Group 1

From HarambeeWiki

The network Stories: Group 1

Participants: - Constitution and Reform Education Consortium (CRECO) - African Youth ICT4Development Network (AYICT4DN) - APC-Africa-Women

Theodore - AYNICT4D

Landscape – from Africa Youth ICT4D Network Formed 2 years ago by Youth initiative from Ghana, Nigeria, Buriko Faso during CODI3 ECA invited Youth to be part of CODI. In 2004 ECA decide to support the youth with a mailing list where youth exchange on questions on ICT and youth in Africa. Then there are many projects raised from the mailing list.

During Africa PrepCom in Feb 2005 ECA decided to more support and formalize the Africa Youth ICT4D Network.

Network was formed first by online but launch at Accra with 11 members in each area and 1 for diaspora and Theo nominated as coordinator. Nigeria, Ghana, Burkino Fasso. During online discussion there are more youth organisations joined so there are many founders.

Formed because we have many challenges to fight and much to achieve. Youth must have voice in process of information society formation. ECA help 35 countries in the process of NICCI. Often youth do not have opportunity to participate in NICCI and youth want to say what ICT to do for youth tomorrow who are the coming leaders. Also in process of NEPAD and MDGs. Want youth to be part of WSIS and beyond WSIS. Youth want to be in all the documents. Want to inform the youth in Africa.

Have several actions and workshops planned. In Feb in Accra we had a youth day where we join the youth in a workshop and panel where youth present on items on ICTs and youth and raise recommendations there and documents and action plan to follow recommendations. Had an event in Nigeria in July 2005 and had recommendation on youth and information society in Africa.

Raise local focal points in Africa which have the mission to contact all the governments to set up Africa youth ICT 4D in Africa. Nigeria, Ghana, Burkino Fasso, Egypt and some countries are joining. Now have 5 focal points and soon to be 11.

Next step is to more formalize our network and for that we want to have administration structure as now all activities are online. When we want to raise action we meet online.

Summit of Youth Leaders in Ifran last August – ECA funded Gbenga.

Wambua – Constitution and Reform Education Consortium

Formed in 1998 at a time when Kenya was preparing for constitutional reforms, in Nairobi it was formed by a couple of human rights NGOs. Members of the legal and human rights network were founders. About 30 –35 NGOs.

Challenges – 1. need to provide information on the constitution to the public to enable them to participate in the review process from an informed position 2 – avoid overlaps in provision of civic education in terms of funding and delivery. 3 – security issue as govt at the time was very intolerant so there was need for NGOs to come together and provide political security.

Actions since 1998 – in 1999 CRECO started negotation with funders for a national programme. 1999 constitution for the network agreed upon.

2000 document agreed upon by donors and civil society organisations and in 2001 national civic education programme implemented with CRECO as one of 4 consortia involved. This programme institutionalized CRECO as we could set up secretatirate.

2002 turning point managed to establish relationship with HIVOS. 2002 also came up with a strategic plan w hich broadened mandate of CRECO to human rights and democratic governance and capacity and institutional development.

CRECO’s membership is 21 made up of organisations and networks all institutional membership

Use of ICTs – use email for internal work, community radio to reach grassroots.

5 staff members.

APC- Africa Woman: it the regional network of the global forum

Landscape: formed in 1996, at a workshop in Johannesburg, but the global network was formed in 1990.

Dwelling place: it is a virtual network, but the coordinator is based in cape town

Characters: Women from various countries working in ICT or women’s movement. Currently, APC has 75 members i.e. women from women organizations or professionals (individuals)

Challenges: Need to create forum where women discussed their own issues, owing to the fact that the ICT world was male-dominated Women movement were not using ICT to collaborate- the power of ICT in knowledge sharing and collaboration was acknowledged The need for an African network to deal with African-specific challenges- the use of email, use of community media in sharing knowledge etc The need to have the voice of women in the information society

Actions:

1996: founding workshop held 1999: a workshop held in manila Phillipines- beginning of the gender evaluation methodology tool (GEM). GEM was developed for projects dealing with gender using ICT to bring out stories of women organizations. The stories are fed into policy making (to show impact of ICT on women and policy propoals). In 2000: APC participated in beingin +5: did a massive information dissemination about the New York meeting to continuously update the women constituencies and facilitate feedback and enhance women voices in new York. In 2003: did women electronic training In 2004: a gender and ICT summit in Rio, involving activists, policymakers and donors to discuss gender issues in ICT. Men were involved in the discussion to deal with notion that gender issues are not just women issues. In 2005: launch of genderit.org portal to support gender ICT policy issues globally. The project (website) was collaboratively developed and maintained. In 2005: Participated Beijin +10. The turning point was raising funds from HIVOS in 1999 to employ a full time coordinator and in 2000 (Beijin +5 where African women voices were heard electronically) and Women’s electronic training- got 160 application for training in strategic use of ICT showed the existence of a great need.

3 QUESTIONS

What are the commonalities between our networks?

· Women and Youth Members share through internet and using ICTs · Women want also to have voice in ICT on policy and government must take into account for women and the same for Youth. Youth also want partnership in the policy making for ICTs · Passion for social change, development and human rights · Funding challenges · Use of ICTs in our work for coordination · All of us promote access to information · All of us promote policy change · All of us started loosely and then consolidates and formalizes · All need to keep members engaged · All have a shared concern for women and for youth and make sure these get mainstreamed in our work.

What are some of the challenges we face as network coordinators?

· Having to deal with diversity and difference in terms of culture, language etc.

· Many members have several needs when they join. Difficult to make members participate deeply in all activities. How do you address members needs and how do you get them to be involved in implementation.

· We exchange online but we need to meet physically. Meeting physically we do much more work and we can work faster and make good decisions.

· Difficult to coordinate members who are dispersed all over Africa. Need to formalize secretariate

· Reconciling diverse interests and needs that members need and bring onboard to network. Some come with large needs that network can’t meet and then members leave.

· Not being registered is a problem. Both CRECO and AYICT4D are in process of registering as a trust.

· FUNDING What are the most exciting things about being a network coordinator?

· Developing collaborative programmes and you get to see value that each member brings into the network and the enormous intellectual resources

· When the members push the coordinator to do her/his work is very helpful.

· Coordinating diverse and interesting members.

· Some of us get salaries