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EDITORIAL

----------------

The role=20 of ICTs in social marketing

What is=20 the Civil Society? I was surprised to find out that 50% of the people = accredited=20 as Civil Society representatives at WSIS were from Africa. WHAT? Is this the same Africa that I = live=20 in? ICT penetration in = Africa is a=20 relative mystery, but not very high. =20 Radio penetration is somewhat higher than telecentres, but = still=85 So who=20 went to WSIS representing Civil Society? Or, who is Civil Society? This question I=92ve asked = repeatedly at=20 Sociology Seminars at RAU (Rand Afrikaans University =96 soon to be = University of=20 Johannesburg), where many of the papers last year dealt with Civil = Society. Civil Society is increasingly = a research=20 object, but in general is poorly defined something like Hart & = Negri=92s=20 =91masses=92, which organise spontaneously using various media among the = tools of=20 ICTs. =

After=20 asking =91who is Civil Society=92 for a while, I think I may have found = the=20 answer. During a = conversation with=20 Sarah Parkinson of IDRC, I re-affirmed my thinking, that what we call = the =91Civil=20 Society=92 is in fact a collection of middle-class researchers, = non-governmental=20 organisations (NGOs) workers and the like. =20 People with the time and money to spend far too much time on the=20 internet, these people feel strongly about injustice and try to rectify = it. But=20 are not the people suffering the injustice of poverty and isolation. = Then is it=20 true that Civil Society does not even come from the population we claim = to=20 represent? We attend conferences to speak for others, talk in discussion = forums=20 representing others. It = would seem=20 that Civil Society is less democratic than the =91democracies=92 we = critically=20 reject as non-democratic. = A=20 community media initiative CMFD has started recording interviews from = the many=20 conferences happening in South Africa to be played as part of radio=20 stations. This = initiative, I think=20 is brilliant in terms of popularising the Civil Society concept and = attracting=20 grassroot participation and importantly, thought.

As Polly=20 Gastor mentioned in her article on setting up telecentres in Mozambique, = ICT=20 initiatives can not come from the kind of participatory structures that = many=20 NGOs and other non-profit organisations (NPOs) do, simply because = education=20 around technology is necessary before the demand is there for = telecentres. But, ICTs do represent a = chance to=20 popularise Civil Society, for getting people involved and informed about = local,=20 national and global issues. = This=20 may not be the main reason for wanting to bridge the digital divide, but = possibly it is time people started speaking for themselves. To this end CINSA would like = to compile=20 and send out CDs of useful tools for those ICT initiatives that are = off-line,=20 including interviews from conferences, and also in the future go = multi-platform,=20 using cell phones to deliver information to telecentre managers.

Sandra=20 Roberts

Information=20 / Research co-ordinator

sandra@sangonet.org.za

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Disagree=20 with me? Agree with me? Want to call me names and criticise me for = my short sighted thinking? Or plain ignorance? Take it to = the=20 discussion list = http:/= /lists.sn.apc.org/mailman/listinfo/sadc-idiscussion=

Encouraged=20 to act? Send contact details of any grassroot ICT initiatives that you = are aware=20 of to me on sandra@sangonet.org.za=20

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OPPORTUNITIES=20 ABOUND FOR COMMUNITY ICTS!!

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For=20 those of you who are not yet aware, we are looking for information, = reports,=20 programme=20 experiences, resource materials, and strategies of telecentre = operations. This is your opportunity to = give your=20 initiative Africa-wide, then worldwide exposure. Soul Beat Africa has a = circulation of=20 4900 and information which appears on their website have a good chance = of=20 landing on the comminit.com site which is highly popular with a large, = global=20 audience. CINSA has organised this in order to give our members and = telecentres=20 in Africa a broader platform to publicise the work they=20 do.

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JOIN=20 CINSA

-----------------

CINSA=20 would like to invite Community ICTs to join us, free of charge to access = all the=20 benefits of belonging to CINSA. = We=20 have hard copy and online tools to help community ICTs survive and = prosper. Additionally, we provide = specialised=20 project management and service brokerage services and would like to = invite=20 interested parties to contact us. =20 We are looking for new members for our network (no membership fee = is=20 currently payable) and want to help community ICTs with research, = training,=20 skills exchange, service brokerage, facilitating technical support and = project=20 management assistance. To = join,=20 email Ngunga@sangonet.org.za=20

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NEW=20 ADDITIONS TO THE CINSA PORTAL:

