WOUGNET Update Newsletter - March 2004

[Dorothy Okello <dokello@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

WOUGNET Update Newsletter - March 2004
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A monthly electronic newsletter from Women of Uganda Network (WOUGNET) - 
http://www.wougnet.org
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This month's contents:
1. Women Organisations in Uganda
2. ICT Policy
3. Links & Resources
4. Project News and Events
5. WebDesign
6. WOUGNET News

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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
WOMEN ORGANISATIONS IN UGANDA
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= Kyabuhangwa Women in Development (KWID)
   http://www.wougnet.org/Profiles/kwid.html
Operating in Rukiga county, Kabale, KWID's mission is to empower women 
address hindrances to their advancement.
KWID's activities address integrated community development, i.e., 
education, economic development, health, improved production, environmental 
management and social welfare.
http://www.wougnet.org/wo_dir.html#KWID


= COPAW: Women's Demands to Political Parties and Organisations
The Coalition for Political Accountability to Women (COPAW) is a 
non-partisan alliance of rights based organisations and individuals 
committed to political accountability to women and to socio-political 
transformation in realising good governance in Uganda. COPAW in 
collaboration with Uganda Women's Network (UWONET) organised a series of 
meetings last year (2003) to chart out clear and distinct issues to put to 
political parties and organisations as Uganda transits to pluralism. Some 
of the issues that prominently featured were (i) Real and Meaningful 
Democracy; (ii) Integration of the Principle of Affirmative Action; (iii) 
People-Centred / People-Focused Development; (iv) Commitment to Obligations 
under International Human Rights Instruments; and (v) Peace and Security. 
These issues were compiled in a brief memorandum that is now being shared 
widely for input.
http://www.wougnet.org/Documents/COPAW/womendemands.html


= News headlines from EASSI
a) Get Internship opportunities at EASSI: The Eastern Africa Sub-regional 
Support Initiative for the Advancement of Women (EASSI) is seeking for 
applications from young women who wish to be attached to the organisation 
under its internship programme.
b) EASSI endorsed responsible for the Eastern African Sub-region on the 
Bureau of the Committee on Women and Development (CWD) for the period 
2003-2004.
c) Gender inequality on land issues perpetuates poverty: The Chairperson 
for EASSI, Elizabeth Kharono has traced household poverty in the Eastern 
African Sub-region to gender inequalities in access, use and control of 
family land.
d) EASSI to harmonise policy issues in PRSP: The Economic Commission for 
Africa has asked EASSI, a sub-regional mechanism for monitoring commitments 
and implementation of the Beijing Platform For Action, to adequately get 
involved in convalescing policy issues in the Poverty Reduction Strategies 
Programme (PRSP) from a gender perspective.
Read more at http://www.eassi.org


= CEEWA-Uganda launches new website
The Council for Economic Empowerment of Women in Africa - Uganda 
(CEEWA-Uganda) has launched a new website at http://www.ceewauwires.org


= Uganda Private Midwives Association (UPMA)
   http://www.wougnet.org/Profiles/upma.html
Established in 1948, UPMA's mission is to provide quality, accessible and 
affordable reproductive health services including primary health care to 
the community.
http://www.wougnet.org/wo_dir.html#UPMA


= The Association for Re-orientation and Rehabilitation of Teso Women for 
Development (TERREWODE)
   http://www.wougnet.org/Profiles/terrewode.html
TERREWODE's mission is to build capacity of women and girls from Teso, who 
dropped out-of-school, for sustainable development. TERREWODE's vision is 
to have a region with empowered women and girls who are taking 
responsibility to improve the welfare of their families, themselves, their 
communities and the region for sustainable development.
http://www.wougnet.org/wo_dir.html#TERREWODE


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ICT POLICY
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= Draft documents on E-Readiness and E-Information

