One major effort for news dissemination is the establishment of a sub-website of the Inter Press Service (IPS), the news resource that has been publishing news materials not ordinarily released in the other commercial media outfits. This new site focuses on news about media, communications, technologies and the WSIS. It may be accessed through the following link: http://www.ipsnews.net/focus/mtc/.
In regional efforts, the Africa Civil Society Caucus on WSIS has put up their website which can be accessed through . This website was created to share and disseminate information around the WSIS especially those that have direct relevance to Africa civil society organisations (CSO). Featured in this site are the latest news and information on the WSIS, including a list of CSOs active in the caucus. People who would like to join the Caucus discussions and its WSIS processes are encouraged to sign up in different mailing lists that detail information on how to join and how to contribute inputs.
In Canada, citizens are being encouraged to join an online consultation on what role Canada could or should play in the upcoming Summit. This effort is being co-ordinated by Industry Canada in partnership with the country's Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade. Canadians are invited to help shape the country's vision on how the world can work together to translate information technology advancement into worldwide social and economic benefits. Gender advocates are seeing this occasion as a chance to put forward a women-centred perspective on ICTs which they hope would be taken into account.
The Canadian consultation document can be viewed at http://www.wsis-smsi.gc.ca. Comments are accepted until 30 September 2003. These can be submitted online, and the link provided above also lists instructions on how to contribute. Interested parties can also call up the Media Relations Department of Industry Canada at telephone number (1-613) 943 2502.
In Austria, a two-day conference-workshop will take place in preparation for the WSIS. The conference-workshop is aimed at helping gender advocates to integrate in the WSIS process. This effort called "Women Crossing the Digital Divide: Empowerment through Information" will be held from 27-28 October 2003 at the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna in Favoritenstrasse, Vienna, Austria. It will tackle the significance of the modern information and communication technologies to the socio-economic development in countries of the South. The issues that will be discussed include Information and Communication Technologies in the International Women's Movement. Susanna George, Isis International-Manila's Executive Director and Djurdja Knezevic of zenska infoteka and Rewind Net in Croatia are the main speakers on this topic. Dorothy Okello of WOUGNET in Uganda and Judith Gracey of FAO/Dimitra will speak on the topic Information and Communication Technologies for Rural Development.
This event is being organised by the Vienna Institute for Development and Cooperation (http://www.vidc.org) and Frauen Solidaritaet or the International Solidarity Among Women.
For more information, please contact:
Frauen Solidaritaet
Informationsarbeit zu Frauen in Afrika, Asien und Lateinamerika
Zeitschrift - Bibliothek und Dokumentationsstelle
Berggasse 7, A-1090
Vienna, Austria
Tel. (43-1) 317 4020
E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Website: http://www.frauensolidaritaet.org
More regional updates will be announced as soon as they are made available.
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Isis Resource Center holds one of the largest feminist collections of materials in the Global South. With 40 years of publication experience, Isis holds a vast collection.