ICT policy, advocacy and the digital divide

The ICT Policy for Civil Society training materials build the capacity of civil society organisations to understand policy and regulation related to information and communication technologies (ICT) so that they can begin to engage and influence policy processes affecting ICT adoption and implementation at national, regional and global levels.These materials were made possible with the support of the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation and the CATIA project of the Department for International Development.

We ask that you send us any modifications or developments you make to or translation of these materials to apc-policy@apc.org so that we can share them with other people that may find them useful. If you have any questions or are planning to run this course and would like support please get in touch with APC at apc-policy@apc.org.

 

ICTs and ICT policy

Core materials:

• ICT Policy: A Beginner’s Handbook
• ICT policy glossary

 

What are ICTs?

Developed by: Kate Wild and APC.

Overview: This is an introductory unit and is meant to consolidate an understanding of ICT and its impact/use in modern life.

Materials: (MS Word)

• Handout
• List of additional resources
• Copyright statement
• Trainers’ tools
  • Trainers’ notes
  • MS PowerPoint
  • Exercises
  • Workshop evaluation form
  • Materials evaluation form

Internet basics

Developed by: APC

Overview: An introduction to the history of the internet and how it works, as well the costs associated with it.

Materials: (MS Word)

• Handout
• List of additional resources
• Copyright statement
• Trainers’ tools
  • Trainers’ notes
  • MS PowerPoint
  • Exercises
  • Workshop evaluation form
  • Materials evaluation form

 

What is ICTs policy?

Developed by: Kate Wild and APC.

Overview: This unit introduces participants to ICT policy and its various aspects.

Materials: (MS Word)

• Handout
• Case studies
  • Brazil
  • Costa Rica
  • Estonia
  • India
  • Malaysia
  • South Africa
  • Tanzania
• List of additional resources
• Copyright statement
• Trainers’ tools
  • Trainers’ notes
  • MS PowerPoint
  • Exercises
  • Workshop evaluation form
  • Materials evaluation form

The ICT policy process

Developed by: Kate Wild and APC.

Overview: This unit introduces participants to the ICT policy process.

Materials: (MS Word)

• Handout
• List of additional resources
• Copyright statement
• Trainers’ tools
  • Trainers’ notes
  • MS PowerPoint
  • Exercises
  • Workshop evaluation form
  • Materials evaluation form

From policy to legislation to regulation

Developed by: Kate Wild and APC.

Overview: This unit introduces participants to the links between policy, legislation and regulation.

Materials: (MS Word)

• Handout
• List of additional resources
• Copyright statement
• Trainers’ tools
  • Trainers’ notes
  • MS PowerPoint
  • Exercises
  • Workshop evaluation form
  • Materials evaluation form

 

International and regional influences on ICT policy

Developed by: Kate Wild and APC.

Overview: This unit introduces participants to the increasing number of international and regional influential actors.

Materials: (MS Word)

• Handout
• List of additional resources
• Copyright statement
• Trainers’ tools
  • Trainers’ notes
  • MS PowerPoint
  • Exercises
  • Workshop evaluation form
  • Materials evaluation form

Why should CSOs be interested in ICT policy?

Developed by: APC.

Overview: An overview of civil society’s interest in ICT policy.

Materials: (MS Word)

• Handout
• List of additional resources
• Copyright statement
• Trainers’ tools
  • Trainers’ notes
  • MS PowerPoint
  • Exercises
  • Workshop evaluation form
  • Materials evaluation form

Privatization, liberalization and competition in telecommunications

Developed by: Miller Esselaar & Associates and APC.

Overview: The issues related to privatization, liberalization and competition in telecommunications.

Materials: (MS Word)

• Handout
• List of additional resources
• Copyright statement
• Trainers’ tools
  • Trainers’ notes
  • MS PowerPoint
  • Exercises
  • Workshop evaluation form
  • Materials evaluation form

Human rights and ICT policy

Developed by: APC

Overview: This unit provides an overview of Human Rights conventions, the different ‘generations’ of human rights, how these can be interpreted in the context of ‘the information society’, and explicitly as communication rights, and how the securing of communication rights is a fundamental pillar in securing all human, economic, social, cultural, civil and political rights and why it is important to apply a human rights perspective in the development of ICT policy.

Materials: (MS Word)

• Handout
• Additional readings:
  • African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights
  • African Charter commentary
  • African States and the concept of Human Rights
  • Civil Society Declaration to the African Union
  • APC Internet Rights charter
  • World Economic Forum-NEPAD E-Africa Commission E-Readiness policy programme
  • International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
  • International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
  • NEPAD Infrastructure Short Term Action Plan
  • The Universal Declaration of Human Rights
• List of additional resources
• Copyright statement
• Trainers’ tools
  • Trainers’ notes
  • MS PowerPoint
  • Exercises
  • Workshop evaluation form
  • Materials evaluation form

 

Digital Divide

Gender sensitization

Developed by: APC

Overview: This unit provides an overview of the key concepts in gender analysis, and introduces the various approaches to gender awareness development, as well as the basis for an exercise where participants can understand their own interventions against the Sarah Longwe “Women’s empowerment cycle”

Materials: (MS Word)

• Handout
• Copyright statement
• Trainers’ tools
  • Notes for trainers
  • MS PowerPoint
  • Workshop evaluation form
  • Materials evaluation form

Real Access

Developed by: bridges.org

Overview: This unit will explain the basic concepts of the Real Access/Real Impact framework and demonstrate how it can be used to improve the way that ICT is used for socio-economic development.

Materials: (MS Word)

• Handout
• Additional reading: Real Access / Real Impact Framework for ICT in development
• List of additional resources
• Copyright statement
• Trainers’ tools
  • Notes for trainers
  • MS PowerPoint
  • Exercises
  • Workshop evaluation form
  • Materials evaluation form

Universal access

Developed by: Claire Sibthorpe, CATIA

Overview: This unit provides an overview on universal access: definition, the role of policy in supporting the provision of basic access to telecommunications and some of the mechanisms being implemented to support the provision of this access.

Materials: (MS Word)

• Handout
• List of additional resources
• Copyright statement
• Trainers’ tools
  • Notes for trainers
  • MS PowerPoint
  • Workshop evaluation form
  • Materials evaluation form

ICTs for development

Developed by: Amy Mahan

Overview: This unit introduces participants to the issues involved in using ICTs for development. It also addresses the relationship between ICTs and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and has a section on indicators and measuring the digital divide.

• Handout
• List of additional resources
• APC Internet Rights Charter
• Copyright statement
• Trainers’ tools
  • Trainers’ notes
  • MS PowerPoint
  • Exercises
  • Workshop evaluation form
  • Materials evaluation form

Social exclusion in the Information Age

Developed by: Amy Mahan

Overview: This unit introduces participants to issues related to social exclusion and examines threats and opportunities arising from social exclusion and globalisation. It also examines the issue of harnessing regulation to fight against social exclusion in the information society.

• Handout
• List of additional resources
• Copyright statement
• Trainers’ tools
  • Trainers’ notes
  • MS PowerPoint
  • Exercises
  • Materials evaluation form
  • Workshop evaluation form

Advocacy

Advocacy journalism

Developed by: Vanessa Vasques, Highway Africa.

Overview: This unit looks at advocacy journalism, what it means, how it can be used, and how it is different from traditional journalism.

Materials: (MS Word)

• Handout
• List of additional resources
• Glossary
• Copyright statement
• Trainers’ tools
  • Trainers’ notes
  • MS PowerPoint
  • Exercises
  • Workshop evaluation form
  • Materials evaluation form