Advocacy=20

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Open Source - = Africa's=20 liberating IT force

Africa's=20 entrepreneurs have for too long been hobbled by the need to invest in = rooted=20 hardware and software, and then be tutored in using applications that = have=20 little relevance to the way they do business.

http://cinsa.info/portal/inde= x.php?option=3Darticles&task=3Dviewarticle&artid=3D103&Itemid= =3D60

For more=20 new additions, please go to http://www.cinsa.info/portal/index.= php?option=3Ddisplaypage&Itemid=3D59&op=3Dpage&SubMenu=3D= =20

Research=20 pieces

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IMPROVING=20 ACCESS TO EDUCATION VIA SATELLITES IN AFRICA: A PRIMER

This=20 Primer was commissioned by Imfundo: Partnership in IT and Education. = This=20 edition is an up-dated version commissioned by Imfundo, written by Mathy = Vanbuel, and published online in October 2003. Its objective is to = provide an=20 overview of the opportunities afforded by developments in satellite = technology=20 in meeting educational and development needs especially in Sub-Saharan=20 Africa.

http://cinsa.info/portal/index= .php?option=3Darticles&task=3Dviewarticle&artid=3D118&Itemid=3D= 3

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OWNERSHIP=20 AND PARTNERSHIP: KEYS TO SUSTAINING ICT-ENABLED DEVELOPMENT=20 ACTIVITIES

In=20 May 2003, IICD convened a meeting to examine issues of ownership and = partnership=20 in ICT-enabled development cooperation. Questions discussed concerned = the=20 different types of ownership that need to be developed, and how IICD, = and=20 organisations like it, can promote and foster high levels of local = ownership.=20 This research brief reports from these discussions. Some of the cases = shared=20 during the workshop are presented in this report

http://cinsa.info/portal/index= .php?option=3Darticles&task=3Dviewarticle&artid=3D114&Itemid=3D= 3

For more=20 new additions, please go to

http://www.cinsa.info/portal/index.p= hp?option=3Darticles&Itemid=3D3&topid=3D5&Itemid=3D3=20

Gender=20 and ICTs

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GLOBALIZATION OF PRURIENCE: THE INTERNET AND DEGRADATION = OF WOMEN=20 AND CHILDREN

This,=20 slightly different article looks at the comodification of women and = children=20 over the Internet. The=20 multimillion-dollar pornography industry commercializes, and profits = from, the=20 depiction of women and children as commodities and objects of = consumption (Deem,=20 1999; Jeffreys, 1999; Scraton, 1999; Shaw, 1999). Blaise Cronin and = Elisabeth=20 Davenport (2001) add, "Eros and technology have combined historically to = produce=20 publicly available erotic representations." They observe that socially=20 acquiesced life=96style preferences, expressive of consumers=92 desires = and=20 pleasures, are shaping the uses of new technologies in the production = and=20 marketing of pornography.

http://cinsa.info/portal/inde= x.php?option=3Darticles&task=3Dviewarticle&artid=3D113&Itemid= =3D64

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OTHER=20 QUALITY INFORMATION

CINSA=20 collects specific community ICT news from a number of sources and places = it on=20 the portal for your convenience. = We=20 have also added a new section that you may wish to contribute to: = Projects=20 and experiences. Here YOU can share your successes and mistakes for = the=20 benefit of others.

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Free=20 Banner Advertising

------------------------------

CINSA is=20 introducing banner ads on their site and welcome applications from = businesses=20 with social responsibility programmes and other interested parties. This is a chance for you to = showcase=20 your work a growing SADC-wide = community ICT=20 audience, as well as, academics and ICT practitioners. This will be free of charge = for the=20 first three months should you be interested. If you are interested = please email=20 ngunga@sangonet.org.za=20

****************

Upcoming=20 ICT events:

CIRN=20 calls for papers to its 2004 Inaugural Conference and Colloquium with = the theme,=20 'Sustainability and Community Technology: What does this Mean for = Community=20 Informatics? ', at the Monash Centre, Prato, Italy, 29 September - 1 = October=20 2004. Visit http://www.ciresearch.net/p= rato2004/=20 for preliminary details.

