[APCPress] APCNews - May 2003 - No. 34

[Karen Higgs]

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          *APCNews, the monthly newsletter of the 
     Association for Progressive Communications (APC)*
                  - May 2003 No. 34 - 
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-- NEWS FROM THE MEMBERS --
-- NEWS FROM APC --
-- APC ACTION AREA: INTERNET RIGHTS --
-- APC ACTION AREA: MOBILISING PARTICIPATION -
-- WOMEN & ICTs --
-- ONLINE TOOLS & RESOURCES --
-- COLLABORATING OPPORTUNITIES -
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-- 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


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-- 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 at apc.org


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-- 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


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-- 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


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-- 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


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-- 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


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-- 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 at 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


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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.