WOUGNET Update Newsletter - November 2006

[Dorothy Okello <dokello@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

WOUGNET Update Newsletter ­ November 2006
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A monthly electronic newsletter from Women of 
Uganda Network (WOUGNET) - http://www.wougnet.org
For comments or queries, contact info@xxxxxxxxxxx

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This month's contents:
1. Women Organizations in Uganda
2. ICT Policy
3. Links & Resources
4. Project News and Events
5. Tech Tip
7. WOUGNET News
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WOMEN ORGANISATIONS IN UGANDA
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= NVIWODA ? Equipping members with ICT and Entrepreneurial Skills
   http://www.wougnet.org/Profiles/nviwoda.html#IES06
Ntulume Village Women's Development Association 
(NVIWODA) envisions a knowledgeable community of 
women, trained and equipped with entrepreneurial 
skills and capable of influencing and making 
decisions. This is done through provision of 
entrepreneurship and technological skills 
training and development. To this end NVIWODA 
recently held its first ICT/Entrepreneurship 
outreach training Programme for twenty-one of its 
members. The training was conducted at the 
NVIWODA Centre for Entrepreneurship and Career 
Development from 25th to 30th September 2006. 
Participants, both women and men, were drawn from 
Kasese, Apac, Kampala, Mpigi, Wakiso, Kabarole, 
Luweero, and Ibanda districts of Uganda. The 
WOUGNET ICT Manager Gorreti Amuriat handed over 
certificates of achievement to the participants at the end of the training.
However, NVIWODA does face some challenges in 
achieving its goals. Since 1987, NVIWODA?s has 
had quite a number of successful stories and 
activities, but unfortunately some of the best 
practice experiences have not been 
documented.  Though, since 1999, some of 
activities have been Video documented, the 
organization desires to document and develop 
Audio CD / DVD ROMs in order to electronically 
exhibit and promote its work. The Audio CDs will 
contribute to raising more funds to run the 
Centre that will expand more of its programmes to 
many other areas and at the same time they would be used as training materials.
Another challenge NVIWODA faces is that after 
successfully working with the Community Based 
organizations (CBOs) through a grant making 
project, many more CBOs identified themselves 
with NVIWODA, and are desirous of support in form 
of grants.  The organization is incapacitated in 
fundraising for this activity and hence looks for 
partners to support the organization as 
fundraisers.  It is highly hoped that once the 
organization acquires a vehicle it can be able to 
effectively reach out to many women who are less 
advantaged, and lack self confidence, creativity, 
and empowerment skills in order to enjoy their equal human rights.



= NAWOU: International Rural Women?s Day, 15th October 2006
   http://www.wougnet.org/Profiles/nawou.html#IRWD
The National Association of Women Organizations 
in Uganda (NAWOU) recently hosted the 
International Rural Women?s Day in Uganda. This 
year?s theme was ?Rethink Poverty and Fight All 
Forms of Poverty?. Issues addressed were:
1.    Do rural women have access and control over resources?
2.    Are rural women using the resources available creatively?
3.    Do they have adequate information and exposure on their situation?

The focus of this year?s celebrations was to do 
something with women in rural communities to show 
them their role in contributing to the well being 
of their households and community is appreciated. 
The rural women were accorded dignity and 
visibility, because they are the majority and are 
also the most disadvantaged in terms of access to 
resources and means of development.


= UWONET - Northern Uganda women speak out on Juba talks
   http://www.wougnet.org/Profiles/uwonet.html#Juba06

