Association for Progressive Communications

MEXICO CITY (Erika Smith for APC WNSP) -

The Association for Progressive Communications Women’s Programme is proud to announce that Take Back the Tech was awarded an honorary mention by the prestigious Prix Ars Electronica International Competition for Cyber Arts for its innovative, collaborative campaign to end violence against women.

(WOUGNET) -

WOUGNET has explored the use of SMS in information sharing and carrying out SMS campaigns around different themes. In a test of Mobile Advocacy Tools a campaign on ICTs and poverty reduction, was successfully carried out in April/May 2008 and proves that SMS is a powerful tool of information sharing. WOUGNET members, partners and interested persons discussed questions sent out by the secretariat on the theme, ‘ICTs: Is your wealth a click away?

SEOUL -

This is the statement issued by civil society, gathered at the OECD ministerial conference on the future of the internet, which ended on June 18. It says: “The policy goals for the Future Internet Economy should be considered within the broader framework of protection of human rights, the promotion of democratic institutions, access to information, and the provision of affordable and non-discriminatory access to advanced communication networks and services” [pdf format].

LONDON (CAI) -

Read about two positions with APC member Computer Aid International’s office in Nairobi. Deadline for applications is 10 July.

MONTREAL (FD for APCNews) -

APC welcomes its new Cambodian member, Open Institute. “We see ourselves as facilitators,” explained Chim Manavy, executive director of the start-up NGO. “We facilitate communication, knowledge-sharing and gender equity through the strategic use of ICT and of the Khmer language”. What this means on the ground, is easy to understand when one takes a look at the track record of OI’s colleagues.

SEOUL (Jinbonet for Jinbonet) -

The OECD ministerial meeting on “the Future of the Internet Economy” is being held in Seoul, Korea from June 17th to 18th. The Korean government seems to use this meeting as an opportunity to show off its advances of the Internet technology. However, no one would call a nation a ‘leading country of the Internet’ solely on its strong information technology base and IT industries. We hope this meeting would be a chance for the Korean government to recognize and feel embarrassed for its information and communication policies, including Internet policies, which violate many human-rights and is lagging behind. Read Jinbonent, APC member in Korea, press release.

SEOUL (Karen Higgs for APCNews) -

Anriette Esterhuysen, executive director of the APC, is one of the speakers at an OECD ministerial meeting on the future of the internet being held in South Korea on June 17-18. Over thirty ministers have confirmed they will attend the Ministerial, along with leaders from international government organisations, business, organised labour, the internet’s technical community and civil society.

YAOUNDE (PROTEGE QV for PROTEGE QV) -

PROTEGE QV talks about the celebrations of the internet day in Cameroon. They were busy organising workshops, exhibiting new tools and helping young people how to find new jobs through the net.

HARARE (Muroro Dziruni for Connect Africa) -

The wireless school connectivity project is an initiative that has connected a secondary school in a poor township of Harare to the internet, using wireless technologies. The genesis of this project was a result of the wireless skills training workshop, which took place in Pretoria, South Africa in 2005 and was facilitated by APC. Muroro Dziruni of Connect Africa in Zimbabwe tells the story of how wireless technology can work in Africa, when everyone joins in and cooperates.