Pamoya

WOUGNET Update Newsletter - July 2004
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A monthly electronic newsletter from Women of Uganda Network (WOUGNET) -
http://www.wougnet.org
For comments or queries, contact info [at] wougnet [dot] org
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This month's contents:
1. Women Organisations in Uganda
2. Documents on Women's Issues in Uganda
3. ICT Policy
4. WorldSpace Satellite Radio Program (WSRP)
5. Links & Resources
6. Project News and Events
7. WOUGNET News

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With great sorrow, we inform you of the passing of Hadijah Namumbya,
WOUGNET Information Officer, which occured on May 16, 2004. We would like
to express our sincere appreciation to WOUGNET members, partners, and
friends, for the support we have received during this time. May Hadijah's
soul rest in eternal peace.

We would also like to apologise for non-issue of the June edition of the
WOUGNET Update Newsletter.

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WOMEN ORGANISATIONS IN UGANDA
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= Joint Women's Restoration and Welfare - Uganda (JOWORU)
http://www.wougnet.org/Profiles/joworwu.html
Based in Apac District, JOWORU's mission is to uplift the standard of
living with in the rural folk of Apac by introducing income generating
activities with much emphasis on women and youth.
http://www.wougnet.org/wo_dir.html#JOWORWU

= Council for Economic Empowerment for Women in Africa (CEEWA Uganda):
Change of location
http://www.wougnet.org/Profiles/ceewau.html
CEEWA Uganda moved to new offices in Kansanga. They are now located at Plot
4384 Kiwafu road, Kansanga. They can be reach at Tel: 269477, 269507, Fax:
269469 and Email: ceewa [at] ceewauwires [dot] org or info [at] ceewauwires [dot] org

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DOCUMENTS ON WOMEN'S ISSUES IN UGANDA
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= Working in Gender and Development in the Ugandan Context
(Mary Ssonko Nabacwa, 2004)

This paper presents gender in the Uganda context. It presents the efforts
by government and NGOs together with the challenges and contradictions of
work on gender issues in Uganda. The paper provides thoughts on work
towards gender equity and equality and it raises questions on what this
means for a developing country like Uganda. It presents the political
context of Uganda, the efforts
that have been undertaken by government and NGOs to work towards gender
equality, and concludes with the reflections of the writer on her own
experiences on working on gender issues in Uganda.
http://www.wougnet.org/documents.html#WGDU

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ICT POLICY
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= ICT Policy: A Beginner's Handbook

More 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 Milton Aineruhanga, WOUGNET
Program Officer, at the WOUGNET Office (Room 13, Plot 59 Nkurumah Road).
The book is 25,000 Uganda Shillings. For further information, contact
Milton at (041) 256832 or stop by the WOUGNET office.

= Africa Source II: Free and Open Source software for civil society tech
support in Africa

WOUGNET is a member of the organizing committee for the Africa Source II
workshop targeted at free and open source software (FOSS) for civil society
tech support in Africa. The inaugural planning meeting was held June 21 -
23, 2004 in Accra, Ghana. Africa Source II will be held in East or West
Africa in April/May 2005. This follows the Africa Source I workshop that
was targeted at free and open source developers. Africa Source I was held
in Namibia in March 2004, .

The target audience for Africa Source II is those working in Civil Society
Organisations as advisers, system admin/network and tech-support.
Organizations aimed at include
a. Open labs and resource centers (including schools)
b. Monitoring and advocacy groups
c. Service and logistics (aid) organizations
d. Community radio and FOSS
e. NGOs

Aim of Africa Source II:
a. Connect developers (Africa source community) with social sector
intermediaries and users.
b. Expand and strengthen the community of intermediaries able to
practically deploy FOSS in non-profit organizations/institutions.
c. Promote best practices for deploying FOSS and raise awareness of
potential (also drawing on expertise from other regions)

Further information regarding Africa Source II will be provided as
available. For information on how to make an input to the planning process,
send a message to opensource [at] wougnet [dot] org.

