Throughout 2022, APC members have worked hard to improve conditions in their communities and seed change that is impactful and sustainable. This year we connected with 11 members to explore in-depth stories of their diverse and inspiring projects, undertaken with the support of APC subgrants.
As we take stock of these past months, it is clear that the pandemic has continued to bring challenges and disrupt workflows, often in unpredictable ways that call for regrouping, rethinking and rebuilding. In parallel, we have seen throughout the year that our network is not only tremendously resilient, but also highly creative in its activism and advocacy.
Our members have channelled their dedication into innovative solutions in response to difficult conditions. The APC network continues to be a force for movement building, guiding civil society advocacy efforts to uphold human rights in the development and use of ICTs. We acknowledge these efforts and celebrate the successes of our members who are seeding change in their communities through connection, empowerment and resourcefulness.
Connection
Building bottom-up connectivity solutions for meaningful access is never more urgent than during times of crisis, as we have seen throughout the pandemic. Having the ability to safely and securely communicate and exchange information, have access to resources (including public health recommendations) and maintain economic stability requires reliable infrastructure and the means to maintain it. APC members and partners in Indonesia, the Amazon and Mexico have been undertaking massive efforts not only to achieve meaningful connectivity, but also to ensure it is inclusive and responsive to communities’ needs.
Common Room’s challenges and joys while building a community network mid-pandemic in Indonesia
When the pandemic challenged the world, the experience of communities in the remote Ciracap sub-district in West Java, Indonesia, showed the importance of building a local response to the crisis. Common Room fostered the deployment of the "Ciracap Sub-district Community Network", a connectivity infrastructure, in a region where people face many challenges to accessing information. Read more.
Rhizomatica’s high frequency radio showcases the power of communication in remote regions of the Amazon
Imagine you are in the middle of the Amazon rain forest. There is no mobile coverage or internet access. The long distances and rugged landscapes make communication highly challenging. These communities are precisely the ones Rhizomatica aims to support when building new technologies that connect people. Read more.
Meet Hackers Comunitarias, the women challenging communications, tech and access inequalities in Mexico
In this photo essay we discover the experiences and learnings from two communities in Mexico – Cherán and Xocoyolo. The women in these communities get together to redefine technologies and develop their networks locally. Read more.
Empowerment
What happens when care, skills, time and resources are dedicated to generating impact among local communities? Thanks to the work of members and partners, it has resulted in broad-spectrum empowerment of communities in Central America, the Republic of Congo and Paraguay. From environmental justice to pushing back on gender-based violence to finding ways to connect with each other, our members have been at the forefront of advocacy efforts to empower local communities through the meaningful use of digital tools.
Environmental sustainability and the need to strengthen female leadership
In Central America, the intersection between digital transformation and environmental justice has been a priority for Sulá Batsú for many years. Read more.
AZUR Développement raises awareness on gender-based violence in the Republic of Congo
What impact can 16 days make in the fight to end violence against women? In the Republic of Congo, AZUR Développement embarked on a powerful sensitisation campaign across four communities to raise awareness on gender-based violence. Read more.
Times of “technostress” call for increased mental health self-care
Digital technologies play an increasingly central role in our lives and have a major impact on our mental health. TEDIC, an APC member in Paraguay, takes this as its starting point when working on "technostress", a phenomenon affecting an ever growing percentage of the population. Read more.
Resourcefulness
With the ongoing global health crisis, technology-based responses have been deployed across the world to monitor the pandemic. Many of these hastily implemented solutions have been adopted at great cost to fundamental rights. Education, privacy, environmental protection – all sectors of society have been affected. By identifying gaps in digital rights policies and pushing for protections and equal access, APC members have been catalysts for change in Nigeria, the Philippines, Bangladesh, Taiwan and Uganda.
Communities mobilise open data to challenge oil industry pollution in Nigeria
A groundbreaking project showcases how Nigerian communities are using low-cost, free technologies to monitor air pollution and stand up to hold the responsible accountable. Read more.
Foundation for Media Alternatives challenges rampant surveillance in public health in the Philippines
The COVID-19 pandemic has seen rampant surveillance and citizen monitoring under the guise of public health. FMA's recent research focused on understanding how such privacy and freedoms were being curtailed in the Philippines, providing recommendations for a more equitable response and helping civil society hold the government accountable. Read more.
Bytesforall Bangladesh advocates for online education as a fundamental right
Recognising the need for a rapid and effective response to the pressing issue of access to online education, Bytesforall Bangladesh saw an opportunity to advocate for equitable access to the internet as a public good, affirming access to education as a fundamental human right. Read more.
Open Culture Foundation campaign blocks digital ID cards in Taiwan until privacy safeguards exist
Open Culture Foundation worked with civil society groups to push the Taiwanese government to reject digital ID cards until legislation is implemented to safeguard the privacy and information of the public. Read more.
Uganda-based organisation Unwanted Witness on promoting online inclusion of the most vulnerable
Uganda's new digital ID system has increased exclusion among the most vulnerable. To better understand what this entails and how to address it, we talked to Unwanted Witness on human rights online in Uganda, the region and beyond. Read more.
Did these stories inspire you to plant seeds of change in your community? Share your story with us at communications@apc.org
To discover more stories of impact in APC's Seeding Change column, click here.