Assessment of ICT infrastructure and general e-readiness has gained 
currency both in developed and developing countries but more so in the 
latter. Government of Uganda has long recognized that information is a 
strategic resource that can be used to transform society and the economy. 
Indeed, Government is aware that if the national development programmes of 
poverty eradication, decentralization and involvement of the public in 
governance are to succeed, appropriate information has to be availed to all 
levels of society. A Uganda E-Readiness assessment has laid a firm 
foundation for developing focused plans for e-government and other critical 
sectors of the economy and life of Uganda.
Uganda is in the process of developing and implementing a national ICT 
policy. The Uganda National Council of Science and Technology under the 
ministry of Finance Planning and Economic Development with financial 
assistance from UNDP is at the stage of developing a strategy for 
implementing this policy in all sectors. The ministry of The Office of the 
President under the Directorate of Information has been engaged as the 
Focal Institution to spearhead the E-Information Sector to develop a sector 
strategy and action plan for the implementation of the national ICT policy 
in accordance to the Guidelines to implement the national ICT policy. The 
Directorate of Information in the Office of the President is working as an 
overall spearheading institution, expected to be a coordinating hub for all 
E-information activities in the country.
Copies of the E-Readiness and E-Information reports are available at the 
WOUGNET office. If interested in copies, please contact Hadijah Namumbya, 
WOUGNET Information Officer, at (041) 256832 or (077) 910500 to make 
arrangements to obtain a copy.


= ICT Policy: A Beginner's Handbook

Limited copies of "ICT Policy: A Beginner's Handbook" are available for 
sale at the WOUGNET office.  Published by the Association for Progressive 
Communications, the book "takes the mystery out of information and 
communications technology (ICT) policy. Whether you are a member of a civil 
society organisation, a researcher, an activist, a journalist looking for 
background information, or someone simply interested in the topics". While 
the area of concern includes many kinds of ICTs, the book's focus is 
centered on the internet.
The book has four parts. The first part explains what is meant by ICT 
policy, and why it is important. Part Two looks at what makes the internet 
different from other media and ICTs, and seeks to explain why present 
internet use is inequitably distributed. Part Three explains policy and 
regulation, how policy is decided, who the main players are, and what can 
be done to ensure that policy decision-making is transparent and 
participatory. Part Four considers specific themes in ICT policy, with a 
focus on the internet.
To obtain a copy of the handbook, contact Hadijah Namumbya, WOUGNET 
Information Officer, at the WOUGNET Office (Room 13, Plot 59 Nkurumah 
Road). The book is 25,000 Uganda Shillings. For further information, 
contact Hadijah at (041) 256832 or (077) 910500 or stop by the WOUGNET office.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
LINKS & RESOURCES
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

a) Education

= Uconnect
Uconnect seeks to use information and communication technologies (ICTs) to 
connect schools to the global information network. Uconnect provides 
refurbished Pentium computers, printers and networking equipment to schools 
on a not-for-profit basis so that students and teachers may use ICTs to 
enhance their learning experience. Uconnect invite teachers and students to 
attend train-the-trainer workshops in computer literacy, Internet and 
networking basics at their demonstration lab that is based at the 
headquarters of the Uganda Ministry of Education and Sports.
http://www.wougnet.org/Links/education.html#UCONNECT



b) ICT-related organisations and resources

= Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) Literacy
The ICT Literacy website represents a global partnership among leading 
business, education, and public policy stakeholders to promote universal 
ICT Digital Literacy. The website provides a portal for the repository of 
ICT Literacy resources, highlights innovative efforts and partnerships 
promoting ICT Digital Literacy, and facilitates the interaction between 
researchers, business, government and educational segments.
http://www.wougnet.org/Links/ictresources.html#ICTL


= Academy for Educational Development/LearnLink/Dot.Com
Within Uganda's aim to improve telecommunication services and education, 
the U.S. Agency for International Development's (USAID) Connect-ED is 
supporting activities to improve the quality of education. In close 
cooperation with Uganda's Ministry of Education and within the framework of 
the U.S. Education for Development and Democracy Initiative (EDDI), this 
Academy for Educational Development/LearnLink/Dot.Com implemented project 
is increasing computer literacy among teachers and equipping 9 educational 
centers throughout the country and a development laboratory at Kyambogo 
University.
http://www.wougnet.org/Links/ictresources.html#AED


