Research papers

At IT for Change (ITfC), we focus on a grounded analysis and exploration of the possibilities that Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) offer for deve

Parminder Jeet Singh was invited by the South Centre, the Geneva-based inter-governmental thinktank, to address the developing country diplomats on global Internet-related policies and the appropriate institutional mechanisms for this purpose.

IT for Change was one of the five civil society members of the 'Task Force for the Effective Implementation of Section 4 of the RTI Act' constituted by Department of Personal and Training, Government of India. IT for Change also led the sub group of the Task Force on digital means for proactive disclosure. The report of the consultation was submitted to the Task Force. IT for Change also organised the digital disclosures track of the national level consultation workshop organised by the Task Force, whose report was also submitted to the task force.

IT for Change wrote a paper titled 'A development agenda in Internet Governance - Outlining global public policy issues and exploring new institutional options' for the IBSA (India, Brazil, South Africa) seminar on global Internet Governance that took place on 1-2 September 2011 at Fundação Getulio Vargas, in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil). The event was organised by the Brazilian Ministry of External Relations, with support from the Brazilian Internet Steering Committee and the Centre for Technology & Society, as well as governmental and non-governmental actors from India, Brazil and South Africa.

Under the 'Gender and citizenship in the Information Society' Research programme, Anita Gurumurthy and Arpita Joshi undertook visits to three tele-centre initiatives which showed a keen understanding of the gendered nature of technology use and society, especially targeting their programme to ensure reaching  marginalised women. The programmes covered were -

For the tenth anniversary of Feminist Media Studies, Kumarini Silva and Kaitlynn Mendes engage with Carolina Escosteguy and Anita Gurumurthy about the degree of impact that feminism and feminist media studies have had, can have, and should have, in the global "South". The conversations show the importance of investigating the local, while simultaneously acknowledging global shifts in knowledge production and distribution.

IT for Change has been a key resource centre supporting developing country engagements in global Internet governance forums, in the post-WSIS phase. Through periodic policy briefs, we have examined the rapidly evolving social, economic and cultural implications of Internet related debates most relevant to developing countries.

This article looks back at the Mahiti Manthana project, a joint project of IT for Change and Mahila Samakhya Karnataka which explores how women's mobilisation and organising processes can be strengthened through new Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) systems. It draws conclusion about the learnings brought by the Mahiti Manthana experience, considering its meanings for development, especially in terms of negotiation of traditional gender orders in an increasingly globalised world.