--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
*APCNews, the monthly newsletter of the
Association for Progressive Communications (APC)*
- November 2004 No. 47 -
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
-- NEWS FROM THE MEMBERS --
-- NEWS FROM APC --
-- ICT POLICY & INTERNET RIGHTS --
-- BUILDING CAPACITY & STRATEGIC USE OF ICTs --
-- WOMEN & ICTs --
-- COLLABORATING OPPORTUNITIES --
-- ONLINE TOOLS & RESOURCES --
-- WHERE IN THE WORLD IS APC IN DECEMBER? --
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
-- NEWS FROM THE MEMBERS -
ALIN-EA, Kenya: Local content, local people, local languages - ICTs
used to promote exchange of indigenous knowledge
APC member Arid Lands Information Network -- Eastern Africa (ALIN-EA) has
successfully completed a one-year pilot phase of the Open Knowledge
Network (OKN) East Africa project. OKN is a global initiative linking
marginalised communities and facilitating information sharing through
information and communications technologies (ICT). -- ALIN-EA
http://www.apc.org/english/news/index.shtml?x=28548
CECS, South Africa: ICT literacy training across southern Africa
develops awareness as well as skills
"People won't benefit from improved access to digital networks, if the
necessary capabilities to select, apply and interpret the available
information are not better developed", says Arnold Pietersen of the
Community Education Computer Society (CECS), a South African APC member.
With oversight from ICT NGOs from Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique,
Namibia, Swaziland and Zambia, CECS designed an 'ICT Literacy'
programme. - APCNews http://www.apc.org/english/news/index.shtml?x=28705
CEPES, Peru: Wireless internet improves market access conditions for
farmers in Peru
A project using wireless technology to link small-scale farmers in a
desert valley in Peru is helping farmers by providing and generating
local information online. The living conditions of more than 6,000 rural
workers is being directly affected. APC member in Lima, CEPES, is
providing technical support for the project and the content exchange
software used is APC ActionApps. -- CEPES
http://www.apc.org/english/news/index.shtml?x=28780
Computer Aid International, UK: New computer partnership to increase
access to ICT in Rwanda
APC member Computer Aid International officially launched an exciting
and innovative new partnership with a Rwandan not-for-profit, e-ICT.
"The partnership with e-ICT will bring affordable access to high quality
computers with full technical support and training to Rwanda's schools,
colleges, local government, and all not-for-profit organisations", says
Tony Roberts, Chief Executive of Computer Aid. -- Computer Aid
http://www.apc.org/english/news/index.shtml?x=28636
Computer Aid International, UK: Partnership to provide computers to
not-for-profit organisations in Kenya
APC members in the UK and Kenya, Computer Aid International and the Arid
Lands Information Network (ALIN-EA), recently launched a new partnership
in Nairobi. "Computer Aid has already provided over 2,500 quality
refurbished PC to non-profit organisations in Kenya", commented Tony
Roberts. "However with the help of the Baobab initiative we plan to
provide 5,000 more computers in the next few years". -- Computer Aid
http://www.apc.org/english/news/index.shtml?x=28767
C2o, Australia: Storytelling engine D3 returns improved
D3, the prototype public authoring kiosk, created by APC member c2o and
Toy Satellite, has returned to the Australian Centre for the Moving
Image (ACMI) for a second season. D3 has been upgraded to improve
performance and facilitate easier curatorial control over content, both
created by D3 and by visitors.- APCNews
http://www.apc.org/english/news/index.shtml?x=16342
FMA, Philippines: FMA joins Media-Governance initiative; introduces
Communication Rights framework
In line with its goal of helping empower communities through information
and communications and advancing the agenda for Communication Rights,
the Foundation for Media Alternatives (FMA), APC member in the
Philippines, has joined some of the most active NGO stakeholders in
Philippine mass media to launch a campaign for reforms in governance
within and through media and communications. - FMA
http://www.apc.org/english/news/index.shtml?x=28785
FMA, Philippines: Training on free and open source software for NGOs
The Foundation for Media Alternatives (FMA), together with key free and
open source software (FOSS) advocates in the country, organized a
training-workshop for Philippine non-government organizations (NGOs).