= Computers for Development
Based in the Netherlands, the goal of Computers For Development is the 
provision of computers for schools, hospitals, and organizations that focus 
on improvement of education and information facilities in developing 
countries in Africa, Asia, and South America. In our vision, education is 
the first step to a higher standard of living for developing countries. 
Your old computers can make a world of difference.
http://www.wougnet.org/Links/ictresources.html#CFD


Tonga.Online
Tonga.Online is a project on media, information & communication technology 
and art focusing on the Tonga people living along the border between 
Zimbabwe and Zambia. The project goal is to promote a Tonga voice on the 
Internet and to provide the Tonga minority with the most advanced 
information and communication tools.
http://www.wougnet.org/Links/ictresources.html#TONGA



c) WorldSpace

= Best Practices: Telecenters based on  WorldSpace technology
In the 2003 report "Best Practices for the Integrated Drylands Development 
Programme for Uganda", one of the best practices highlighted is the Radio 
and Internet (RANET) Uganda Program which is implemented in rural 
communities in Uganda by the Department of Meteorology and partners who 
include World Vision, Action Aid and Africa 2000 Network. RANET program 
ensures that farmers in rural communities timely access and use climate 
information forecasts, and other development information on internet, by 
using WorldSpace satellite and receivers together with computers. Through 
Partnership approach, 10 RANET sites in subcouties have been established 
with World Vision, 10 RANET sites with Action Aid, and 4 sites with Africa 
2000 Network. The National Coordinator, RANET Uganda, Milton Waiswa, is 
particularly interested in linking with other organisations that may be 
using the same techonology so that they can increase its potential use for 
the benefit of the rural communities. For a copy of the Best Practices 
report (WORD format), visit:
http://www.wougnet.org/Support/WSprogram.html#RANET



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Project News and Events
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

February 2004

A Conference on Advancing Rural Women's Empowerment: ICTS in the Service of 
Good Governance, Democratic Practice and Development for Rural Women in 
Africa, Women'sNet/Dimitra Project, Johannesburg, South Africa
Women'sNet hosted a regional workshop with the support of the Food and 
Agricultural Organisation (FAO) Dimitra Project that brought together 
women's organisations, government officials, and gender and development 
practitioners and researchers, involved in gender and Information and 
Communication (ICT) projects and initiatives.
The aims of conference were to identify the pertinent issues, share and 
discuss existing ways and platforms used in the region for bringing rural 
and disadvantaged women into the Information Society, identify challenges, 
as well as to begin to strategise as to the future directions and initiatives.
For more information and materials from the conference, visit 
http://womensnet.org.za/dimitra_conference
http://www.wougnet.org/Events/projectnews04.html#RWICT


March 2004

Prix Ars Electronica 2004
http://www.wougnet.org/Events/prixars2004.html
Prix Ars Electronica, the foremost international prize for computer-based 
art, offers an open platform for the encounter with leading edge trends in 
art, technology and society. Over the last 17 years, more than 24,800 works 
from 87 countries have been submitted for Prix Ars Electronica 
consideration, and a total of 1,350,000 Euro in prize money has been 
awarded to the most outstanding of them.
For the 18th time, artists, scientists, researchers and developers are 
invited to participate in the 2004 Prix Ars Electronica cyberarts 
competition in the following categories: Computer Animation/Visual Effects, 
Digital Musics, Interactive Art, Net Vision, Digital Communities, 
U19-Freestyle Computing, and "The Next Idea" - Art and Technology Grant.
For information on taking part in the Prix Ars Electronica 2004 and to 
submit your work, visit http://prixars.aec.at. The deadline for submissions 
is March 12, 2004. New this year is the Digital Communities category that 
is dedicated to social developments of great current relevance.


