The Association for Progressive Communications (APC) is a global network of civil society organisations whose mission is to empower and support organisations, social movements and individuals in and through the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs).
Stakeholder consultation on public participation in internet governance
Meetings related to the UN World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), on the one hand, and Internet Governance Forum consultations on the other, take place in Geneva in the second half of May. On May 23, APC in partnership with the Council of Europe and the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe will hold a multi-stakeholder consultation: “Towards a code of good practice building on the principles of WSIS and the Aarhus Convention”.
APC enters into a partnership with privacy specialists
APC urges International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) to limit use of toxic chemicals in electronics production
APC is supporting environmentalists’ calls to the South African National Committee of the IEC to vote against Clause 7 of IEC Standard 62368.
Clause 7 requires that large amounts of fire retardant chemicals be used in electronics production, despite the lack of reliable fire data showing a need for such chemicals. If passed, this clause will make it even more difficult and dangerous to recycle electronic waste, or e-waste, and may pose serious health risks to consumers.
APC elected to the board of a leading development partnership
The Association for Progressive Communications has been elected to the Global Knowledge Partnership’s executive committee on April 9 2008. In what has been the election with the highest turnout in GKP history, the APC network, along with four other groups, has been elected to join the committee for a duration of two years.
Internet Governance Forum: APC makes recommendations on themes and structure
The first preparatory meeting for the next Internet Governance Forum (scheduled for December 2008 in India) was held in Geneva on 26 February 2008. APC issued a statement recommending the implementation of regional and national IGFs, using sustainable development as a key theme and advising on the format of working groups to address and follow up on key issues. APC also submitted a paper that identifies and documents the main areas of discussions and ‘recommendations’ that were generated under the access theme at the second IGF, held in Rio de Janeiro in November 2007.
APC policy programme’s manager invited to high level UN group of experts
The United Nations Global Alliance for ICT and Development (UN GAID) has invited APC policy programme’s manager, Willie Currie, to participate in an ad-hoc group of experts on financing ICT for development (ICT4D). This group has been set up in preparation of the upcoming GAID Global Forum on Access and Connectivity in least developed countries and small island developing states in Asia-Pacific and innovative financing mechanisms for ICT4D, Malaysia, 18-20 May 2008 [link to UN GAID page].
New book on disaster communication richly illustrated
- Disaster situations
All of us are aware of the biggest maritime disaster the world has known: the sinking of the ‘unsinkable’ HMS Titanic. But what many of us may not be aware of is that the wireless operators on the Titanic had, in fact, received alerts from other ships about massive icebergs in the vicinity. But the operators, overworked with transmitting private messages of the ship’s wealthy passengers, failed to pass that vital information onto the bridge.
Cambodian education system switches to Khmer language free software
At a ceremony that took place last January, the Cambodian Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport presented a new information and communication technology (ICT) textbook that are to be used in all schools, universities and teacher training facilities in that country. The new textbook teaches the use of Khmer language free and open source applications, such as OpenOffice, Mekhala (Firefox) and Moyura (Thunderbird), which have been fully translated to Khmer language.
The APC goes video
Watch the compact and straight-forward, fully subtitled video presenting the Association for Progressive Communications and some of the work of its members. This thirteen-minute film takes you from the beginnings to the current form in which APC pursued the goal of sustainable development and social justice through and with the use of information and communication technologies.
