ICTS FOR IMPROVED SERVICES DELIVERYWomen of Uganda Network

(WOUGNET)info@wougnet.org

ICT for Democracy :By: Goretti Z. Amuriat

Email: zgamuriat@wougnet.org

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