---------------------=20

AFRICAN IT SECURITY=20 FORUM

Dr=20 Jeremy Ward, a leading IT security expert in the UK, has confirmed that = he will=20 make a keynote presentation at the African IT Security Forum. Dr Ward is Director of Service = Development at Symantec UK. He serves on a number of professional bodies = and=20 advises the UK government on Internet security. His presentation will = include=20 the following:

DATE:=20 24-25=20 February

VENUE:=20 London
For = more=20 information visit www.aitecafrica.com or = email=20 info@aitecafrica.com

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VIDEO=20 LAUNCH

Invitation=20 to Launch of Gender and Media Video: Meeting of the South African Gender = and=20 Media Network. The=20 video, produced by Black Earth Communications, draws on material from = the Gender=20 and Media Baseline Study conducted by Gender Links and MISA in twelve = Southern=20 African countries last year. It illustrates the findings with examples = and views=20 from a wide range of media practitioners, activists = and=20 analysts from across the region, highlighting both the problems of = gender bias=20 in the media, but also the many creative solutions springing up. =

DATE 19TH February=20 2004

TIME: 17:30 for=20 18:00

VENUE:=20 SABC RADIO PARK, AUDITORIUM GROUND FLOOR

More=20 information: mothibi@genderlinks.org.za

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SAGEM=20 MEETING

The South=20 African Gender and Media network (SAGEM) was formed at the launch of the = Gender=20 and Media Baseline Study in August 2003. SAGEM networks media = organisations,=20 practitioners and trainers in a strategic alliance to address issues of = gender=20 in the media. The meeting will look at reviewing some of the work done = by=20 partner organisations in the final quarter of last year as well starting = a SAGEM=20 dialogue for the elections. However, the main focus of the meeting will = be to=20 develop a plan of action for SAGEM for 2004 and to set up a formal = institutional=20 structure.

DATE: 20 FEBRUARY=20 2004

TIME: 08:30 for=20 09:00

VENUE: SABC, PANORAMA, = 28TH FLOOR=20 RADIO PARK

RSVP=20 BEFORE 16TH FEBRUARY 2004

More=20 information: mothibi@genderlinks.org.za

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ADVANCING=20 RURAL WOMEN'S EMPOWERMENT: ICTs in the service of good governance, = democratic=20 practice and development for rural women in Africa

The=20 workshop will bring together women's organisations, government = officials, and=20 gender and development practitioners and researchers, involved in gender = and=20 Information and Communication (ICT) projects and=20 initiatives.

DATE: 23 -=20 25 February 2004

VENUE:=20 Johannesburg, South Africa

For more=20 information go to www.womensnet.org.za or email = Lauren@womensnet.org.za<= /o:p>

-------------------------

OPEN=20 SOURCE CONFERENCE

The=20 Tactical Technology Collective has announced a five-day meeting for = experienced=20 Free and Open Source Software (F/OSS) developers from across Africa. = During the=20 five-day event, participants and facilitators will share technical = skills and=20 experiences, discuss key challenges in realising F/OSS projects, and = develop=20 concrete strategies for strengthening the nascent community of F/OSS=20 technologists working in African contexts. This event is organized by = the=20 Tactical Technology Collective, the All Africa Foundation, and SchoolNet = Namibia=20 in cooperation with the Free and Open Source Software Foundation for=20 Africa.

DATE:=20 15th - 19 March 2004

VENUE:=20 Namibia

For=20 more information go to http://www.tactica= ltech.org/?q=3Dnode/view/22=20

---------------

A unique=20 opportunity to meet hundreds of civil society practitioners, = researchers,=20 activists, concerned business leaders and government representatives. = The=20 overall World Assembly theme is Acting Together for a Just World.=20 Plenary sessions, learning exchanges and capacity-building = workshops=20 will focus on the following =20 sub-themes: Civic justice which explores=20 ways to defend the rights of civic associations and to strengthen = the=20 governance and legitimacy of civil society organisations; Social justice, which=20 explores civil society=92s role in situations of public or = private=20 conflict; Political justice which = explores=20 ways to enhance citizen = engagement in=20 decision-making; and Economic justice which will = reflect=20 on the ways in which globalisation is changing the world of = work.

DATE: 21-25 March 2004

VENUE: Gaborone, Botswana

For=20 more information go to www.civicusassembly.org

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IMPLIMENTING THE = WSIS ACTION=20 PLAN CONFERENCE

A unique conference for policy-makers, ICT = activists=20 and action-oriented private sector organisations, hosted by the = Commonwealth=20 Telecommunications Organisation. Presentation proposals are = invited,=20 covering the topics outlined above. Proposals should be sent to Sean = Moroney,=20 AITEC Africa (sean@aitecafrica.com),=20 including a brief outline and the presenter=92s CV = summary.