Held on 28-29 October 2004 and attended by 30 participants from 18
organizations, the learning activity sought to impart not only with the
necessary skills and knowledge of FOSS but more importantly, to provide
the trainees with the confidence in using FOSS-based applications. - FMA
http://www.apc.org/english/news/index.shtml?x=28649
ITeM, Uruguay: Participation in the Latin American and Caribbean --
European Union Ministerial Forum on the Information Society
The III Latin American and Caribbean--European Union Ministerial Forum
on the Information Society took place in Rio de Janeiro, Brasil under
the theme, "An Alliance for Social Cohesion through Digital Inclusion".
Pablo Accuosto, from the Third World Institute (Instituto del Tercer
Mundo - ITeM), APC member in Uruguay, participated on a panel on
"Cooperation between the private sector and civil society" where he
presented a paper commissioned by APC on financial mechanisms based on
ICTs as public global goods. More information about the forum can be
found at:
http://www.forumsocinfo.gov.br/forumsocinfo/english/forumsocinfo
SANGONeT, South Africa: NGO.ZA, ICT services for Civil Society
APC member SANGONeT launched a new joint venture called NGO.ZA. The
overall aim of NGO.ZA is to meet and respond to the South African NGO
sector's connectivity, hardware and e-business infrastructure
requirements, and as a result, transform the information and
communication technologies usage, capacity and infrastructure levels of
the sector. - SANGONeT
http://www.apc.org/english/news/index.shtml?x=28554
ZAMIRNET, Croatia: Peace-building through community technology centres
Telecentres in rural Croatia run by APC member ZaMirNET don't just
provide training facilities. They're also bringing together neighbours
of different ethnicities. "During the computer course, we were
socialising with other nationalities. We were all in the same position
of learning new things and sharing what we know," recounted a Croat
woman. "Now we greet each other in the street." - APCNews
http://www.apc.org/english/news/index.shtml?x=28457
Web Networks, Canada: Canadian technology wizards adapt APC software so
that Inuit can publish online
APC member in Canada, Web Networks, has integrated APC's free software
ActionApps with a number of other applications to come up with a first -
the ability to easily view Inukititut (a Canadian Aboriginal language)
online, as well as giving Inuit abilities to easily publish online in
their native language. - Web Networks
http://www.apc.org/english/news/index.shtml?x=27592
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
-- NEWS FROM APC -
APC's Latest Annual Report: 2003 - The year technology policy became
social policy
In spite of the wide range of activities that took place during last
year, for APC, 2003 is memorable for one particular process that
galvanised our efforts - the World Summit on the Information Society
which took place in Geneva in December 2003. WSIS was a watershed in
public participation as information and communications policy shifted
from the obscure world of techno-jargon to be recognised as social
policy that affects everyone. From APC's perspective as a network of
ėsocial techies' this was a major break-through. APC's latest annual
report includes APC's advocacy work for WSIS and other major highlights
as well as achievements from APC members on five continents building of
a better world for all through technology.
As usual a large section of the report features what APC chair Julian
Casasbuenas refers to as "the real work of members with grassroots
organisations [that] is contributing to the building of a better world
for all, showing people how new ICT tools can strengthen their
networks."
Achievements from APC members on five continents highlighted in the
report including:
* Alternatives from Canada -- "300-strong partnership strengthens civil
society voice in the Congo"
http://www.apc.org/english/news/index.shtml?x=28859
* ALIN-EA from Kenya: "Local content, local people, local languages --
ICTs used to promote exchange of indigenous knowledge"
http://www.apc.org/english/news/index.shtml?x=28548
* CEPES, from Peru -- "Cooperation improves information-sharing in Peru's
rural communities" http://www.apc.org/english/news/index.shtml?x=28862
* c2o from Australia: "Innovative interactive software allows creation
of multimedia social and cultural ėweblogs'"
http://www.apc.org/english/news/index.shtml?x=16342
* Unimondo, from Italy -- "Building a well-informed information society
in Italy"
http://www.apc.org/english/news/index.shtml?x=28866
* WomensHub, Philippines -- "A draft policy framework on gender and ICT
for the Philippines" http://www.apc.org/english/news/index.shtml?x=28868
* ZaMirNET, from Croatia -- "Using ICTs for peace-building in war-torn
communities" http://www.apc.org/english/news/index.shtml?x=28457
Find out more about the APC Annual Report:
http://www.apc.org/english/news/index.shtml?x=28269
Or download the APC Annual Report 2003 directly from
http://www.apc.org/books in pdf format. The report will be available
shortly in Spanish.
