News
What Bytes for All has been discussing in November 2004?
APC’s newest member, Bytes for All, is an online citizen’s network that connects the people of South Asia on the issues of information and communication technologies (ICT) and development. Bytes for All produces a summary of previous month’s hottest discussion topics on the network. APCNews will now be featuring the summaries on a regular basis. In November deliberations ranged from the FLOSS (Free/libre and open source software) movement in non-profit organisations, ICTs for development, internet governance, and transparency and accountability in transactions to internet standards.
Wi-fi web reaches farmers in Peru
A network of community computer centres, linked by wireless technology, is providing a helping hand for poor farmers in Peru. The initiative is being coordinated by APC member in Peru, Cepes. The BBC Online reports.
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 ‘social 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. Find out more about it and then download the full report!
"Jambo, OpenOffice!" Launch of Swahili Free and Open Source Software
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. The software has just been released.
Tell me more about RSS
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. But what is RSS? Read our easy-to-understand feature.
Cooperation improves information-sharing in Peru’s rural communities
Together with a collective of twenty organisations and networks working to protect Peru’s wildlife and flora, CEPES developed the Peruvian Environmental Portal. The portal systematises information to really take advantage of the information available and improve dissemination.
Gender and ICT network in Senegal lays out its plan of action for 2003–05
The Gender and ICTs Network came about following a workshop on the gender dimensions of ICT policies in Senegal, held in November 2002. Regentic, as the network is also known, is working to promote gender analysis of the ICT sector in Senegal and initiate a dialogue process between the regulation authorities, women’s organisations and civil society working for gender justice in Senegal. ENDA Synfev is one of the network coordinators.
Building a well-informed information society in Italy
In Italy, APC member Unimondo was particularly active in promoting the CRIS (Communication Rights in the Information Society) Campaign and in trying to get as many organisations and people as possible involved in the UN World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) process.
A draft policy framework on gender and ICT for the Philippines
In 2003, WomensHub developed a draft policy framework document entitled Gender and ICT in the Philippines: A Draft Policy Framework. The paper covers the emerging digital and gender divides, the national ICT situation in the Philippines, including the current national ICT policies.
APC endorses open letter to the European Parliament, asked by EU governments to vote on mandatory finger-printing and biometric
Privacy International (PI), alongside with Statewatch and European Digital Rights, called to endorse an open letter to the European Parliament. The submission will be made on Tuesday 30 November and PI are accepting signatures until Monday 29 November. The European Parliament will most likely vote on Wednesday 1st. December.
300-strong partnership strengthens civil society voice in the Congo
In 2003, together with more than 300 local partners, Alternatives launched a portal in the Democratic Republic of Congo . The project empowers local civil society groups to present and promote their activities and perspectives, which is particularly important in the current period, where civil society is taking an ever-increasing role in defending the principles that can support long-term peace in the region.
D3 tested at Australian Centre for the Moving Image
D3 – a prototype public multimedia interactive created by APC member in Melbourne, c2o- is a storytelling engine which explores a sense of place by mapping trails through a city.
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) 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.
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.
ICT policy: far from gender neutral
Women’s organizations are dealing with so many priority issues, it’s hard to see information and communication technologies (ICT) 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.
Partnership with ALIN to provide computers to not-for-profit organisations
London-based NGO and APC member, Computer Aid International recenlty launched a new partnership with APC member ALIN in Nairobi. “Computer Aid has already provided over 2,500 quality refurbished PC to non-profit organisations in Kenya”, commented Tony Roberts, Computer Aid Founder and Chief Executive. “However with the help of the Baobab initiative we plan to provide 5,000 more computers in the next few years”.
Progressive programmers from across the APC and beyond gather in South Africa
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 software 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.
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 CECS. With oversight from ICT NGOs from Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland and Zambia, CECS designed an ‘ICT Literacy’ programme.
New computer partnership to increase access to ICT in Rwanda
APC member Computer Aid International will officially launch an exciting and innovative new partnership with a Rwandan not-for-profit, E-ICT. By providing an affordable solution to high cost computers, the partnership aims to increase access to ICT for schools and not-for-profits.
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.