= E-Government Strategy and Action Plan

Since March 2004, WOUGNET has been a civil society member on the steering
committee developing UgandaÂ's E-Government Strategy and Action Plan under
the auspicious of the Ministry of Works, Housing and Communications. Over
the course of this period we have posted updates of the working documents
for input. The final steering committee meeting was held on 24th June 2004.
The revised working document will be made available for comment and input
at a public meeting in Kampala. The date and venue of the meeting will be
communicated as soon as confirmed.

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WORLDSPACE SATELLITE RADIO PROGRAM (WSRP)
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= WOUGNET ­ RANET WorldSpace Satellite Radio Partnership

The Radio and Internet (RANET) Uganda Program enables farmers in rural
communities to have timely access and use of climate information forecasts
and other development information on the Internet, by using WorldSpace
satellite radio equipment. Through a partnership approach, 10 RANET sites
have been established with World Vision, 10 with Action Aid and 4 with
Africa Network. RANET Uganda is a project under the Meteorology Department
in the Ministry of Water, Lands and Environment.

The WOUGNET - RANET collaboration intends to facilitate access to monthly
and seasonal climate and weather information for WOUGNET members via the
WorldSpace Satellite Radio system. The initiative will build upon WOUGNETÂ's
WorldSpace Satellite Radio Program (WSRP) began in August 2002,
. The information will also
be available to the general public on the WOUGNET website under the
Agriculture section.

WOUGNET members, particularly those working with farming communities, that
are interested in participating in the project should contact Milton
Aineruhanga, WOUGNET Program Officer, at info [at] wougnet [dot] org or by phone at
(041)256832 or stop by the WOUGNET Office, Room 13, Plot 59 Nkrumah Road.

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LINKS & RESOURCES
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a) Development

= Child Development Foundation (CDF)
Operating in Mbale, CDF has embarked on capacity building programmes to
train community healthy workers and care givers in handling HIV/AIDS
opportunistic infections. Issues addressed include labour and delivery,
breastfeeding, implications of pregnancy to an HIV mother, and preventing
mother to child HIV transmission.
http://www.wougnet.org/Profiles/cdfmbale.html

= Mengo Youth Development Link
Operating in Kampala, Mengo Youth Development Link's mission is to empower
the less privileged communities, school dropouts, youth and women with
practical managerial and marketable skills, valuable information which
enhances their ability to influence changes in the community and determine
a new course of development through self-help projects and participatory
methodologies aimed at alleviating poverty.
http://www.wougnet.org/Links/development.html#MYDEL

= Support the Needy - Uganda (SUNU)
Operating in Luwero District, SUNU's mission is to develop healthy,
self-sustaining individuals/groups and effective communities, particularly
women, children and the youth.
http://www.wougnet.org/Links/development.html#SUNU

= Launch of UgandaInfo - A Database for Social Development
UgandaInfo, a socio-economic database consisting of key indicators for
monitoring progress towards poverty eradication and social development, was
launched July 5th at Hotel Africana. UgandaInfo provides a method to
organize, store and display core socio-economic indicators for Uganda in a
uniform format to facilitate data sharing at country level and across
government departments and development partners using the same system.
UgandaInfo has been built by Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS), line
ministries and the Office of the Prime Minister in conjunction with UNICEF
and in consultation with UN agencies. The UgandaInfo software and database
are currently available on CD and can be acquired free from UBOS. For more
information, contact UBOS at ubos [at] infocom [dot] co [dot] ug or by phone at (041)
320741/322099/322100.
A copy of the CD is available at the WOUGNET office, Room 13, Plot 59
Nkrumah Road.

b) Education

= SchoolsFora
The SchoolsFora project is geared towards harnessing the potential of young
Ugandan academicians by providing them with an academic platform to
discuss, exchange and access relevant academic content. The project is
intended to enhance ICT usage in Ugandan schools by bringing student
communities academically closer through one platform; and by bridging the
gap between massive acquistion of computer hardware and availability of
appropriate software/academic information.
http://www.wougnet.org/Links/education.html#SFORA

c) Environment

= Agency for Environment and Wetlands (AEW)
AEW's mission is to enhance sustainable development by carrying out
research, publication, information dissemination, information sharing and
networking in order to achieve sustainable economic and social development
in Uganda.
http://www.wougnet.org/Links/environment.html#AEW

