[APC Chakula] CHAKULA Issue #21: Changing policy in Africa: two years communicating for influence

[APC Africa ICT Policy Monitor newsletter]

CHAKULA Issue #21, March 2011

Changing policy in Africa: two years communicating for influence

CONTENTS

1) Regional ICT advocacy in Africa: Key lessons from the CICEWA project
2) Policy change in Africa: Networks are key to communicating for influence
3) A national cyber-strategy for Congo, which integrates women
4) More resources on CICEWA
5) Chakula #21 content now in French - send it to a francophone colleague.

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CICEWA is a multi-dimensional project, which sought to link research,
research communications, network-building and advocacy in an innovative
way to encourage the development of networks of civil society and other
organisations to work for political change at regional and national
levels in Central, East and West Africa. After the project was finished
APC conducted an evaluation to see to which extent this innovative
approach was successful and to share our learnings.

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*Regional ICT advocacy in Africa: Key lessons from the CICEWA project*

JOHANNESBURG  (Natasha Primo for APC) - More than a decade after the
telecommunications policy reform in many African countries, there
continues to be a deficit in universal affordable access to fixed
telecom infrastructure. This deficit severely limits the possibility of
information and communication technologies (ICTs) being used to foster
social and economic development, yet, the problem persists despite the
phenomenal increase in access to mobile telecom networks, and greatly
inhibits access to information and knowledge through the internet, which
still requires broadband connectivity through fixed networks. APC’s
Communication for Influence in Central, East and West Africa project
(CICEWA) project links advocacy, research, network-building and action
for regional ICT development – here is what the project has taught us.
http://www.apc.org/en/node/11704/

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*Policy change in Africa: Networks are key to communicating for influence*

PUERTO GALERA (LC for APCNews) - Two years ago, APC’s policy team led a
project that would help strengthen African civil society to advocate for
affordable broadband, adequate infrastructure, and in some cases,
universal access funds which help put in place the necessary systems to
achieve universal access to the internet. The Communication for
Influence in Central, East and West Africa, or CICEWA, initiative was
about identifying the political obstacles – what we called policy knots
to extending affordable access to ICT infrastructure in Africa – and to
advocate for their removal in order to create sound platforms for
sub-regional connectivity. As the project comes to an end, participants
reflect on their experience – the lessons learned, the challenges they
encountered and what they found most rewarding — through interviews with
APCNews.
http://www.apc.org/node/11706


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  *A national cyber-strategy for Congo, which integrates women*

PUERTO GALERA  (LC for APCNews) - While the APC’s CICEWA research and
advocacy —a project that aims to advocate for universal access and
telecommunications reform in Central, East and West Africa, “our work
has just begun,” says Sylvie Niombo a women and tech activist in the
Congo. As part of CICEWA her small NGO has carried out research and
advocacy within the scope of the CICEWA project, and managed to
highlight the importance of involving women in the development of
national ICT policy in the country. By using GEM, the APC Gender
Evaluation Methodology, the research team was able to identify gaps in
current policy and bring forward an action plan for decision-makers in
the country to consider. APCNews talks to Sylvie Niombo.
http://www.apc.org/en/node/11705/

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* More ressources on CICEWA *

* Information about the project:  http://www.apc.org/en/node/3303/
* Individual country reports and country-specific articles highlight the
key issues and “policy knots” in each participating country:
http://www.apc.org/en/node/9321
* CICEWA evaluation report: http://www.apc.org/en/node/11262/

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Chakula #21 content now in French - send it to a francophone colleague.

Plaidoyer régional pour les TIC en Afrique: leçons clés du projet CICEWA
http://www.apc.org/fr/node/11758/
Les changements politiques en Afrique: Les réseaux sont essentiels à la
communication pour influer
http://www.apc.org/fr/node/11745/
Une cyberstratégie nationale pour le Congo qui intègre les femmes
http://www.apc.org/fr/node/11746/

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CHAKULA is a newsletter produced by the Association for Progressive
Communications (APC). It aims to mobilise African civil society around
ICT policy for sustainable development and social justice issues.

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