ICT Policy for Civil Society: Training Curriculum

The ICT Policy for Civil Society training materials build the capacity of civil society organisations to understand policy and regulation related to information and communication technologies (ICT) so that they can begin to engage and influence policy processes affecting ICT adoption and implementation at national, regional and global levels.

Materials use the modular MMTK format, which allow trainers to build up their own workshops from the components provided. 

We request that you send us any modifications or developments you make to or translation of these materials to apc-policy@apc.org so that we can share them with other people that may find them useful.

If you have any questions or are planning to run this course and would like support please get in touch with APC at apc-policy@apc.org.

ICTS and ICT POLICY

Core materials

Overview: Materials for use with all ICTs policy units.

Materials: (MS Word)

• ICT Policy: A Beginner's Handbook
• ICT policy glossary
• African participation in WSIS

What are ICTs?

Developed by: Kate Wild and APC.

Overview: This is an introductory unit and is meant to consolidate an understanding of ICT and its impact/use in modern life.

Materials: (MS Word)

• Handout
• List of additional resources
• Copyright statement
• Trainers' tools
  • Trainers' notes
  • MS PowerPoint
  • Exercises
  • Workshop evaluation form
  • Materials evaluation form

Internet basics

Developed by: APC.

Overview: An introduction of the history of the internet and how the internet works, as well costs associated with internet costs.

Materials: (MS Word)

• Handout
• List of additional resources
• Copyright statement
• Trainers' tools
  • Trainers' notes
  • MS PowerPoint
  • Exercises
  • Workshop evaluation form
  • Materials evaluation form

What is ICTs policy?

Developed by: Kate Wild and APC.

Overview: This unit introduces participants to ICT policy and its various aspects.

Materials: (MS Word)

• Handout
• Case studies
  • Brazil
  • Costa Rica
  • Estonia
  • India
  • Malaysia
  • South Africa
  • Tanzania
• List of additional resources
• Copyright statement
• Trainers' tools
  • Trainers' notes
  • MS PowerPoint
  • Exercises
  • Workshop evaluation form
  • Materials evaluation form

The ICT policy process

Developed by: Kate Wild and APC.

Overview: This unit introduces participants to the ICT policy process.

Materials: (MS Word)

• Handout
• List of additional resources
• Copyright statement
• Trainers' tools
  • Trainers' notes
  • MS PowerPoint
  • Exercises
  • Workshop evaluation form
  • Materials evaluation form

From policy to legislation to regulation

Developed by: Kate Wild and APC.

Overview: This unit introduces participants to the links between policy, legislation and regulation.

Materials: (MS Word)

• Handout
• List of additional resources
• Copyright statement
• Trainers' tools
  • Trainers' notes
  • MS PowerPoint
  • Exercises
  • Workshop evaluation form
  • Materials evaluation form

International and regional influences on ICT policy

Developed by: Kate Wild and APC.

Overview: This unit introduces participants to the increasing number of international and regional influential actors.

Materials: (MS Word)

• Handout
• List of additional resources
• Copyright statement
• Trainers' tools
  • Trainers' notes
  • MS PowerPoint
  • Exercises
  • Workshop evaluation form
  • Materials evaluation form

Why should CSOs be interested in ICT policy?

Developed by: APC.

Overview: An overview of civil society’s interest in ICT policy.

Materials: (MS Word)

• Handout
• List of additional resources
• Copyright statement
• Trainers' tools
  • Trainers' notes
  • MS PowerPoint
  • Exercises
  • Workshop evaluation form
  • Materials evaluation form

Privatization, liberalization and competition in telecommunications

Developed by: Miller Esselaar & Associates and APC.

Overview: The issues related to privatization, liberalization and competition in telecommunications.

Materials: (MS Word)

• Handout
• List of additional resources
• Copyright statement
• Trainers' tools
  • Trainers' notes
  • MS PowerPoint
  • Exercises
  • Workshop evaluation form
  • Materials evaluation form

Human rights and ICT policy

Developed by: APC.