Guided by United Nations Security Council 
Resolution 1325 (2000) on women, peace and 
security and the Solemn Declaration on Gender 
Equality in Africa (2004), five women?s 
organizations with the support of the United 
Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) and 
under the leadership of the Uganda Women?s 
Network (UWONET) engaged in consultations from 10 
? 14 October in Northern Uganda. These 
consultations were undertaken to demonstrate 
solidarity with the women of Northern Uganda and 
gather the views of women most acutely affected 
by the 20-year conflict on the current ongoing peace process in Juba.
UWONET called a press conference on Wednesday 
18th October 2006 at UWONET offices in Ntinda, 
with the purpose of disseminating the views of 
women in Northern Uganda on the ongoing peace process in Juba.
Over the course of five days, over 200 women from 
five districts (Gulu, Pader, Amuru, Kitgum and 
Lira), representing over 25 organizations and 
constituencies uniformly called for enduring 
peace in Uganda. Representatives of district 
leadership, Muslim, Catholic, Anglican and lay 
communities, civil society and IDP camps all 
appealed for the parties in Juba to remain fully 
committed to sitting together at the peace table 
to build a comprehensive and peaceful future for 
all of Uganda. The members of the Civil Society 
Women?s Peace Coalition strongly support the 
voices of those consulted, noting with urgency 
several messages from across the districts visited.
The women of Northern Uganda call for peace at 
all costs, expressing their exhaustion and 
profound sadness at the suffering of so many in 
the greater North. They call for all engaged in 
the negotiations to speak the language of peace, 
with one voice, to the people of Uganda and to 
each other, and to ensure that their actions 
reaffirm their commitment to peace. The women 
emphasized that there should be no return home 
with out peace. They implore the parties to 
consider the specific impact the conflict has had 
on women: elderly, young, mothers, sisters and 
daughters of Uganda. They have borne the burden 
of conflict and know the sorrow of loss and pain 
of violence, which no justice mechanism, 
including the International Criminal Court can 
repair. They stand ready to nurture peace in 
their homes and communities and support all 
parties to do the same. Those that have been 
displaced and disenfranchised are hungry to go 
home to their lands, to reap the fruits of 
Uganda?s soil and to build homes for future generations.
The Civil Society Women?s Peace Coalition 
acknowledges and is encouraged by the important 
steps taken by the Government of Southern Sudan 
and the efforts of both parties to the 
negotiations to come together to bring an end to 
this conflict. In response to the women of 
Northern Uganda, taking into account their 
concerns and messages and in solidarity with 
them, the Civil Society Women?s Peace Coalition 
recommend the following to those engaged in the Juba process:
- Speak the language of peace, to each other and 
to the people of Uganda, so that all are 
encouraged by your commitment to the process;
- That all involved in the peace process hold 
themselves accountable to the women of Uganda and 
the Great Lakes region who have borne the burden of this conflict;
- Take into consideration the inclusion of 
perspectives from communities which have long 
suffered such as women and girls displaced 
internally by the conflict, and women and girls 
associated with fighting forces;
- Guarantee that the process and its monitoring 
include the protection of the rights of women and 
girls, especially with respect to their bodily integrity;
- Ensure that the Office of the Mediator and the 
parties to the negotiations have sufficient 
gender and women?s rights expertise so that the 
perspectives and rights of women and girls might be fully taken into account;
- Finally, recognize and seek the participation of women in the peace process


The members of the Civil Society Women?s Peace 
Coalition, with the support of UNIFEM continue to 
encourage the inclusion of women?s perspectives 
and voices in the peace talks, call on the 
international community to express it?s 
commitment to the process, and remain committed 
to fulfilling the vision of a just and sustainable peace in Uganda.
The statement was produced by The Uganda Women?s 
Network (UWONET), its 17 member organizations, 
allies and the women of the Greater North.


= UWEAL ? Business Achiever Awards (Source: The New Vision)
   http://www.wougnet.org/Profiles/uweal.html

Uganda Entrepreneurs Association Ltd (UWEAL) is 
to recognise women who have successfully started, 
run their own businesses. The 2006 awards, dubbed 
?Business Achiever,? will be held on November 
24th at Arirang Restaurant in Nakasero, Kampala. 
UWEAL publicity secretary, Dorothy Tuma, said the 
need to recognise women who had performed 
tremendously in entrepreneurship, could not be 
underestimated. The awards have been restructured 
into seven categories and named after each 
founding member of UWEAL. The founders include 
Thereza Mbiire, Ida Wanendeya, Catherine Kisumba, 
Cotilda Busulwa and Adelina Lubogo.
The woman entrepreneur of the year will win the 
Thereza Mbiire National Award. This award will go 
to any woman who has successfully started and run 
a profitable business. The award was named after 
Thereza Mbiire, for being one of the leading businesswomen in the country.
The Ida Wanendeya Award will go to the woman who 
has demonstrated selfless service in pursuing the 
objectives and activities of UWEAL. Wanendeya, it 
is said, willingly spends every coin she has, for 
the sake of UWEAL?s progress.
For the woman who has successfully started and 
run, a profitable business, with lower income 
level in the eastern, western and northern 
regions, the UWEAL Regional Entrepreneurship Award is up for grabs.
Those who have not been in business longer will 
not be left out either. The Catherine Kisumba 
Award will go to an entrepreneur below 35 years 
of age and with a business below two years. The 
award was named after Kisumba for her being 
exclusively original and creative and 
demonstrating a point of difference in the market place.
A woman whose business is at least five years 
old, and has demonstrated a ground-breaking idea 
or solution by creating a path for others to 
follow will win the Cotilda Busulwa Pioneer 
Award. Busulwa was the first entrepreneur in the 
clothing business way back in the 1950s.
The Adelina Lubogo Community Involvement Award 
will go to the company that gives back to the 
community. The award was named after Lubogo 
because of her passion to address the plight of 
the community, for no personal gains.
The UWEAL Honorary Award will go to the woman 
who, irrespective of whether she is in business 
or not, has made a meaningful difference in the lives of others.
(Source: Women?s Vision, The New Vision October 
24, 2006. Article by Carol Natukunda)


