News: ICT for development
Spectrum use in Latin America: relevant aspects, conclusions and recommendations
APC’s “open spectrum” initiative aims to provide an understanding of spectrum regulation by examining the situation in Africa, Asia and Latin America. In this synthesis, the project’s consultant Carlos Afonso brings together the most important aspects of the studies in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela.
Why the Stop Online Piracy Act might pass -- and why it shouldn't
The Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) is being debated in the US House of Representatives today. Wildly unpopular, this bill is the latest in a series of extreme and reactionary legislation that seek a heavy-handed approach to dealing with copyright infringement online. If passed, SOPA would grant broad powers to censor and restrict content on the Internet.
Rural realities, real solutions: ICT4D conference in Johannesburg
The 7th edition of APC member SANGONeT’s ICT4RD 2011 confronts the realities of rural development and explores the innovative use of ICTs to catalyse the growth of ICT4RD solutions for scale from November 1-3.
Dear Librarian in Denver: Why are you filtering the internet?
Controlling what users can and can’t see on computers using filtering software is standard in US libraries. APC questions the Denver Public Library on their filtering policy and practices in a fictional exchange that tackles very real questions of freedom of information.
Out of the shadows: Filipino youth survivors of violence transform the personal into the digital
The narrator of The Shape of My Youth recalls how two years previously, a relative sold her for US$ 23. She was just 12. But this and other digital stories produced by a group of young Filipinos are not just stories of betrayal – they are also stories of hope.
Women's rights and realities transformed by technology
Can information and communication technologies (ICTs) transform women’s realities? Undoubtedly, yes. This connection between ICTs and the advancement of women’s rights will be addressed during the 55th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) 22 February – 4 March in New York. The CSW is a global policy-making body of the United Nations dedicated to gender equality and the advancement of women. APC’s GenderIT.org has released a special edition that speaks directly to this year’s theme of the CSW: gender, education and technology. APC staff attending the CSW will provide live coverage from the session in GenderIT.org’s Feminist Talk section on the website, so stay tuned.
GenARDIS grantee wins Africa Rural Connect contest
In 2008-2009, Ugandan organisation Toro Development Network (ToroDev) was awarded a small grant through the APC’s Gender and agriculture and rural development in the information society (GenARIDS) project. No more than a year later, the grass roots organisation has been awarded $12, 000 through the Africa Rural Connect contest, to continue its work in helping small-scale rural farmers – many of which are women – learn to use technologies such as mobile phones, radios and computers.
New report asks, how environmentally-friendly is technology?
Computers are creating massive e-waste. The paper industry has had to double to meet printer demand. But smart technologies are bringing huge savings in energy consumption. As the UN conference on climate change starts in Cancun, the new Global Information Society Watch from APC and Hivos looks at ICTs and environmental sustainability in 53 countries, six regions and through ten expert thematic reports. What is the state of the industry in your country? Find out.
Small tech grants, big differences for rural women
Women in rural areas play a central role in the agricultural economy of their region, which means that they often work long hours, leaving little time for learning how to use new technologies. Yet, access to new technologies affect both men and women in remote areas. In a new publication, GenARDIS 2002 – 2010: Small grants that made big changes for women in agriculture Jenny Radloff explores how seed grants that were disbursed to innovative initiatives counter these barriers and contribute to gender-aware ICT policy advocacy. Photo by Mekelle University
Gender, agriculture and ICTs: What you can do with 7000 euros
In Uvira, Democratic Republic of Congo, women’s cassava root crops were being destroyed by pests but thanks to some internet training, they increased their healthy crop production and agricultural knowledge. In the Dominican Republic, women from an agro-processing cooperative learned to better manage their production thanks to an ICT training -many of them were 50 years old or more, which is “old” and “good for nothing” by rural Dominican standards. Find out more about what GenARDIS projects were able to achieve with small grants of about 7000 euros. Photo by Fundación Taïguey
Seven policy tips to ensure rural women equal access to ICTs
Illiteracy, lack of electricity and poor infrastructure are just some of the challenges that are preventing rural women from benefiting from ICTs. But these gender-related challenges are often overlooked by policy makers, and policies that are developed that don’t consider the specific context of rural men and women are more likely to fail, as they will not meet the needs of everyone equally. This is why the inclusion of gender must be considered in the policy process. What exactly can local and national policy makers do in order to address some of these issues? Policy analyst Sonia Jorge gives some insights. Photo by ARDA
Progressive techies declare their rights - and responsibilities
At the United States Social Forum on June 24 fifty politically progressive technologists came together for the first US Progressive Techie Congress. The Congress emerged with a statement applauded by other socially-responsible networks like the APC as “a great set of principles”.