ANNOUNCEMENT: APC WNSP's Karen Banks wins Anita Borg Award for Social
Impact
"Our strategy is to get women central, active and visible in all walks
of technology. We don't want it to be a surprise to see a woman running
a wireless shop, fixing a pc, or leading a campaign to break with the
telecom monopoly in her country." For nearly 15 years Karen Banks and
the APC Women's Networking Support Programme (APC WNSP) have worked to
bring technology to underserved women and communities. Their work was
recognised at the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing
conference on October 7 in Chicago, USA. - APCNews
http://www.apc.org/english/news/index.shtml?x=26581
ENDORSEMENT: APC endorses open letter to the European Parliament, asked
by EU governments to vote on mandatory finger-printing and biometric
passports
Privacy International (PI), alongside with Statewatch and European
Digital Rights, called to endorse an open letter to the European
Parliament, asked by the Council of the European Union (the 25 EU
governments) to use its "urgency" procedure to rush through the measure
on mandatory fingerprinting and biometric passports for all EU citizens
at its plenary session this week (1-2 December). You can read the open
letter at:
http://www.privacyinternational.org/article.shtml?cmd[347]=x-347-85336
CONGRATULATIONS: iEARN-USA honoured as a 2004 Tech Museum Awards
Laureate
APC congratulates iEARN-USA, winner of the Tech Museum Awards:
Technology Benefiting Humanity, presented on 14 November 2004. iEARN is
being recognised as an Education Laureate because of its work to link
students in 110 countries through technology innovations that enable
young people with minimal computer technology and online access to
interact with peers -- regardless of their level of connectivity. iEARN
bridges levels of technology so that students are not marginalised by
the very technology that is used to connect them worldwide. iEARN has
partnered with APC networks since the late 1980s to reach students in
diverse socio-economic situations. For more information, visit
http://www.iearn.org
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-- ICT POLICY & INTERNET RIGHTS --
WSIS UPDATE: APC members in working groups on Internet Governance and
Financing
The Working Group on Internet Governance (WGIG) announced by UN
Secretary-General Kofi Annan will prepare the ground for action on spam,
cyber-security and other internet-related issues by the second phase of
the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) to be held in
November 2005 in Tunis.
Karen Banks, APC's networking and advocacy coordinator and Carlos Afonso
of APC member in Brazil, RITS are among the forty experts in the WGIG.
Anriette Esterhuysen, executive director of APC, was selected as a
member of the WSIS Working Group on Financing and will be represented by
APC's new policy manager, Willie Currie.
See more about the Working Groups on Internet Governance:
http://www.wgig.org and Financing Mechanisms http://www.wsis-finance.org
And read the UN press release:
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=12508&Cr=internet&Cr1
DEBATE: WSIS Phase Two will be "stormy" - Dispute over financing was
stepped up at UN ICT Task Force meeting
"It was an NGO representative again who had to kick off a more lively
debate. Roberto Bissio, Director of the Third World Institute in Uruguay
and speaking on behalf of the Association for Progressive Communications
(APC), made clear that should be totally okay to subsidise connectivity
in developing countries. The US government had subsidized the internet
for 20 years and made millions of money and exports out of it
afterwards." The United Nations Information and Communication Technology
Task Force (UN ICT TF) met in November in Berlin, Germany, and civil
society groups had a number of meetings in parrallel. The conflicts and
coalitions in the second phase of the WSIS are now emerging clearly. One
major dispute is over financing of ICTs in developing countries. This
report from the Heinrich-Boll Foundation rounds up events.
http://www.worldsummit2003.de/en/web/689.htm
Roberto Bissio's comments were based on a paper on financing
commissioned by the APC: http://rights.apc.org/documents/financing.pdf
NEW WEBSITE: APC Africa ICT Policy Monitor
What we want is an information society based on social justice and human
rights. That's only going to happen if the people affected by the
policies get involved in their development. Collecting indispensable
documentation since 2001, the new-look ėAfrica Monitor' -launched on
October 28- has a new design and structure including powerful
cross-referencing which let's you search by theme and by country at the
same time. For the first time, there's a ėGetting started' section for
people new to ICT policy and advocacy which collects information
specially selected by our editors. Go and take a look! -- APCNews
http://africa.rights.apc.org
ICT RIGHTS MONITOR: Australasian ICT Rights Monitor rebuild
APC member in Australia, c2o has completely redesigned the Australian
ICT policy website following huge interest in the region. The site now
supports multiple authors, has improved its readability and has
integrated XML news feeds. c2o/Toy Satellite will be promoting the new
Australasian ICT Rights Monitor through APC.au, the organisation that
founded c2o and manages Toy Satellite's projects and reporting. APC.au
ICT Rights Monitor: http://rights.apc.org.au/
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
-- BUILDING CAPACITY & STRATEGIC USE OF ICTs --
NEWS: Progressive programmers from across the APC and beyond gather to
discuss the future of ActionApps software
Progressive technology organisations all over the world met in Cape Town
to discuss the future of the free content management system -
ActionApps. ActionApps is a free software application that makes
websites easier to manage and more dynamic and facilitates the creation
of portal sites, improving the visibility of civil society information.
