Advocacy statements

IT for Change with CIVIC Bangalore, KRIA Katte, and Swami Vivekananda Youth Movement condemn the proposal to amend the Right to Information Act that the government has undertaken in the monsoon session of the parliament. The amendment is to keep political parties out of its ambit. This challenges the basic principle of the Act which is to maintain transparency and accountability by the government, including the processes of governance which determines functioning of the government. The move of the government to amend the Act only goes to show that political parties are not willing to subject themselves to the transparency law and be open public scrutiny under the Act.

Introduction:

Getting a CSTD Working Group on Enhanced Cooperation through a UN General Assembly resolution was an hard won victory for developing countries. It was an opportunity to propose and push for a new institutional architecture for the global governance of the Internet. In April, 2013, IT for Change wrote this paper for the South Centre, Geneva, an inter-governmental think-tank of developing countries, outlining the significance of the Working Group and exhorting developing countries to take up an active role in it.

Anita Gurumurthy, Nandini.C and Emma Saloranta represented IT for Change at the International Working Forum on Women, ICTs and Development. The Forum was organised by UN Women and the U.S. Secretary of State’s Office of Global Women’s Issues, between January 10-11, 2013, in Washington D.C. The overall objective of the Forum was to convene a broad-based coalition in order to take stock of current ICTD and gender approaches, challenges, opportunities and to chart a course forward.

The Government of Rajasthan has floated a tender for the purchase of 112,000 laptops in January 2013. In their bid document they have specifically asked for proprietary software to be provided. A letter has been sent to the Government asking it to re-consider the waste of public resources in this procurement.

Brief elaboration of some points made during stakeholder consultation on “Legitimate Restrictions on Freedom of Online Speech:  Creating Balanced Approach: From Deadlock to Dialogue” held by FICCI on 4th of September, 2012

IT for Change took part in stakeholder consultation on “Legitimate Restrictions on Freedom of Online Speech: Creating Balanced Approach: From Deadlock to Dialogue” Held by FICCI on 4th of September, 2012. We also submitted written comments on how this issue should dealt at a practical level, especially in view of the very problematic application of IT Act and IT Rules in India. All written comments were compiled by the organizers and passed on to the ministry.

Read the final version of the policy on ICTS in School Education

The World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) gave a mandate to commence a process towards enhanced cooperation with regard to international public policy issues pertaining to the Internet. This phrase largely implies development of appropriate institutions for global Internet governance. Unfortunately nothing had been done on this important meeting.

IT for Change submitted its input to the UN Working Group on Discrimination Against Women for its report on the issue of discrimination against women in law and in practice in public and political life. The position paper problematises public spaces in the network age from the standpoint of gender justice also suggesting considerations for action by the Working Group.