Nobel Peace Prize for “the internet”?
Google has launched a world-wide campaign on how the internet can be used for peace in support of the worldwide network’s nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2011 on the basis that “the Internet is a powerful tool that promotes freedom of expression, while fostering the global spread of democracy”. Support the nomination by selecting your country and adding your name to the list of supporters, or take part on the debate as to whether the prestigious Nobel Prize should to go the internet and its users or not. APC is a campaign affiliate.
Producing social justice video in Asia? Take the EngageMedia strategic planning survey
EngageMedia has been working hard over the past five years to establish itself as “a leading distribution platform of social justice videos from the Asia-Pacific Region.” Come share with EngageMedia before 6 August what you think of their services and give suggestions on what you think they do best, what they should do more of, and help them create their strategic plan for the next few years.
Coming out of poverty: A model for traditional weavers in India
Not even a year after APC member Digital Empowerment Foundation set up a centre in the small town of Chanderi, where weavers could create new designs on computers, lives like those of young Mohammad Furqan have take an unexpected turn for the better. The town and initiative have become an inspiration to reproduce throughout the entire country.
Africa and MDGs: Have your say about Africa's development priorities
The United Nations Summit on the Millennium Development Goals is coming up from 20-22 September in New York. APC member SANGONeT is holding an e-consultation open to all African citizens interest in reviewing progress made and setting priorities. David Barnard, executive director, talks about the African agenda and how your opinion is crucial.
The mBillionth award: Promoting excellence in mobile media in South Asia
South Asia is one of the world’s largest and fastest growing mobile markets, surpassing traditional media like television, radio, printed press and newer media like the internet. And mobile platforms are becoming the natural choice for extending digital services – SMS and basic voice to smart phones and enterprise workflow. Mobile is the choice for new content and services. APC member Digital Empowerment Foundation (DEF) and the Government of India launches a new award to recognise the best mobile applications in the region with awards in ten categories “Find out more about the mBillionth award”:http://mbillionth.in/.
Content filtering in US libraries is haphazard
Freedom of speech and its flipside, access to information, is guaranteed by the First Amendment of the US Constitution. However federally-funded libraries are required to prevent people under eighteen accessing “harmful” content. Kevicha Echols and Melissa Ditmore investigate the use of internet filters on public library computers and find that measures adopted by libraries range from installation of filtering software on all computers for child and adult use to no filters at all! The law is being implemented differently varying across city, county and state. Sectors of the society most likely to be affected by this ad hoc censorship are young people and the economically-disadvantaged who rely particularly on library computers to access online information. Photo: “FallWithMe”:http://www.flickr.com/people/fallwithme/
Internet in the Andes: New APC research
In the 1990s, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela privatised their telecomms sectors and the policies were a dismal failure. Almost 20 years on the Andean region has some of the worst connectivity statistics of all Latin America. For example only 4 in 100 Bolivians have internet access. Of the four, two will have broadband connections but out-of-date telephone systems will force the other two to use dial-up so slow that viewing YouTube or interactive news sites will be virtually impossible. From 2008 APC has looked at what had gone wrong. Our detailed national reports produced with an eye on influencing the policy debate in Latin America are now collected along with summaries of main points to emerge from the research. Photo: “Velaia”:http://www.flickr.com/photos/velaia/3238166271/
Calling all readers in the USA: Survey on content filtering in public libraries
APC has teamed up with Sex Work Awareness in a study to look at content filtering systems in public libraries with internet access in the United States, with an eye towards reproductive health and sexuality. Find out more and take the survey!