DATE:=20 25-26 March 2004

VENUE:=20 Safari Park Hotel, Nairobi,

For more=20 information email sean@aitecafrica.com or visit = www.aitecafrica.com

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KENYA=20 NATIONAL ICT CONVENTION

Intended to develop a = detailed=20 consensus between government, Civil Society and the private sector on = the=20 country=92s national ICT policy. In addition, the Convention with = showcase East=20 African national and regional ICT projects in order to attract donor = support or=20 private sector investment, this conference is not limited to region or = country.=20

DATE: 22-26 March=20

VENUE: Also the Safari = Park=20 Hotel

For more information visit = www.aitecafrica.com or email info@aitecafrica.com<= /SPAN>

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BUILDING & BRIDGING COMMUNITY NETWORKS: KNOWLEDGE, = INNOVATION=20 & DIVERSITY THROUGH COMMUNICATION

The=20 Committee of the =93 Building & Bridging Community Networks: = Knowledge,=20 Innovation & Diversity through Communication=94 conference issues a = call for=20 your participation in an exciting opportunity to network with others = engaged in:=20 community networking, community = informatics and=20 community technology research, practice and policy. This international=20 conference will help a range of people with different roles to share = their=20 knowledge about: the use of community technologies to build and sustain = healthy=20 communities; and the development of networks to achieve this goal.=20

DATE: 31st March =96 2nd April, 2004 =
VENUE:=20 Old Ship Hotel, Brighton, East Sussex, England

For=20 more information visit http://www.cm= is.brighton.ac.uk/research/seake/cna/=20

------------------------

YOUR=20 EVENT HERE =85.

Send us=20 your events to appear in this newsletter, in particular some countries = in SADC=20 are currently highly underrepresented, please help us address=20 this.

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FEEDBACK

----------------

Sandra=20 Roberts attended the talk by academic Dr Leo Van Audenhove on = Transnational=20 Civil Society in the Networked Society: the relationship between ICTs = and the=20 rise of a transnational Civil Society on Wednesday 4 February 2003 and = had the=20 following to say:

Dr. Van=20 Audenhove had done contract research investigating the relationship = between ICTS=20 and transnational Civil Society and found amongst other things=20 that:

ICTs=20 enable transnationalisation without=20 institutionalisation

In his=20 case study of indymedia.be he found very low levels of = institutionalisation with=20 transnationalisation still relatively high, but a degree of = institutionalisation=20 is necessary for concrete action based on discussion (the case study = here was=20 APC)

Organisation=20 happens on a national level rather, despite the transnational public=20 sphere

In fact=20 geography is still an issue, as information was greatest in the = countries that=20 the organisations were based

ICTs=20 do allow participation over distance

Although=20 in discussions after the presentation it was mentioned that the rhetoric = of=20 participation is often not backed up by any power to contribute to=20 decisions. =

Public=20 sphere is plural, there are many public spheres in which people = interact=20 virtually

Get the=20 full paper, in pdf (123 pages) from ht= tp://www.ecdc.nl/publications/reports/terra_eindrapport.pdf=20

SHARE=20 YOUR EXPERIENCES OF ANY ICT EVENT WHICH YOU HAVE ATTENDED RECENTLY, = EMAIL sandra@sangonet.org.za=20

**************

JOBS

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Coordinador/a de pa=EDs - Mozambique =

M=E9dicos del=20 Mundo

Su=20 misi=F3n es representar a M=E9dicos del Mundo Espa=F1a en Mozambique a = las distintas=20 instituciones y organismos nacionales e internacionales, as=ED como = coordinar los=20 proyectos que M=E9dicos del Mundo realiza, detectando nuevas necesidades = de=20 intervenci=F3n.

http://www.oneworld.net/jo= b/view/9107

------

M=E9dico=20 Sanitario =96 Angola

M=E9dicos del=20 Mundo

Desarrollar=20 y dirigir las labores sanitarias en todos los componentes del proyecto, = entre=20 ellas la formaci=F3n y la campa=F1a de Educaci=F3n para la Salud. Ser=E1 = responsable de=20 la elaboraci=F3n de los informes bimensuales y semestrales (internos, = oficiales)=20 en coordinaci=F3n con la coordinadora de proyecto y de la coordinaci=F3n = y=20 supervisi=F3n del personal sanitario local del proyecto. Tendr=E1 que = coordinar y=20 colaborar en el proceso de compras de material m=E9dico y sanitario del = proyecto y=20 del resto de proyectos de MdM en el pa=EDs. Tambi=E9n deber=E1 = participar activamente=20 en la identificaci=F3n y formulaci=F3n de nuevas propuestas en el pa=EDs = y en la=20 b=FAsqueda de nuevas fuentes de financiaci=F3n en el terreno. =

