Pamoya

WOUGNET Update Newsletter - March 2009
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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 issue's contents:
1. News and Events
2. Tech Support
3. Citizen Journalism
4. Gender and ICT Policy
5. WOUGNET News

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News and Events
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= Basic Tips for Fund-raising for Small NGOs/Civil Society in
Developing Countries
http://www.wougnet.org/cms/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategor...
Some of the most frequently asked questions (FAQs) to forums for
community-based organizations (CBOs) or civil society organizations
(CSOs) in developing countries, whatever the subject, are regarding
funding and sustainability.
In addition, the first impulse of many non-governmental organizations
(NGOs) seeking funding is to request the contact information for
possible funders, and once such information is received, to write
immediately to the potential funder, stressing how desperately funds
are needed. Sadly, this approach often harms the NGO, rather than
garnering support. Not only does this approach rarely attract
funding, it can turn funding organizations against the NGO altogether.

= Information Society Roundtable Report 2008
http://www.wougnet.org/cms/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogsection...
The Commonwealth Peoples' Association of Uganda (CPAUG) announces the
report of the Information Society roundtable discussion held on 5th
September 2008 in Kampala organized by UNDP, MoICT, CPAUG and
I-Network. The Roundtable Report highlights the emerging issues that
the various stakeholders need to address if Uganda is to fully
implement the outcomes of the WSIS Summits (2003-2005) known as the
action Plan and the Action Lines enshrined therein.

= EASSI welcomes 2009 interns
http://www.wougnet.org/cms/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1
Every year, EASSI trains four young women from the region under its
Young Women's Leadership Programme. This year, interns are expected
from Burundi, Ethiopia, Rwanda and Uganda from April 1st 2009. This
year, EASSI will also develop an alumni database for all interns that
have passed through the program.

*** UPCOMING EVENTS ***

= Citizen Campaign Week, 30 March - 2 April 2009
http://www.wougnet.org/cms/index.php?option=com_events&task=view_detail&...
The Citizen Campaign Week will feature a variety of events including
exhibitions, workshops and public dialogue by various CSOs from
across the country. The event is coordinated by DENIVA and will be
held at Hotel Africana. Attendance is free of charge, and it is
expected that Government, NGOs, academicians, Private sector and
Media representatives will be in attendance.

= 2009 IST Africa Conference & Exhibition, 6 - 8 May 2009
http://www.wougnet.org/cms/index.php?option=com_events&task=view_detail&...
The Kampala IST Conference is hosted by the Ministry of Information
and Communication Technology (ICT), and technically co-sponsored by
IEEE. The event will be held at Speke Munyonyo Resort and Conference
Centre. During the conference, WOUGNET will be hosting a 90-minute
workshop under the topic 'Women and ICTs'. For more information on
the WOUGNET workshop, contact info [at] wougnet [dot] org.
The upcoming IST Africa conference in Uganda is one of a series
intended to showcase ICT research and development opportunities
within the EU's current Science and Technology Framework programme
(FP7). The participation of African institutions in this programme
may go some way to improving access to ICT applications and
information which would in turn greatly benefit economic and social
development in communities.

= 2009 World Telecommunications and Information Society Day (WTISD),
15 May 2009
http://www.wougnet.org/cms/index.php?option=com_events&task=view_detail&...
The 2009 World Telecommunications and Information Society Day (WTISD)
commemoration in Uganda will be held on the 15th May 2009 as 17th
will be a Sunday. The commemoration is organised by the National
Working Group for the WTISD in Uganda (UNDP, MoICT, UCC, CPAUG & I-Network)

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Tech Support
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= March 2009: How To Protect Your Computer From Lightening
http://www.wougnet.org/cms/index.php?option=com_content&task=category&se...

You may think your computer is safe because you have installed the
latest computer virus protection, you've got a bullet-proof firewall
to safeguard against hackers, and you never eat cookies over your
keyboard. But have you checked the weather forecast?

= Uganda ICT Consumer Protection Association (UICPA) established
http://www.wougnet.org/cms/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=352...
Following a series of discussions on various mailing lists and
especially on the I-Network ICT Mailing list for the past 2 to 3
years in regard to ICT services and products in Uganda, a few
individuals decided to explore the idea of bringing together grieving
ICT consumers. These individuals have now set up the Uganda ICT
Consumer Protection Association. The association recognises the
existing institutions and channels of dealing with consumer concerns
and will work collaboratively with these institutions with the aim of
improving ICT services and goods for the consumers. From Internet
services to voice services and all the way to hardware products, the
situation is running out of control, and the few bodies mandated to
protect consumers like the Uganda Communications Commission and the
Uganda National Bureau of Standards seem to be overwhelmed by their
wide mandates, limited budgets and inadequate human resources.
The association is membership based and membership is open to all ICT
consumers and stakeholders.