April 2004

AISI Media Awards 2004
The Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) has introduced the AISI Media 
Award programme to encourage more informed coverage of the information 
society and ICT for development issues in Africa as part of the its AISI 
Outreach and Communication Programme. The AISI Media Awards is aimed at 
individual journalists and media institutions based in Africa that are 
"promoting journalism which contributes to a better understanding of the 
information society in Africa".
For 2004, the award categories: (1) AISI/GKP Media Awards 2004: "Promoting 
the Information Society in Africa"; (2) AISI/IDRC Media Awards 2004: 
"Reporting ICT Research, Innovation and Policy"; (3) AISI/IICD Media Awards 
2004: "Local Content Applications and Media"; (4) AISI/OSIWA Media Awards 
2004: "Reporting ICTs and Rural Communities AND Best Female Reporter on 
ICT4D Issues". The deadline for submissions is 30 April 2004.
http://www.wougnet.org/Events/projectnews04.html#AMA2004



September 2004

= Call for Papers - "Universities: Taking a Leading Role in ICT-enabled 
Human Development",
   September 5-7, 2004, Directorate for ICT Support, Makerere University
Universities in the more technologically advanced countries have played a 
major role in the development and utilisation of information and 
communication technologies in their societies. In developing countries, 
where the absence of ICTs is compounded by poverty and high levels of 
illiteracy, universities have an even more critical role to play, and must 
be at the forefront of efforts to bridge the digital divide. This is 
aligned with the outreach and service to the community role of universities 
in developing countries.
The Directorate of ICT Support, Makerere University, is organising a 
conference under the theme "Universities: Taking a Leading Role in 
ICT-enabled Human Development" to facilitate the sharing of experiences, 
lessons, and ideas. Academics, practitioners, and experts from both 
developing and technologically advanced countries are invited to submit 
paper summaries/proposals not exceeding 1,000 words on any of the following 
(or closely related) topics for consideration by the panel of reviewers. 
Emphasis should be put on the current or potential roles of universities 
and the challenges they face. The deadline for submission of 
summaries/proposals is 30th May 2004.
http://www.wougnet.org/Events/projectnews04.html#DICTS2004



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
WebDesign
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Writing Effective Content for Web Sites

Writing content for the web requires different considerations than writing 
for print publications.  Following is a list of articles with tips on 
effective writing for the web:
= Writing for Effective Web Pages
http://www.iss.stthomas.edu/studyguides/writing_content.htm

= How Users Read on the Web
http://www.useit.com/alertbox/9710a.html

= How to Write Effective Text
http://www.efuse.com/Design/effective_writing.html


The WebDesign program is a partnership of WOUGNET and InterConnection to 
donate websites to WOUGNET members.  For further information, visit 
http://www.wougnet.org/Support/webdesign.html


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
WOUGNET News
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

= WOUGNET Annual Meeting: WOUGNET Action Plan 2004, January 21, 2004
WOUGNET held a meeting for her members to review the WOUGNET Action Plan 
2004 and to get members' input for the way forward. The meeting took place 
on January 21, 2004 at Hotel Africana, Kampala, and had fifty-three 
participants: thirty-nine women and fourteen men. During the meeting, a lot 
of time was spent on how WOUGNET can reach out to rural communities and her 
members without access to the internet considering that they seemed to be 
on the increase. Members came up with suggestions on how to go about this 
challenge giving their own experiences in their various organizations. 
Another issue that the participants embraced was the build up of core teams 
on key/priority issues like health, agriculture, business etc. They signed 
up to be on these teams. A volunteer Newsletter team was also formed. Yet 
another team was set up to look into the issue of WOUGNET membership. 
Copies of the report are available at:
http://www.wougnet.org/Meetings/WOUGNETevents.html#WJanMeet2004



= UNESCO Satellite Distance Learning Course On Telecentres In Africa
UNESCO is working with WorldSpace Corporation, the operator of the Afristar 
satellite for digital radio broadcasting in Africa, to demonstrate and test 
the potential of digital radio to deliver low budget, effective, multimedia 
based and real time distance education to rural learners in Africa. The 
project involves a short course in on Community Telecentre Development 
aimed at African telecentre staff, NGOs and decision makers working in the 
area of application of ICTs for development in Africa. WOUGNET was one of 
the five participating centers in Uganda
http://www.wougnet.org/Support/WSRP/sdl_telecenters.html



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