Category: News

WOUGNET Gender Session at eLearning Africa 2014

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WOUGNET organized a panel on Gender and ICTs at the eLearning Africa Conference that took place at Speke Resort Hotel Munyonyo on 29th May 2014. The theme of the session was called “Managing Diversity and Equal Opportunities”.

The main objective of the panel was to share experiences on how WOUGNET has enhanced learning among women and girls through use of ICTs, raise awareness on the need to implement gender responsive e-learning interventions and map out opportunities for women   to access and utilize ICTs in education.

The panel session comprised of speakers and presenters, shared experiences on how to enhance learning among women and girls through use of ICTs, raised awareness on the need to implement gender responsive learning interventions.

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Online Privacy and Security: The Debate And The Dilemma

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By Ashnah Kalemera

The issue of internet users’ privacy and security has been widely debated since the Edward Snowden revelations last June put a magnifying glass on the extremes that some governments, such as the U.S., are prepared to go to in the fight against terrorism and cybercrime.

To-date, debate rages on amongst human rights activists, government, media, academia and the private sector on the effects of surveillance on internet freedoms. It is also becoming apparent that some developing countries are also taking to surveillance of their citizens’ communications.

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ICT 4 Health Service Delivery "Upscale Project"

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Background
Transparency International Uganda is a member organization to ICT for Democracy in East Africa network. The ICT4Democracy in East Africa Network is premised on the recognition that Information and Communication Technology (ICT) enhances communication and the right to freedom of expression, as well as the right to seek, receive and impart information. In this respect, ICT has the potential to increase citizens’ participation in decision-making processes, thus strengthening democratization.

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ToroDev Monitoring & Evaluation team tracks the impact of Advocacy Forums

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In April 2014, ToroDev M&E team held a monitoring and Evaluation activity to track the impact of the Advocacy Forums and rural monitors in monitoring service delivery and demanding accountability from the local leaders in the districts of Kabarole, Kyenjojo, Kyegegwa, Bundibugyo, Kasese and Ntoroko. The activity acted as a way of motivating, encouraging, strengthening and empowering the Advocacy forums and rural monitors, and assisting the project team to study and know the activity plans, needs, challenges, achievements, changes and future plans of the advocacy forums and the one hundred and twenty (120) rural monitors.

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New Laws in Uganda Restrict Citizens’ Rights

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By Juliet Nanfuka

Recently introduced laws and regulations in Uganda have caused a stir both within the country and internationally for restricting citizens’ rights to freedom of expression on the internet and offline.

The most contentious of these are the Anti-Pornography Act 2014, the Public Order Management Act 2013, the Anti-Homosexuality Act 2014, the 2014 Press and Journalist regulations and the Non Government Organisation (NGO) Amendment bill. They are criticised for creating unwarranted restrictions to liberties granted by the country’s 1995 constitution.

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How are ICTs impacting Governance in East Africa? (A.K.A “ICT and Governance in EA” Project)

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Much as has been said of the promise, potential and progress of ICTs in the East African region. Governments, non-governmental organizations, private sector players, citizens and other stakeholders are embracing ICTs in interesting and innovative ways that merit further study. It is for this reason that iHub Research, as part of the ICT4Democracy East Africa network, is undertaking a project to assess how ICT tools are being used for various aspects of governance in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.

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Local Leaders in Kasese District Trained in e-Governance

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This month, the Collaboration on International ICT Policy in East and Southern Africa (CIPESA) and the E-Society Resource Centre Kasese trained local leaders in Kasese district in the use of ICTs for improved governance and service delivery. During the March 20-21 2014 workshop, local leaders of the western Uganda district were also trained in using ICTs for information sharing and promoting citizen participation.

Speaking at the workshop, District Information Officer John Thawite urged local leaders to break away from the culture of secrecy and work in accordance with the 2005 Uganda Access to Information Act. “Meaningful participation in democratic processes requires informed participants hence the need for increased access to information,” he said.

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Taking stock of service delivery in the districts of Apac, Kole and Oyam in Northern Uganda

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Voluntary social accountability committees in Apac, Kole and Oyam were empowered by Women of Uganda Network, equipped with ICT tools especially mobile phones and cameras to facilitate them in monitoring, documenting and disseminating service delivery issues within their respective communities to their various duty bearers and also share the key findings on various platforms such as Ushahidi and U-Call. They were also equipped with networking and advocacy skills so as to prepare them to be able to engage with their leaders on key issues of concern in the community so that they take action to address them.

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iHub Research: iQuarterly

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For our first iQuarterly issue this year, the iHub Research team offers our take on the new year by surmising, theorizing and inferring on what the year might look like from a tech perspective.

Together with the new year, we are sharing some of our new proj- ects being undertaken this year, made possible by the accomplish- ment of past projects. We also release two reports from such past projects in this issue.

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