= Green Alternative and Peace - Uganda (GAP-UGANDA)
GAP-Uganda's mission is to promote, advocate, enhance, and act for
environment, natural resources, peace, human rights, conflict resolution,
social justice, grassroot empowerment, sustainable livelihood and
development for all.
http://www.wougnet.org/Links/environment.html#GAPUG

d) Health

= Youth AIDS Association Chawente (YAAC)
http://www.wougnet.org/Profiles/yaac.html
Based in Kwania county - Apac, YAAC's mission is to have a community
practicing positive behaviour change free from HIV/AIDS/STDs infection
through community sensitization and empowerment. YAAC's 2004/2005 program
includes HIV/AIDS/STDs Programme, Adolescents sexual Reproductive Health
and Rights Enhancement, and Adult Education.
http://www.wougnet.org/Links/health.html#YAAC

e) Human Rights

= International Committee for Human Rights (ICHR)
The International Committee for Human Rights (ICHR) is an independent human
rights organisation based in Spain with offices in Sarajevo. As a
non-profit organisation supported through donor contributions worldwide,
the ICHR has a corresponding impartial, objective and authoritative legal
approach to the protection and promotion of human rights.
http://www.wougnet.org/Links/rights.html#ICHR

f) Women and Gender

= Siyanda - Mainstreaming Gender
Siyanda is an on-line database of select gender and development materials
from around the world. It is also an interactive space for practitioners,
policymakers and academics to share ideas, experiences and resources for
mainstreaming gender in development.
http://www.wougnet.org/Links/aboutwomen.html#SIYANDA

g) General Resources

= nGoAbroad
nGoAbroad links professionals --- nurses, doctors, midwives, teachers,
social workers, lawyers, journalists, and business people to help develop
businesses --- to needs in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the former
Soviet bloc.
http://www.wougnet.org/Links/generalresources.html#NGA

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Project News and Events
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August 2004

= Women and ICT: Challenges and Opportunities on the Road to Tunis 2005,
Arusha International
Conference Centre, Arusha, Tanzania, 5-7 August 2004
One of today's most pressing global challenges is to reduce by half the
number of people living in absolute poverty by 2015 as stated in the UN
Millennium Development Goals. New ICTs are seen by many as appropriate
tools to combat poverty and achieve sustainable development in Africa.
However, this requires political commitment as well as effective actions on
the ground - actions that provide opportunities for poor people, actions
that will achieve the goal of digital inclusion, enabling universal,
sustainable, ubiquitous and affordable access of ICT by all. As stated in
the theme, the overall objective of the conference is to draw a roadmap for
the caucus that will enable effective Women participation at WSIS-Tunis 2005.
http://www.wougnet.org/Events/projectnews04.html#WICT04

= Catalyzing the Creation and Exchange of Local Content: CCELC Uganda Small
Grants Fund -
Call for Applications
http://www.wougnet.org/Events/projectnews04.html#CCELC

It is widely accepted that there is need to build capacity in developing
countries to enable people to generate and disseminate content. Content
about, and relevant for, local communities to facilitate the local
expression and local application of information (see for example:
Â'Collecting and Propagating Local Development ContentÂ', Peter Ballantyne,
International Institute for Communication and Development (IICD), May 2002).
The process of production, storage and dissemination of local knowledge can
be facilitated by the application of information and communication
technologies (ICTs). The goal of CCELC is to strengthen the abilities of
local communities and organizations in developing countries to create,
synthesis, adapt, and exchange valuable, and potentially wealth-generating
local content, including appropriate knowledge from elsewhere. CCELC is
funded by DFID and the Canadian Government. In Uganda, the CCELC program is
managed by I-Network Uganda.
Under the CCELC program, I-Network and IICD announce a small grants fund
(CCELC-SGF) to address issues in the creation and exchange of local content
in Uganda. The CCELC-SGF is an amount of 40,000 Euros that will be
distributed among 5 projects as non-renewable grants of 8,000 Euros each.
At the end of the year (12 month period), a dissemination workshop will be
held at which results from the 5 projects will be showcased.
The aim of the CCELC small grants fund (CCELC-SGF) is to support innovative
activity that contributes to the understanding and application of ICTs in
the creation and exchange of local content in Uganda. This competitive fund
provides an opportunity for local communities to strengthen work on ICTs in
local content creation and exchange for sustainable development.
The CCELC-SGF application process involves completion of an application
form that is available from (a) the I-Network website
, (b) the WOUGNET website
, (c) the AITEC
office, Old tower, 3rd floor, Colline house, Pilkington Rd, OR (d) the
WOUGNET office at Room 13, Plot 59 Nkrumah Road.