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ICT POLICY
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

= National Internet Governance Forum (NIGF) 
Consultative Workshop, October 13, 2006
In preparation for the inaugural IGF with the 
theme 'Internet Governance for Development' in 
Athens, Greece, the first meeting of the Uganda 
Internet Governance Forum was held on 13th 
October 2006 at Grand Imperial in Kampala. It was 
formally launched by the Minister of State for 
ICT, Hon. Alintuma Nsambu. Also in attendance was 
Dr. Nii Quaynor from Ghana, whose participation 
was sponsored by the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA).
The theme for the NIGF workshop was "The Road to 
Athens: Issues for Uganda" and the objectives 
were to raise awareness of the inaugural IGF in 
Athens, and the key issues for consideration as 
well as to raise awareness of an African position 
on Internet Governance and identify key issues 
that Uganda should take forward. The event was 
organised by Uganda Communications Commission 
(UCC) in collaboration with the Ministry of ICT, 
WOUGNET and Collaboration on International ICT 
Policy for East and Southern Africa (CIPESA).
In order to steer the NIGF forward, the workshop 
recommended that an interim NIGF Advisory Team be 
put in place. The members of the interim team are:
1. Mr. Patrick Mwesigwa, UCC
2. Dr. David Turahi, Ministry of ICT
3. Mr. Emma Mbaine, Motese International
4. Ms. Lillian Nalwoga, CIPESA
5. Dr. Dorothy Okello, WOUGNET
6. Mr. Yusuf Sewanyana, Uganda Police i/c IT
7. Mr. Ken Mwai, Afsat

For more information or for inquiries, please 
send email to ictpolicy@xxxxxxxxxxxx A report of 
the workshop will be made available online.


= A New Infrastructure Licensing Regime for Uganda

In May 2006, the government of Uganda issued 
policy guidelines on service provision, which 
defined the licensing structure for 
telecommunication services pending the 
pronouncement of the sector policy. These became 
operational 14th August 2006.  The Ministerial 
guidelines however did not cater for the opening 
up of the infrastructure provision. For purposes 
of providing a holistic licensing environment 
(services and infrastructure), the Ministry of 
ICTs decided to open up the infrastructure market to full competition.
The guidelines issued by the Minister of ICT, 
which open up the infrastructure provisioning to 
full competition will become effective on 1st 
November 2006. In response to the Ministerial 
guidelines, Uganda Communications Commission 
prepared a corresponding licensing regime and 
subsequently licenses, which shall be issued to the applicants.
In response to the Ministerial statement, three 
broad categories of licenses were developed by 
Uganda Communications Commission (UCC):
- Public service provider license
- Capacity provider license
- Special permission to construct (infrastructure)

A public consultative meeting was held on Friday 
20th October 2006, at Hotel Africana, Kampala, 
where views from members of the public were 
sought as regards to the new regime. While 
opening the meeting the Executive Director UCC, 
said the aim of the meeting was to look at issues 
such as the background, process, tarrifing, legal 
aspects and so on, in consultation with participants.
Topics covered included:
-         Proposed infrastructure License
-         Proposed infrastructure Licensing Regime
-         Proposed infrastructure Licensing and Transition
-         Major Provisions in the Proposed Infrastructure License
-         The new Telecommunications Licensing Regime

Participants were encouraged to continue sending 
their views to UCC via mail at ucc@xxxxxxxxxx For 
the full presentations and a detailed report visit www.ucc.co.ug


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
LINKS & RESOURCES
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a) Development

= Center for Integrated Development ? CIDEV
http://www.wougnet.org/Links/development.html#CIDEV
CIDEV is a non-governmental organization whose 
mission is to support natural resource-dependent 
poor communities with skills development and 
inputs for improved productivity and quality of 
life. This is done through initiating local level 
activities that enhance community innovations in 
the field of sustainable agriculture and natural 
resource and building capacity of farmers in 
proper land management in order to increase 
production and good animal husbandry. Founded in 
2000, CIDEV targets natural resource dependent poor communities.

= Build Up Again Ex-prisoners Association ? BAP
http://www.wougnet.org/Links/development.html#BAP
Established in 2001 BAP aims to change the moral 
fiber of criminals and vulnerable persons, 
equipping them with economic independence, 
knowledge and skills for self-development. 
Operating in five districts in Uganda the 
organization?s main focus is on Economic 
empowerment, Resettlement of ex-prisoners, Child 
Education, Rehabilitation and relief, Visits to 
prisoners homes and prisoners and Linking 
prisoners to families and friends. This is done 
through Counseling, Spiritual and psychosocial 
support, Income generating activities, Child 
sponsorship, and Resettlement of ex-convicts.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
PROJECT NEWS AND EVENTS
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= Public Debate: ''Is Investment in ICT a National Development Priority?''