Almost 40 developers from as far afield as Egypt, Cambodia, Spain, Peru
and the Philippines debated future plans, sustainability, documentation
needs and a new online campaigning action kit for activists which will
come to life in 2005. -- APCNews
http://www.apc.org/english/news/index.shtml?x=28773
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
-- WOMEN & ICTs --
NEW GENDER AND ICT POLICY WEBSITE: ICT policy - far from gender neutral
CAPE TOWN, South Africa, -- Women's organisations are dealing with so
many priority issues, it's hard to see information and communication
technologies as anything more than a tool to facilitate their work. For
this reason 16 members of the APC Women's Networking Support Programme
(APC WNSP) came together in early November in Cape Town, South Africa,
to map out key gender and ICT issues for the APC WNSP's upcoming Gender
and ICT Policy website. -- APC WNSP
http://www.apc.org/english/news/index.shtml?x=28764
NEWS: The first "free software" workshop run for women by women in the
world? Southern African women do it!
Splicing cables, partitioning hard drives, developing technology plans
and sharing stories of activism set the scene for a lively and full
first Southern African Development Community Free and Open Source
Software (FOSS) workshop to be held. And as far as we know, the first
FOSS workshop for women in the world, writes Jenny Radloff of
APC-Africa-Women. - APC-Africa-Women
http://www.apc.org/english/news/index.shtml?x=26360
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
-- COLLABORATING OPPORTUNITIES --
WSIS GENDER CAUCUS: WSIS Research Grants, round 2
In August 2004, the WSIS Gender Caucus launched a competitive program of
small grants to support innovative research on gender and information
communications technologies, during 2004-05. It is anticipated that the
supported research will be completed in time to be presented on Gender
Caucus panels at the second World Summit on the Information Society,
slated for Tunis, Tunisia in November 2005. A first round of small
grants was made in October 2004 and a second call for proposals has now
been launched. A maximum of 20 research grants will be made, each to a
maximum of US$ 1000. Projects that involve collaboration beyond national
borders will be considered for slightly higher grants (to a maximum of
US$ 2500). Proposals must be submitted in English, French or Spanish by
e-mail ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) by December 31, 2004. More information:
http://www.genderwsis.org/185.0.html
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
-- ONLINE TOOLS & RESOURCES --
WSIS PAPERS: Towards cultural diversity
Government representatives from around the world met September 20-25 at
UNESCO headquarters in Paris to discuss the first draft of the proposed
Convention on Cultural Diversity (CCD). The CCD (formally known as the
International Convention on the Protection of the Diversity of Cultural
Contents and Artistic Expressions) would be an international legal
agreement to implement the principle that culture cannot be reduced to a
commodity. Concretely, it would potentially allow each country to
exclude its cultural policies, including 'audiovisual services'
-otherwise known as media- from 'free trade' deals deals that are been
negotiated at the World Trade Organization. Special report from Choike.
http://wsispapers.choike.org/
NEW REPORT: Development Gateway: biased, unaccountable and overpriced?
A study prepared for the Bretton Woods Project has found that the
Development Gateway, an internet portal on development issues initiated
by the World Bank, presents a biased picture of development debates,
lacks independence and is inefficient when compared with other similar
initiatives.
http://www.brettonwoodsproject.org/article.shtml?cmd[126]=x-126-73029
MANUAL: Internet training manual now available in both French and English
"Venez Sur Internet: Etapes Faciles Pour RČussir sur Internet", the
French version of Kabissa's 150-page internet training manual "Time To
Get Online - Simple Steps to Success on the Internet", is now available.
