civil society & ICT

28.05.2004 This information brief brings together the 1995 Beijing Platform for Action (BPFA), with the recent 2003 World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) policy-making process. Section 5 deals with connecting WSIS ICT Policy with Armed Conflict in the BPFA. Produced by the International Women's Tribune Centre as part of the efforts of the NGO Gender Strategies Working Group to engender the WSIS process.

28.05.2004 AITEC is calling for presentation proposals on poverty-alleviation through digital inclusion, enabling universal, sustainable, ubiquitous and affordable access of ICT by all. Proposals should include a short biography of the presenter, a synopsis and contact details. There are sponsorship opportunities available.

26.05.2004 The First Preparatory Meeting of the Phase 2 of WSIS will be held in Hammamet, Tunisia, from June 24 to 26, the International Telecommunication Union has announced. Representatives of the United Nations agencies, governments, civil society organisations and private institutions are expected to attend this high-level meeting.

21.05.2004 More than 50 development experts come together for a consultation in Chennai, India this week to form a National Alliance for Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) for Basic Human Needs.

21.05.2004 Volunteers from Australia, India, Kenya, the Philippines, Spain, the United States and Zimbabwe were conferred the prestigious "Online Volunteers of the Year" title by the United Nations Volunteers. The volunteers, numbering ten, were felicitated for their work on a range of development efforts, using the Internet.

21.05.2004 The role of ICTs in urban development was the focus of discussions at a City informatization forum held in China recently. Stakeholders representing thegovernment, industry and UN agenices, deliberated on issues such as e-governance, e-custom clearance and e-medication.

20.05.2004 OneWorld South Asia and the MS Swaminathan Research Foundation have launched an online discussion on the sustainability and scalabitliy of Information Kiosks in India. The list is titled: Information Kiosks in every Indian village by 2007 – a myth or reality?
A summary of the discussions would be shared at two separate national workshops on technology and policy issues on the ICT4D initiatives in Delhi, India.
To join the list, send a blank email to join-infokiosks@dgroups.org

20.05.2004 Oxfam has created what it claims to be the charity sector's first video
email. The videos to be streamed into Oxfam's monthly digital newsletter, available this week, show British schoolchildren demonstrating outside Westminster on behalf of the one million children worldwide who have no access to education.

19.05.2004 Radio Sagarmatha in the Kathmandu Valley of Nepal seeks donations to build its premises. This will help the community radio station, the first and and only one in this area, to help it sustain itself and serve the community it caters to.

19.05.2004 VCD modules that promote learning and reflection have been developed for migrant girls crossing the Mekong River into Thailand, as well as other groups of at-risk youth. This pilot, developed under a project of the US-based Education Development Center, seeks to demonstrate how VCD
technology - already very popular in the region - can help these girls before they find themselves in compromising situations.

18.05.2004 Teachers Without Borders has initiated a project to train the teachers and community in Afghanistan. The newly set up Community Teaching and Learning Centre will offer a range of resources to the community at large.

18.05.2004 Ethiopian ministers are among the participants in a four-month training workshop on ICT for development issues. This is part of an initiative to build an African Parliamentarian Network on ICT4D, spearheaded by the African Information Society Initiative.

18.05.2004 An eight-day media workshop in Bangkok will focus on the use of ICTs to communicate effectively to the people on HIV/AIDS. The workshop being organised by UNESCO and SciDev.net, from July 6 to 13 will conicide with the International AIDS Conference being held in Bangkok.

17.05.2004 ICTs: Leading the way to sustainable development - is the theme for this year's World Telecommunication Day. On this occasion, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan has urged the need for partnership between the key stakeholders to achieve development goals.

14.05.2004 In a bid to make the Indian democracy more transparent, Campaign Vote Smart For India (VSFI) initiative collects information on thousands of poll contestants and makes this data available to people online.

13.05.2004 Impact of ICT on women is being discussed in an e-discussion hosted by World Bank from May 10 to June 10.

13.05.2004 Issues such as child abuse and gender equality were captured in documentaries and showcased at a recently held video film festival in Bihar, India. Using low cost technologies young students and children were able to show their talent and creativity in filmmaking.

12.05.2004 To further the development of ICT projects, 42 community radios and multimedia centres in Mozambique have formed a coalition to work closely with international organisations.

11.05.2004 The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has promised to bring out a consultation paper on community radio and consult communities and non-governmental organizations on allowing community radio stations in the country.

05.05.2004 Welcoming Senator Cherry's recommendation of granting more fund to community broadcasting, broadcasting associations of Australia have expressed concern at the declining public support in this media. Australian Democratic party recommends as much as $260 million earning from selling licenses should be spent for this purpose.