The Africa Technology and Transparency Initiative (ATTI) is a joint initiative of Omidyar Network and Hivos. It seeks to support organisations in Africa that use technology and media platforms to empower citizens in their countries to hold their leaders accountable by providing access to credible public information, influence and stewardship of resources.
People look to government institutions to work on their behalf and provide oversight on matters that significantly impact their quality of life. Governments fulfill this role most effectively when their activities are open and transparent to citizens. With visibility into government actions and spending, people are more likely to participate in the political process and hold government officials accountable for their actions. When citizens engage in the issues that affect them, they can help to ensure that power and public funds are used wisely and are representative of their interests. Through the power of technology, ATTI aims to reach people more efficiently and thereby maximise these benefits for millions of people, enabling them to engage more productively with one another and in society. The fund supports projects that use technology as an essential component for providing people with access to credible information about government actions and influence in Africa. They aim to invest in the technology platforms that track government activities and money flows, provide citizens with the opportunity to engage on specific issues, and establish the public checks and balances that can help people hold government leaders more accountable. Grants are provided for projects that plan to develop technology platforms for use in promoting transparency and accountability or for projects that use pre-existing technology platforms for use in promotion of transparency and accountability.
Work supported:
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Strengthening Civil Society Capacity to Combat Gender-Based Violence in DRC and Congo (2011-2014)