Overview: This unit provides an overview of Human Rights conventions, the different ‘generations’ of human rights, how these can be interpreted in the context of ‘the information society’, and explicitly as communication rights, and how the securing of communication rights is a fundamental pillar in securing all human, economic, social, cultural, civil and political rights and why it is important to apply a human rights perspective in the development of ICT policy.

Materials: (MS Word)

• Handout
• Additional readings:
  • African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights
  • African Charter commentary
  • African States and the concept of Human Rights
  • Civil Society Declaration to the African Union
  • APC Internet Rights charter
  • World Economic Forum-NEPAD E-Africa Commission E-Readiness policy programme
  • International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
  • International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
  • NEPAD Infrastructure Short Term Action Plan
  • The Universal Declaration of Human Rights
• List of additional resources
• Copyright statement
• Trainers' tools
  • Trainers' notes
  • MS PowerPoint
  • Exercises
  • Workshop evaluation form
  • Materials evaluation form

African participation in WSIS

Developed by: David Souter

Overview: This paper presents a review of African participation in the first phase WSIS process (i.e. the Geneva summit held in December 2003 and the preparatory process leading up to it). It is not intended as a comprehensive analysis, but to stimulate discussion about ways in which African participation - particularly that of African civil society - can be more effectively structured during the second phase of the summit.

Materials: (MS Word)

• Article
• Spreadsheet

DIGITAL DIVIDE

Gender sensitization

Developed by: APC.

Overview: This unit provides an overview of the key concepts in gender analysis, and introduces the various approaches to gender awareness development, as well as the basis for an exercise where participants can understand their own interventions against the Sarah Longwe "Women’s empowerment cycle".

Materials: (MS Word)

• Handout
• Copyright statement
• Trainers' tools
  • Notes for trainers
  • MS PowerPoint
  • Workshop evaluation form
  • Materials evaluation form

Gender and ICTs policy

Developed by: APC.

Overview: This unit provides an overview of critical gender and ICT issues, their relevance for ICT policy formulation, programme design and implementation, as well as the monitoring, evaluation and impact assessment of ICT initiatives. It also provides an introduction to the Gender Evaluation Methodology developed by the APC WNSP.

Materials: (MS Word)

• Handout
• About GEM
• GEM publication
• Article: Gender issues in ICT Policy
• Gender and ICT in the Philippines
• Copyright statement
• Trainers' tools
  • Notes for trainers
  • MS PowerPoint
  • Workshop evaluation form
  • Materials evaluation form

Real access

Developed by: bridges.org

Overview: This unit will explain the basic concepts of the Real Access/Real Impact framework and demonstrate how it can be used to improve the way that ICT is used for socio-economic development.

Materials: (MS Word)

• Handout
• Additional reading: Real Access / Real Impact Framework for ICT in development
• List of additional resources
• Copyright statement
• Trainers' tools
  • Notes for trainers
  • MS PowerPoint
  • Exercises
  • Workshop evaluation form
  • Materials evaluation form

Universal access

Developed by: Claire Sibthorpe, CATIA

Overview: This unit provides an overview on universal access: definition, the role of policy in supporting the provision of basic access to telecommunications and some of the mechanisms being implemented to support the provision of this access.

Materials: (MS Word)

• Handout
• List of additional resources
• Copyright statement
• Trainers' tools
  • Notes for trainers
  • MS PowerPoint
  • Workshop evaluation form
  • Materials evaluation form

ADVOCACY

Advocacy journalism

Developed by: Vanessa Vasques, Highway Africa.

Overview: This unit looks at advocacy journalism, what it means, how it can be used, and how it is different from traditional journalism.

Materials: (MS Word)

• Handout
• List of additional resources
• Glossary
• Copyright statement
• Trainers' tools
  • Trainers' notes
  • MS PowerPoint
  • Exercises
  • Workshop evaluation form
  • Materials evaluation form

Acknowledgements

The "ICT Policy for Civil Society" curriculum was made possible with the support of the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation and the CATIA project of the Department for International Development.