Community Networks and Local Access Monthly Newsletter - Number 30 29 October 2020 By APCNews

    Welcome to the 30th monthly round-up of developments impacting your local access networks.

    SMEX: Remote learning and the digital divide in Lebanon 27 October 2020 By Tala Ramadan for SMEX

    With the onset of the economic crisis and the pandemic, Lebanon’s educational system has been thrown into turmoil. Education in Lebanon changed dramatically with the distinctive rise of e-learning, whereby teaching is taking place remotely on digital platforms. This abrupt shift to the digital ...

    The COVID-19 pandemic in Africa and human rights 21 October 2020 By APCNews

    APC with members of the African Declaration on Internet Rights and Freedoms Coalition called on authors from the region to develop a series of reports on the COVID-19 pandemic in Africa and human rights. Read the summaries of the 19 papers here.

    Connecting the Unconnected: Supporting community networks and other community-based connectivity initiatives Connecting the Unconnected: Supporting community networks and other community-based connectivity initiatives 11 March 2019

    This project will contribute to an enabling ecosystem for the emergence and growth of community networks and other community-based connectivity initiatives in developing countries. It is part of a multi-year, multi-donor strategy envisaged to address the human capacity and sustainability challenges, along with the policy and regulatory obstacles, that limit the growth of community-based connectivity initiatives.

    Challenging hate narratives and violations of freedom of religion and expression online in Asia Challenging hate narratives and violations of freedom of religion and expression online in Asia 18 December 2018

    This project seeks to protect and promote respect for freedom of religion and expression on the internet, particularly by countering hate speech online on the basis of religion, and generating narratives and discourse that defend secular and diverse opinions touching upon religion. The three-year project focuses on five countries in South and Southeast Asia: Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Myanmar and Pakistan. 

    FIRN: Feminist Internet Research Network FIRN: Feminist Internet Research Network 15 November 2018

    The Feminist Internet Research Network is a three-and-a-half-year collaborative and multidisciplinary research project led by APC, funded by the International Development Research Centre. The project draws on the study “Mapping research in gender and digital technology”, and the Feminist Principles of the Internet collectively crafted by feminists and activists, primarily located in the global South. 

    Global Information Society Watch Global Information Society Watch 30 August 2010

    Global Information Society Watch (GISWatch) is an annual report co-produced by the APC network and partners, which looks at the progress being made in creating an inclusive information society worldwide (particularly in implementing WSIS goals), encourages critical debate, and strengthens networking and advocacy for a just, inclusive information society.

    Silencing the media won’t stop the Thailand protests 27 October 2020 Sek Sophal for EngageMedia

    Sweeping to power by the military coup in May 2014, Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha is known for not being friendly to any independent media. As the protests against his government keep growing across the country,  the decision to ban the four independent media houses is nothing but another sign of policy failure to handle the situation.

    Privacy in the time of a pandemic: How is your data doing? 22 October 2020 Chenai Chair for GenderIT.org

    This first piece in a three-part series using a feminist data justice perspective to understand artificial intelligence, privacy and data protection in South Africa looks at data and the right to privacy focusing on the current health pandemic.

    Efficient tabbed browsing for increased productivity 22 October 2020 Vassilis Chryssos

    When working online, we need any help we can get to obtain a little boost in productivity and take a step further in understanding the profound change of the working landscape in the digital era. This guide for efficient tabbed browsing will show you how to stay on top of these challenges.

    Columns

    Inside the Digital Society

    David Souter writes a weekly column for APC, looking at different aspects of the information society, development and rights. David’s pieces take a fresh look at many of the issues that concern APC and its members, with the aim of provoking discussion and debate. Issues covered include internet governance and sustainable development, human rights and the environment, policy, practice and the use of ICTs by individuals and communities.

    APC priorities for the 2020 Internet Governance Forum
    APC priorities for the 2020 Internet Governance Forum

    The 15th edition of the Internet Governance Forum (IGF), the United Nations’ most significant multistakeholder platform for discussing internet governance, is taking place virtually from 9 to 17 November 2020, with pre-sessions from 3 to 6 November. These are APC's priorities for this year's IGF.

    Movement building in digital age: Evaluation report – learnings for donors and funds
    Movement building in digital age: Evaluation report – learnings for donors and funds

    The evaluation sought feedback from feminist internet meeting participants, including around the impact of the convenings on participants’ movement work and activism, their evolving relationships with digital technologies, and challenges in taking this work forward.

    Letter of intent for engagement with the UN Secretary General's digital cooperation efforts
    Letter of intent for engagement with the UN Secretary General's digital cooperation efforts

    The coalition of civil society groups undersigned are committed to supporting the implementation of the vision in which “all stakeholders play a role in advancing a safer, more equitable digital world, one which will lead to a brighter and more prosperous future for all.”

    Joint submission on proposed amendments to the South African Domestic Violence Act
    Joint submission on proposed amendments to the South African Domestic Violence Act

    On 9 October 2020, Research ICT Africa (RIA), APC, ALT Advisory and the Feministing While African (FWA) network made a submission to the Portfolio Committee on Justice and Correctional Services of South Africa in response to proposed amendments to the Domestic Violence Act.

    Joint civil society letter to the UN treaty bodies and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
    Joint civil society letter to the UN treaty bodies and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights

    A geographically representative group of 527 civil society organisations has called for the resumption of the state monitoring procedure of the international human rights treaty bodies, which have been postponed since March due to COVID-19 restrictions.

    HRC45: Civil society presents key takeaways from Human Rights Council
    HRC45: Civil society presents key takeaways from Human Rights Council

    Fourteen organisations share reflections on the outcomes of the 45th session of the UN Human Rights Council, as well as the missed opportunities to address key issues such as deadly migration routes at EU and US borders and the human rights situations in Algeria, Bolivia, China, Egypt and India.

    Unshackling Expression: The Philippines Report
    Unshackling Expression: The Philippines Report

    The Foundation for Media Alternatives, in collaboration with the Association for Progressive Communications and the Cyrilla Collaborative, is proud to share, “Unshackling Expression: The Philippines Report.”

    India: Amnesty International forced to halt work
    India: Amnesty International forced to halt work

    Amnesty International India announced that it is halting its work in the country after the Indian government froze its bank accounts in an act of reprisal for the organization’s human rights work.

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