= Security in-a-Box: tools and tactics for your digital security
http://www.wougnet.org/cms/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategor...
Human rights advocates are increasingly concerned about their digital
security, and with good reason. Security in-a-box provides all of the
information, tactics and technological tools that are required to
recognise and address digital security risks and threats. It offers
detailed step-by-step instructions as well as practical non-technical
advice for anyone who uses digital technology to carry out sensitive
advocacy work.

For more information or for assistance in managing your computer and
in using the Internet, contact techsupport [at] wougnet [dot] org

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Citizen Journalism
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= WOUGNET trains citizen journalists
http://www.wougnet.org/cms/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategor...
WOUGNET in collaboration with BROSDI organized a two day training on
how to use web 2.0 tools.The training which was run from 23 - 24
March 2009 centered around blogging including issues such as why
blogging, digital story telling, use of citizen-media tools other
than blogging; and how blogging might be employed to address poverty,
violence, child sacrifice among other issues. The training was
attended by 26 participants who came from several organizations
nationwide that are participating in the Citizen Journalism in Africa
project. It was intended to build the capacity of bloggers and
improve on the skills of the citizen journalists who were trained in
September 2008 in a number of citizen media tools.

= CJA blogs on Uganda available via WOUGNET website
Follow the blogs on the Citizen Journalism in Africa (CJA) website
that are focused on Uganda. The section 'What's New at the CJA Portal:
Uganda' on the WOUGNET website highlights the most recent blogs at:
http://www.wougnet.org/cms/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategor...

Blogs highlighted include:
- Practice cja training
- Functional Adult Literacy (FAL) should be encouraged in the community
- UGANDA'S GENERATION
- Citizen Journalism in Uganda
- THE SECOND DAY OF THE TRAINING
- Workshop organised by cja trainers Ggaba Kampala
- Cja Training in Gaba Green Valley Hotel.

The Citizen Journalism in Africa project (CJA) is a three-year
initiative funded by both Hivos and the EU. Hivos is working with
SANGONet (South Africa) on this project. The aim of the project is to
increase civil society organisations' use of and interaction with
various forms of media. This will help them maximise their
communication strategies and reach. It is hoped that this will
strengthen the organisations' use of media and increase quality
information dissemination capacity using multiple platforms.

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Gender and ICT Policy
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= UCC / WOUGNET Partner to sensitize the Girl Child about Gender and ICTs
http://www.wougnet.org/cms/index.php
ICT presents unique and timely opportunities for women and girls. It
promises better economic prospects, fuller political participation,
communication with the outside world, easy access to information, and
an enhanced ability to acquire education and skills and to transcend
social restrictions. ICT is especially important to poor women
because it can provide increased access to resources, the absence of
which defines poverty. Hence, ICTs are tools that facilitate access
to a variety of development resources.

= Fact Sheet about the Uganda Women Caucus On ICTs (UWCI)
http://www.wougnet.org/cms/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategor...
UWCI is a loose Coalition that was formed to advocate for gender
sensitive ICT policy processes in Uganda. It comprises of
organisations and individuals interested in gender and ICT issues
that work to advocate for gender sensitive ICT Policies and programs.
UWCI Secretariat is based at the Women of Uganda Network Offices.

= African Women and ICTs: Investigating Technology, Gender and Empowerment
http://www.wougnet.org/cms/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategor...
IDRC has co-published a book: "AFRICAN WOMEN AND ICTs Investigating
Technology, Gender and Empowerment. The book is edited by Ineke
Buskens and Anne Webb.
African Women and ICTs explores the ways in which women in Africa
utilize ICTs to facilitate their empowerment; whether through the
mobile village phone business, through internet use, or through new
career and ICT employment opportunities.

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WOUGNET News
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= WOUGNET holds its annual Members' Meeting
http://www.wougnet.org/cms/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategor...
Since 2004, WOUGNET has held an annual members meeting to review its
programme activities and lay strategic direction on how to tap into
the ever increasing ICT opportunities for sustainable development
with its members. The 2009 Annual members meeting was held on the
11th March 2009 at Nob View Hotel, located in Ntinda, a Kampala suburb.

Presentation of WOUGNET activities of the previous year are normally
done at this forum. An overview of WOUGNET's activities in 2008 was
presented for all the three programmes. This is also the opportunity
WOUGNET gets to review its 2009 plans with members. The plans are
developed during a Strategic Planning Meeting held with some members
from different parts of the country in November of the preceding year.

The theme for this year's meeting was: "ICT Opportunities in
Networking and Collaboration".

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The Women of Uganda Network (WOUGNET) website and
mailing lists are hosted by Kabissa - Space for Change in Africa

WOUGNET is supported by APC, CTA, Dimitra/FAO and Hivos

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