This release means that Time To Get Online workshops will now be
possible in francophone African countries. The manual is available
online free of charge.
http://www.timetogetonline.org
RSS FEEDS: News feeds direct to your desktop from APC
Using RSS technology, it's now possible to get news headlines from APC
and APC member websites direct to your desktop. News feeds available
cover a rich variety of civil society concerns --from the environment in
Bulgaria, to human rights in Spain, to peace campaigning in the USA, to
monitoring aid agencies in Australia. RSS feeds from APC members:
http://www.apc.org/english/news/rss/
Find out more about RSS: http://www.apc.org/english/news/index.shtml?x=28978
NEW RSS FEED: News from Colnodo -- Non-profits from Colombia reporting
direct to your desktop
A new RSS feed offered by APC member in Colombia, Colnodo, features news
published by Colombian NGOs working in the areas of biodiversity and
environmental protection, human rights, women's and gender issues, youth
issues, indigenous and ethnic minority issues and more.
Colnodo RSS: http://www.apc.org/espanol/news/rss/colnodo.shtml (In Spanish)
Add the feed to your RSS reader:
http://www.colnodo.apc.org/aa/view.php3?vid=812
INTERVIEW: Open Swahili Localization Project
Alberto Escudero -longtime APC collaborator- is localising
OpenOffice.org and other open software to Swahili, the lingua franca of
East Africa, spoken by almost 100 million people.
http://www.openoffice.org/editorial/interview_alberto_escudero.html
SOFTWARE: Martus Client version 2.0.1 is released
Martus is an open source software whose name means "witness" in Greek.
It enables human rights organisations to safely store their data in a
secure, remote server, without the fear of falling prey to hackers and
those who might want to spy on and/or sabotage their work. Martus was
presented recently during an APC three-day workshop on "Secure Computing
and Online Communications", held in September in Grahamstown, South
Africa. The software is now freely available for download --in English,
Spanish, Russian and French versions- at http://www.martus.org.
ONLINE DIRECTORY: Find a Social Worker
findasocialworker.ca is an online directory of social workers in private
practice in Ontario, Canada. It is a project of the Ontario Association
of Social Workers (OASW), and is provided as a free service to
individuals or organisations wishing to locate and engage the services
of a social worker. The site is produced by APC member Web Networks.
http://findasocialworker.ca/
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
-- WHERE IN THE WORLD IS APC IN DECEMBER? --
You can meet up with APC and/or APC WNSP (APC women's programme)
representatives at the events below during December 2004. Write to
[EMAIL PROTECTED] to obtain contact information. See you there!
Connecting Island Communities Pacific Telecentre Workshop
Dec 1-3, Brisbane, Australia
http://www.connectingislandcommunities.com/
ICANN 2004 Annual Meeting
Dec 1-5, Cape Town, South Africa
http://www.icanncapetown.co.za/
African Evaluators Conference
Dec 1-4, Cape Town, South Africa
United Nations Division for the Advancement of Women (UNDAW) Africa
National Machineries
Dec 3, Rome, Italy
Meeting of APC Latin American Members
Dec 4-5, Rosario, Argentina
Africa Electronic Privacy and Public Voice Symposium - Electronic
Privacy Information Center (EPIC)
Dec 6, Cape Town, South Africa
http://www.thepublicvoice.org/events/capetown04/
Taller de Estrategias en Politicas de TIC (ICT Policy Strategy Workshop
for Latin America and the Caribbean hosted by APC)
Dec 6-7, Rosario, Argentina
Women's Electonic Networking Training (WENT) Pacific Trainers Clinic
Dec 1-7 or 3rd week, Samoa
Taller en politicas de TIC: incentivando la reflexion y alianzas
nacionales (National Argentinian ICT policy workshop -- encouraging
thinking and national alliances)
Dec 8, Rosario, Argentina
http://lac.derechos.apc.org
IISD Advisory Board meeting
Dec 6-8, India
Africa Social Forum
Dec 9-14, Lusaka, Zambia
Association for Women's Rights in Development (AWID) Board Meeting
Dec 10-11, Athens, Greece
http://www.awid.org
United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Regional
Preparatory Meeting - Review Beijing+10 - NGO Forum for the UNECE Region
Dec 12-15, Geneva, Switzerland
http://www.unece.org/oes/gender/beijing10.htm
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
APCNews, in English, and APCNoticias, in Spanish, are distributed
monthly by APC -- a worldwide network supporting the use of internet and
ICTs for social justice and sustainable development since 1990.
APCNews Archive: http://www.apc.org/english/news/apcnews/
CopyLeft. 2004 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 organisations. Please provide
an acknowledgment to APC.
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