ICT-D STRATEGYICT-D STRATEGYUNDP – IDRC MEETINGUNDP – IDRC MEETINGOTTAWA – JULY 2003OTTAWA – JULY 2003

Panel: Panel: The Right to CommunicateThe Right to Communicate

Daniel PimientaDaniel Pimientapimienta@funredes.orgpimienta@funredes.org

FUNREDES FUNREDES http://funredes.orghttp://funredes.org

The RIGHT TO COMMUNICATE?The RIGHT TO COMMUNICATE?Important matter!Important matter!

* Anti terrorist US Policies * Anti terrorist US Policies (spying us, censorship (spying us, censorship will)will)

* A LEGAL matter * A LEGAL matter (and a (and a matter for campaigns)matter for campaigns)

Good people are taking care:Good people are taking care: APC, CRIS, ARTICLE 19…APC, CRIS, ARTICLE 19…

LIMITS OF THE LIMITS OF THE APPROACHAPPROACH

•Good will of USA Good will of USA (absent!)(absent!)•Vision from the North Vision from the North (top dopwn again!)(top dopwn again!)•The weakness of law in The weakness of law in the South the South •Social considerations are Social considerations are absentabsent•““Traditional media” Traditional media” visionvision

ANOTHER APPROACH?ANOTHER APPROACH?

(From our institutional vision)(From our institutional vision)

Network cultureNetwork culture Process orientedProcess oriented Research-actionResearch-action Bottom-upBottom-up Rooted in the SouthRooted in the South New paradigm...New paradigm...

OTHER QUESTIONS:OTHER QUESTIONS:

How to build How to build collectivecollective meaning? meaning?(& learn to collaborate in the cyberspace…)(& learn to collaborate in the cyberspace…)

How to empower How to empower virtualvirtual communities? communities?(& enlarge public domain of knowledge…)(& enlarge public domain of knowledge…)

(& implement participative democracy from the bottom-up)(& implement participative democracy from the bottom-up)

(& open new paths…)(& open new paths…)

How to have How to have influenceinfluence on ideas and on ideas and concepts?concepts?(& reach stakeholders in public policies)(& reach stakeholders in public policies)

THE (right) THE (right) PROCESSPROCESS TO TO COMMUNICATE!COMMUNICATE!

Some answers, some collective products, Some answers, some collective products, some methodological innovations.some methodological innovations.

Many collective thoughts, a lot of questions.Many collective thoughts, a lot of questions.

Trials and errors, permanenet evaluations…Trials and errors, permanenet evaluations…

Check Check

http://funredes.org/misticahttp://funredes.org/mistica

(Caminante, no hay camino, (Caminante, no hay camino,

se hace camino al andar)se hace camino al andar)

Antonio Machado – Sevilla - 1890Antonio Machado – Sevilla - 1890

MISTICA?????MISTICA?????

Methodology & Methodology & Social Impact of ICTSocial Impact of ICT in in LA&CLA&CA A THINK NETTHINK NETA A Multilingual Multilingual Virtual CommunityVirtual CommunityA Human NetworkA Human NetworkAn Information NetworkAn Information NetworkA ClearinghouseA ClearinghouseA Community of PracticesA Community of PracticesA Knowledge repositoryA Knowledge repositoryPilot ApplicationsPilot ApplicationsA Process oriented projectA Process oriented projectAnAn IDRC IDRC funded initiative started in funded initiative started in 19981998Collective position papersCollective position papersA high signal over noise virtual placeA high signal over noise virtual placeMethodological experiments for virtual democracyMethodological experiments for virtual democracy500,000 hits per month500,000 hits per month

The PROCESS to PARTICIPATEThe PROCESS to PARTICIPATE

Process to Communicate Process to Communicate vs. vs.

Right to Communicate?Right to Communicate?

Hey!!!Hey!!!

Not in opposition!Not in opposition!

Rather complementary…Rather complementary…

TALKING ABOUT NEW PARADIGM:TALKING ABOUT NEW PARADIGM:HOW ABOUT A CHANGE IN COOPERATION?HOW ABOUT A CHANGE IN COOPERATION?

Giving a chance to South-South Giving a chance to South-South cooperation.cooperation.

Facilitating bottom-up initiativesFacilitating bottom-up initiatives

HOW?HOW?

NEW PARADIGM COOPERATIONNEW PARADIGM COOPERATIONNEW POSSIBLE ROLE FOR FUNDERSNEW POSSIBLE ROLE FOR FUNDERS

Inventory field playersInventory field players Select field players projects in Select field players projects in

transparent accountable processestransparent accountable processes Keep funding successful players Keep funding successful players Incentive collaborationIncentive collaboration Stop funding failuresStop funding failures Support South-South actionsSupport South-South actions Evaluate impact Evaluate impact

(a real challenge indeed!)(a real challenge indeed!)

THANKS FOR THE THANKS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO OPPORTUNITY TO

PARTICIPATEPARTICIPATE

FOUNDATION NETWORKS & DEVELOPMENTFOUNDATION NETWORKS & DEVELOPMENT

WORKING FOR ICT4D IN THE FIELDWORKING FOR ICT4D IN THE FIELD

SINCE 1988…SINCE 1988…

HTTP://FUNREDES.ORGHTTP://FUNREDES.ORG