icts for improved services delivery
DESCRIPTION
WOUGNET Presentation during the ICT4Democracy in East Africa Workshop December 2012 Women of Uganda Network (WOUGNET) [email protected] ICT for Democracy : By: Goretti Z. Amuriat Email: [email protected]TRANSCRIPT
ICTS FOR IMPROVED SERVICES DELIVERYWomen of Uganda Network
(WOUGNET)[email protected]
ICT for Democracy :By: Goretti Z. Amuriat
Email: [email protected]
Outline WOUGNET About the project Project Objectives Project progress Results/achievements Challenges Lessons learnt• Existing gaps• Activities in pictures
WOUGNET• Is a non governmental organization• Started in May 2000• The goal was to develop the use of Information
Communication Technologies (ICTs) among women as tools to share information and address issues collectively
• Her vision is a society in which women are empowered through use of ICTs for sustainable development
• WOUGNET mainstreams gender in ICT Policies and programs
About the project• WOUGNET is implementing a project in 5 districts
in Northern Uganda called “Empowering local people and communities to monitor district service delivery through ICTs”.
• It aims at strengthening the capacity of local grassroots people to be able to monitor delivery of services in their districts so as to expose poor service delivery.
• It targets grassroots people and the local community organizations.
• It targets mainly women (ratio of 70:30)• The project brings on board women to
participate in governance issues
Project objectives
• Create awareness on the need of good governance and effective service delivery
• Build Capacity in ICT skills for information gathering, packaging and dissemination
• Document and disseminate grass root voices on corruption and poor service delivery
Project progress
• Conducted 5 awareness raising workshops on the need to have good governance and effective service delivery
• Selection of Voluntary social accountability committees (VSACs) i.e. 15 members per parish (11 women and 4 men).
• Conducted 5 ICT capacity building workshops focusingi. On citizen journalism skillsii. digital photography and basic use of mobile phonesiii.advocacy skillsiv.networking and civic engagement
Progress………… Cont’d
• Documentation and dissemination of information using different platforms e.g. radio,website-Ushahid, social networking platforms
• Held National conference on good governance• Conducted district engagement workshops
conducted in Kole and Gulu districts• Made a Documentary from five districts and is being
edited and 500 copies produced• Collected and compiled Newsletter articles,translated
and have been sent for printing
Progress……. cont’d
• Partnership with other Civil Society Organizations addressing good governance have been built
i. The Apac Anti-Corruption Coalition (TAACC), especially in building capacity and support
ii. Transparency International Uganda (VSACs using their toll free line to report issues arising)
iii.Collaboration on International ICT Policy for East & Southern Africa (CIPESA)
iv. Toro Development Network - building capacity in ICT.
Progress……. cont’d
iv. Partnership was initiated with the University of Stockholm and Makerere University, where a research was developed under the leadership of Professor Marcello, to research on the WOUGNET SPIDER supported project . Research was titled ““People’s Voices: Developing Mobile and Social Media Services to Promote Citizens´ Participation in Local Governance Activities". The application is being developed and will be tested in January 2013
Achievements
• Increased civic awareness on good governance and effective service delivery in the 5 districts
• Increased community involvement in monitoring public services and resources and reporting- e.g. in Kole district.
• Increased exposure of corruption and shoddy work e.g. reporting theft of bicycles in Ibuje-Tarogali
• Improvement in service delivery in some communities, in Pece divison, Gulu district -Pawel Primary School.
• Some community members have been able to benefit from government programs such as. NAADs
Challenges• Limited ICT infrastructures in the community.i. Limited digital cameras ii. Un availability of electricityiii.No access to computersiv.Poor network• Low education levels/illiteracy among the target
community leading to limited use of Ushahidi platform
• Boycott by some district officials (district engagements)
Challenges……… .. cont’d
• Difficulty in accessing information from some public servants
• Threats imposed on some VSACs/intimidation.• In action by some duty bearers on issues
reported by VSACs to them.• Transport challenges (poor roads especially
during rainy season, long distances and no easy means of transport
Lessons learnt
• Collaborations/partnerships are important drivers for success.
• Perception, attitude and Change. The Rural communities’ perception to the potential of ICTs remain a big challenge to e- governance
Existing gaps• ICT equipments such as mobile phones not
available• Absence of easy means of transport• VSACs demand facilitation for meetings• Lack of sources of power to charge mobile
phones• Amuru district does not have coverage of
communication network• District has no ICT access points
Sustainability
• Existence of community structures (VSACs)• Involvement of other stakeholders • Radio program (community focus on Radio Apac,
Radio Wa Lira which has availed us free airtime)• Existence of information centres (KIC and Ribe ber in
Apac and Amuru districts respectively)• INDIGO Trust project to further enhance VSAC ICT
skills with the increased access and use of mobile phones within the community.
Conclusion
• ICT has capacity to improve service delivery. However, the process of local people using ICT s to report poor service delivery is low given challenges available in the rural areas. There is need to provide access and to build capacity in using ICTs for effective service reporting.
Activities- VSAC meeting
ICT training of VSACs
ICT Training for VSACs
Incomplete toilet in school
Bad roads
Bad road Apac -Oyam
Poorly constructed Class rooms
Crack in the building
Thank You for Listening
For more information about WOUGNET, visithttp://www.wougnet.org
http://www.wougnet.org/ushahidi/reportshttp://www.kic.org