Aid Workers Network: http://www.aidworkers.net --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- -- COLLABORATING OPPORTUNITIES - APC: Internet Rights Policy Project Coordinator for AFRICA Working both with the APC member organizations in the region, as well as with other groups and experts in the ICT policy arena, the Coordinator will lead APC's ICT policy research and dissemination activities in Africa. Currently, this is a full-time position for 6 months. Depending on the availability of funds, and outcomes of performance assessments, the contract will be extended for 1.5 years. Application Deadline: June 6, 2003 JOB REQUIREMENTS: The candidate must: * live in Africa * have excellent English and French writing, reading and speaking skills * have considerable experience managing projects * know how to use Internet services such as email, mailing lists and WWW * feel very comfortable working almost exclusively in an 'online' environment * be familiar with ICT policy issues in the region and globally * have experience in quantitative and qualitative research, information management, and capacity building * have NGO working experience * have excellent written, online and public presentation communication skills More details: http://www.apc.org/english/news/index.shtml?x=12133 CRIS campaign: New CRIS website The Campaign for Communication Rights in the Information Society, of which APC is a member, has just relaunched their website with new sections, practical ways to participate in the campaign, inter-active features, a shared calendar of events, forums, intranet and more. The site is language friendly and includes content in French and Spanish (and other languages too). Comments, queries and content should be sent to act@crisinfo.org. This website would not exist without the gracious support of Paula Molinero and APC member, GreenNet. CRIS: http://www.crisinfo.org The Stockholm Challenge: Award for 2003/2004 For the sixth time, the City of Stockholm welcomes projects that use IT in an innovative way within their own sector. Projects can be active in environment, education, health and culture as well as e-government and e-business sectors. The focus is on how IT can benefit people and society. The competition is open to private, public and academic contestants. The Challenge invites projects in the following categories: e-Government, Culture, Health, Education, e-Business and Environment. Read more about the categories below. The entry form is available on-line at: http://www.challenge.stockholm.se/entryform_index.html Deadline: November 1, 2003. Global Knowledge Partnership (GKP): GKP Youth Award GKP invites submissions from youth-led projects from all over the world. Through this award, the GKP aims to reward and bring international recognition to the outstanding work of young people who have used information communication technologies (ICT) for the promotion of development in their communities. Finalists will also be presented with the opportunity to showcase their projects to an international body of ICT4D policy makers and practitioners at the ICT4D Platform (http://www.ict-4d.org), held in conjunction with the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) in Geneva in December 2003. More information is available at: http://www.globalknowledge.org Deadline: 31 August 2003 --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- APCNews, in English, and APCNoticias, in Spanish, are distributed monthly by APC, the Association for Progressive Communications (APC), the international Internet community for peace, human rights, development and the environment. APCNews Archive: http://www.apc.org/english/news/apcnews/ CopyLeft. 2003 Association for Progressive Communications (APC). Permission is granted to use this document for personal use, for training and educational publications, and activities by peace, environmental, human rights or development organizations. Please provide an acknowledgment to APC.