http://www.oneworld.net/jo= b/view/9109

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OPPORTUNITIES

-----------------------

Prix Arts=20 Electronica: To mark its twenty-fifth anniversary in 2004,=20 Ars

Electronica=20 has expanded its international competition for cyberarts to include a = new=20 category called "Digital Communities." =20 The category encompasses the wide-ranging social consequences of = the=20 Internet as well as the latest developments in the domain of mobile=20 communications and wireless networks. =20 40,000 Euro in prize money will be awarded to six exemplary = initiatives=20 that are furthering the development of an Open Society. The deadline for submissions = is March=20 12, 2004. For more = information=20 visit http://www.aec.at/en/prix/in= dex.asp

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CALL FOR=20 PROPOSALS: =

The Third=20 Research on Knowledge Systems (RoKS) Competition=20 (2003-2004)

Theme:=20 "Understanding the Social and Public Policy Dimensions of Transformative = Technologies in the South"

The=20 Research on Knowledge Systems (RoKS) initiative of the=20 International

Development=20 Research Centre (IDRC) in partnership with the = Rockefeller

Foundation=20 <www.rockfound.org> is launching a competition to support research = on the=20 social equity and public policy challenges of transformative = technologies faced=20 by developing countries. The focus is on how social equity and the human = condition is being affected by emerging technologies, as well as on what = mechanisms and learning processes are in place or have been developed to = assist=20 governments and public stakeholder groups engaged in the decision-making = processes associated with these new technologies. We recognize that new=20 knowledge is not neutral and is embedded in specific social contexts; it = can=20 offer opportunity, but can also constrain human = activity.

The=20 deadline for concept note submission is March 26, 2004. Submissions received after = that date, or=20 which are incomplete, will not be eligible for consideration. Concept = notes that=20 are qualified through a peer review process will be asked to submit full = proposals for June 18, 2004. Information regarding the status of your=20 application, other than our confirmation of its receipt, will not be=20 available.

For more=20 information visit http://web.id= rc.ca/en/ev-45704-201-1-DO_TOPIC.html

------------------------------------------------------------------= ---------

APPEL DE=20 PROPOSITIONS:

IIIe=20 concours de Recherche sur les Systemes de Connaissances=20 (2003-2004)

Theme du=20 Concours: "Comprendre les dimensions des technologies transformatrices=20 qui ont trait aux politiques sociales et publiques dans le=20 Sud"

L'initiative=20 Recherche sur les Systemes de Connaissances (RSC) du Centre de=20 Recherches pour le Developpement International (CRDI) conjointement avec la=20 Fondation Rockefeller (www.rockfound.org) lance un concours afin d'appuyer=20 la recherche sur les defis que les technologies=20 transformatrices=20 posent aux pays en developpement sur les plans de=20 l'equite=20 sociale et des politiques publiques. La recherche vise avant tout a=20 determiner l'effet des technologies emergentes sur l'equite sociale et=20 la condition humaine, ainsi que les mecanismes et les processus=20 d'apprentissage mis en place ou mis au point pour aider les gouvernements=20 et les groupes d'interet publics a participer aux=20 processus=20 decisionnels associes a ces nouvelles technologies. Nous reconnaissons=20 que les connaissances nouvelles ne sont pas neutres et qu'elles=20 sont enchassees dans des contextes sociaux particuliers: elles peuvent=20 etre porteuses de possibilites, mais aussi entraver l'activite humaine.

Pour=20 obtenir plus de reseignements ou recevoir une trousse complete=20 de

demande,=20 cliquez: http://web.id= rc.ca/fr/ev-45704-201-1-DO_TOPIC.html

DATABASE

----------------

The=20 CINSA portal will soon publish a database of community ICTs, ICT = practitioners=20 and ICT service providers, if you wish to appear on this valuable = publicity=20 resource, please email sandra@sangonet.org.za=20

**************

If you=20 would like any of the items mentioned in this newsletter and have no = access to=20 the Internet, please email cinsainfo-owner@lists.sn.apc.org = including the=20 title of the item you wish to receive. =20

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To=20 unsubscribe or change subscription details, email cinsainfo-owner@lists.sn.apc.org=20