Pamoya

WOUGNET Update Newsletter - August 2005
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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. World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS)
3. ICT Policy
4. Links & Resources
5. Project News and Events
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WOMEN ORGANISATIONS IN UGANDA
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= Disabled Women in Development (DIWODE)
http://www.wougnet.org/wo_dir.html#DIWODE
DIWODE's mission is to promote self help
initiatives by providing training and
micro-credit facilities to the marginalized
groups especially women with disabilities, women
living with HIV/AIDS, orphans and the destitute
for them to have self sustainability and live a meaningful life.
http://www.wougnet.org/Profiles/diwode.html

= Uganda Women's Effort to Save Orphans (UWESO)
http://www.wougnet.org/wo_dir.html#UWESO
UWESO's mission is to improve the quality of life
of needy orphans empowering the local communities
to meet the social, moral and economic needs of
these children in a sustainable manner.
http://www.wougnet.org/Profiles/uweso.html

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World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS)
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WSIS Online Forum: Paving the Way to Tunis, July 11 - 29, 2005

In July 2005, WOUGNET hosted an online forum on
key issues for the World Summit on the
Information Society (WSIS) to share views,
experiences, knowledge and concerns. In
particular, the forum focused on ICT policy
priorities for Uganda as well as the two
outstanding issues for the WSIS - internet
governance and financing mechanisms. A report on
the forum will be available shortly and will be
posted to the forum web page at:
http://www.wougnet.org/WSIS/ug/WSIS2005/wsis2005forum.html

= Consultative Workshop: The WGIG Report ­ Issues for Uganda

In collaboration with the Uganda Communications
Commission, and as a follow-up to the WSIS 2005
Online Forum, a consultative workshop is being
organised to discuss the WGIG Report and the
issues for Uganda. Tentatively scheduled for 24
August 2005, the output from this workshop will
feed into Uganda's preparation for the WSIS
PrepCom III, September 19-30, 2005, in Geneva.
The first WSIS Summit established a Working Group
on Internet Governance (WGIG) to address the following issues:
- Develop a working definition of Internet governance;
- Identify the public policy issues that are
relevant to Internet governance;
- Develop a common understanding of the
respective roles and responsibilities
of governments, existing international
organisations and other forums as well as the
private sector and civil society from both
developing and developed countries.
The WGIG report is available online at
. For more
information or to indicate your interest in
participating in the workshop, send email to ictpolicy [at] wougnet [dot] org

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ICT POLICY
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= Broadcasting Policy available online
A copy of the Broadcasting Policy (draft final) is available online at:
http://www.wougnet.org/ICTpolicy/ug/ugictpolicy.html#DNBP

The Broadcasting Council Secretariat has also
made available the following documents:
1) Comments on the National ICT Policy
This document presents a review of the National ICT Policy from the
perspective of the Broadcasting Council. It concludes that "the ICT
National policy despite the over head advantages and importance has not
cast the broadcasting industry ... in light of being a priority and
therefore needs as a matter of policy to expand
on its objectives and roles."

2) Building a sustainable Public Service Broadcaster
This document is a statement by the Chairman of the Broadcasting Council
regarding the proposed Television licence fee and
the need for a viable and
acceptable funding structure for the public broadcaster.

3) Local Content in the Ugandan Media, January 2004
The Broadcasting Council is in the process of consulting with various
sectors of the Ugandan public on issues pertinent to broadcast policy and
regulation. One of the key issues to be considered is the availability and
scheduling of local content on Uganda's radio and television stations.

4) Analysis of the Present State of the Media,
Challenges and the Way Forward
Liberalisation of the airwaves has opened up political space for more
discussion in the public and thus given a larger percentage of
constituents, the ability to easily and quickly transmit their opinions on
public policy to their representatives. By empowering ordinary citizens to
participate more directly in their political system, the electronic media
in Uganda has increased the role of the citizen in the policy making
process at the expense of the political "middlemen" who historically have
provided the forum through which ordinary citizens could make their
interests on specific issues known through interest aggregation and
representation.
http://www.wougnet.org/ICTpolicy/ug/ugictpolicy.html#DNBP

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LINKS & RESOURCES
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a) Business

= East Africa Small Enterprise Fund
Following the July 2005 G-8 meeting in Scotland
and the Live 8 concerts, both focused on
eradicating poverty, Shell Foundation and GroFin
Capital (an African financial firm) jointly
announced the creation of the East Africa Small
Enterprise Fund intended for African
entrepreneurs with the potential to expand and to become major businesses.
The $100 million fund is not intended for
start-ups nor is it a source for microloans.
Beginning in Uganda and Kenya, the fund targets
established African small businesses poised for
growth with loans ranging from $50,000 to $1 million.
http://www.wougnet.org/Links/business.html#EASES

b) Development

= Seed Foundation - Uganda (SFU)
http://www.wougnet.org/Links/development.html#SFU
SFU is a faith-based organisation whose mission
is to offer psycho-social and economic
empowerment to its beneficiaries. Seed Foundation
- Uganda is committed to a holistic Christian
community of love and care for the poor women and
girls living on the margin of their communities
in Uganda, to promote wholeness of life for all God's people.
http://www.wougnet.org/Profiles/seedug.html

= Mazinga Muslim Social Reform Society (MMSRS)
http://www.wougnet.org/Links/development.html#MMSRS
Operating in Mazinga-Buwunga, Masaka District,
MMSRS's mission is to promote the education,
health and social development of members who
originate from and are resident in the area of operation.
http://www.wougnet.org/Profiles/mazinga.html

c) Health

= Family Planning Association of Uganda (FPAU)
http://www.wougnet.org/Links/health.html#FPAU
FPAU's mission is to address the unmet needs, and
demand for quality sexual and reproductive health
services and promote sexual and reproductive
rights in a gender sensitive manner, with the
primary focus on the youth. FPAU envisions a
society, which enjoys full Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights.
http://www.wougnet.org/Profiles/fpau.html

d) Human Rights

= Empower Children and Communities Against Abuse (ECCA)
http://www.wougnet.org/Links/rights.html#ECCA
Operating in Kampala, Wakiso and Rakai districts,
ECCA's mission is to empower children, men and
women to work together against all forms of
gender-based violence. ECCA's major objective is
to build and strengthen the capacity of
individuals, communities, and children to address
the problem of abuse in Uganda. ECCA has launched
its website at .
http://www.wougnet.org/Profiles/eccaug.html

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PROJECT NEWS AND EVENTS
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January 2006

= Africa Source II, Kampala, Uganda, January 8 - 15, 2006
Africa Source II will seek to foster the growth
of FOSS expertise amongst technical support
professionals working in Africa and facilitate
knowledge sharing and exchange around successful
implementation of FOSS. Africa Source II will
bring together nearly 100 technology support
professionals, trainers and consultants working
with the non-profit sector from across Africa.
The participants will all have a history of
working with service and advocacy NGOs,
educational organisations, NGO resource centres,
community centres and health information
organisations. The aim of the event - which will
be held in East Africa, January 2006 - is to
facilitate learning and exchange between these
communities, in particular around the practical
deployment of Free and Open Source Technologies.
The intention is to move beyond conceptual
discussions of the benefits of FOSS and
technology in general, and to test out these
ideas and focus on practical skill sharing
between technology implementers in the region.
http://www.wougnet.org/Events/projectnews06.html#ASII

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