Completed applications should be submitted to:
CCELC-SGF Program Coordinator
I-Network Uganda
P.O. Box 26970
Kampala, Uganda
Fax: (041) 343005
Email: aitec [dot] uganda [at] infocom [dot] co [dot] ug

The deadline for submitting applications is August 11, 2004 and grant
winners will be announced on September 10, 2004.
For more information about the CCELC Uganda program, contact: 041-251632 /
041-256832 or send email to aitec [dot] uganda [at] infocom [dot] co [dot] ug / info [at] wougnet [dot] org

November 2004

= 11th Eastern Africa Regional Fundraising Workshop, Entebbe, Uganda
The Resource Alliance announce a three-day regional workshop on Resource
Mobilisation in Uganda. The workshop has been organised in partnership with
the Uganda Debt Network. If you are involved in local resource mobilisation
in Eastern Africa, you are invited to participate. The workshop will
address the challenges and opportunities of resource mobilisation in this
region and will consist of a wide range of practical skill development
workshops and inspirational plenaries.
http://www.wougnet.org/Events/projectnews04.html#EARFW

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WOUGNET News
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= WOUGNET awarded 2004 grant by Hivos

WOUGNET awarded a 2004 grant by Hivos in support of the project "Supporting
the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) by women in
Uganda". The overall project objective is to help WOUGNET maintain and
expand its service as well as explore new opportunities to support the
efforts of women and women organizations in Uganda in the strategic
application of information and communication technologies (ICTs).
Hivos is a Dutch development organisation, which stands for emancipation,
democratisation and poverty alleviation in developing countries. For this
purpose, financial and political support is given to more than 750 local
private organisations in 30 countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America and
South-east Europe. Their operations concern economics, culture and the
arts, human rights and AIDS, sustainable development and gender, women and
development. For more information about Hivos, visit: http://www.hivos.nl

= WOUGNET GEM Evaluation Report

In October 2002, WOUGNET was selected as one of the Gender Evaluation
Methodology (GEM) testers in Africa. WOUGNET used GEM to evaluate the
WOUGNET website and mailing lists for the period June 2002 to June 2003.
The general objective was to assess the extent to which ICTs have been used
as tools for information sharing and dissemination. Among the evaluation
outcomes, was a series of recommendations on the way forward for WOUGNET
including:
- Provide ICT training to members
- Conduct awareness training sessions to encourage more women to utilise
WOUGNET services
- Provide information that is relevant to the nature of work of an organisation
A report on the evaluation is now available at:
http://www.wougnet.org/eval/wevaluation.html

= UNDP WSIS Project - ICT for Poverty Reduction: A Multistakeholder Approach

Leading up to the first phase of the World Summit of the Information
Society (WSIS) ­ Geneva 2003, WOUGNET in partnership with Radio Apac, and
funded by the United Nations Development Programme, held a series of public
meetings in Apac with civil society, private sector and government to
encourage public participation in the WSIS process. As the preparatory
committee (PrepCom) meetings for the second phase of the WSIS ­ Tunis 2005
begin, a public meeting is scheduled for 22nd July 2004 in Apac to present
the outcomes of the first phase and to lay strategies for next steps. A
report on the proceedings will be made available.

= Computers from Sweden

WOUGNET has facilitated Newcastle High School (Kansanga) in acquiring
refurbished computers from IDEAL, a partner organisation in Sweden. The
shipment of computers is due in Kampala on July 15th 2004. IDEAL is a
Swedish based consultancy specializing in corporate citizenship strategies
and management consulting. Partners include the Swedish International
Development Agency, Swedish Employer's Association, Uppsala University,
Skanska, and many others. IDEAL also provides advice for international
development strategies. Please refer to http://www.ideal.se for further
information.

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