On Friday 20th October 2006, I-Network held a 
Public Debate starting on the theme ''Is 
Investment  in ICT a National Development 
Priority?''. The Debate was hosted at Rwenzori 
Ball Room, Sheraton Kampala Hotel. The Debate 
followed an online discussion where different 
views were shared regarding the need for 
development of ICT in major sectors of Uganda's economy.
Uganda recognises the importance of ICT to 
national development, as evidenced by the 
liberalisation of the telecommunications industry 
in 1996 and the enactment of various legislations 
and adoption of policies to promote ICT 
investments and usage. The recent creation of a 
Ministry for ICT is the last show of the 
country's commitment to place ICTs at the 
forefront of its development and poverty 
reduction efforts. But whether Uganda has created 
the conducive environment for encouraging ICT 
investments is another matter altogether, and needs to be analysed.
The Moderator for this Debate was Mr. Patrick 
Bitature, Presidential Investment Roundtable and 
also the Chairman, ICT Working Group (Advisor to 
the President). The main discussants for the day 
were Dr. Johnson Nkuuhe, Country Coordinator, UN 
Millenium Project, Mr. John Musajjakawa, Senior 
Investment Executive, Uganda Investment Authority 
and Mr. Gerald Kisongoch, Lecturer, Department of 
Buisness Computing, Makerere University Buisness School.
For more information, contact Natalie Kimbugwe, 
I-Network Programme Manager, kimbugwe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tech Tip
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TechTip: Ghosts in the Machine

If you learn one thing about digital technology, 
it?s that nothing is truly gone forever.
Case in point:  the data you store on your cell 
phones and PDAs.  Recently, the security company 
Trust Digital bought ten mobile devices on eBay 
(an internet website where individuals can buy 
and sell their personal items), and then ran 
tests on them to see if any data were still 
readable.  The answer was an overwhelming yes.
Trust Digital recovered more than 27,000 pages of 
personal, corporate and other data from just ten 
devices.  The recovered data included banking 
passwords, personal and business contacts, 
personal correspondence, and even instant message texts.
The company says the data remained because the 
original owners of the devices did not properly 
wipe the memory before selling them 
online.  Simply choosing to trash files and 
contact lists is not enough to keep your data 
from those who know how to find it.
If you are selling or giving away a phone, PDA or 
computer to anyone, check with the manufacturer 
so that you know how to properly wipe its memory 
clean.  Chances are, you would not want someone 
else finding what you have kept so close.
(Source: http://www.techtips101.com)

This Tech Tip was compiled by the WOUGNET 
Technical Support Team. For more information 
contact techsupport@xxxxxxxxxxx or visit www.wougnet.org


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WOUGNET News
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= World Congress on Communication for Development 
(WCCD), Rome, Italy, October 25-27, 2006
The first World Congress on Communication for 
Development, which was held 25-27 October, 
focused on demonstrating that Communication for 
Development is an essential tool for meeting 
today?s most pressing development challenges and 
therefore should be more fully integrated in 
development policy and practices. The Congress 
brought together communication professionals 
engaged in development initiatives, policymakers, 
development practitioners, donor and civil 
society organization representatives, community 
representatives, and academics from around the 
world to share experiences and best practices in 
this growing field. Discussions and presentations 
focused on what works, what does not, and how 
Communication for Development contributes to 
better development effectiveness. More 
information about the congress is available online at http://www.devcomm.org
With generous support of the Technical Centre for 
Agriculture and Rural Cooperation ACP-EU (CTA), 
Dr. Dorothy Okello, WOUGNET Coordinator was among 
the participants at this Congress. Her 
participation provided WOUGNET the opportunity to 
expose their experience in communication for 
development as well as to benefit from the 
contacts made during this important gathering of 
practitioners, policy makers, experts and 
researchers - in particular around issues of 
?Communication for food security, rural 
development and livelihood strategies? as well as 
of "Gender and Communication for Development". 
For a copy of the Rome Consensus, including the 
recommendations from the Congress, send email to info@xxxxxxxxxxxx


= Reminder - Call for expressions of interest: Refurbished Computers

As a result of the WOUGNET - Computer Aid 
Partnership, a shipment of refurbished Pentium II 
and III computers is in Kampala and available for 
sale to NGOs, non-profit and faith based 
organizations, as well as Educational 
institutions. The computers are priced at 100 
pounds Sterling each and come with a 1-year 
warranty. All interested please contact the 
WOUGNET Marketing Officer, Sauce Patty Waigonda, 
by email: swaigonda@xxxxxxxxxxx or 
info@xxxxxxxxxxx or call 0772-513079 or 
041-532035 for more details and to make a booking.


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