Local civil society must urgently state its needs and concerns to the ICT Empowerment Working Group if they are to be reflected in the ICT charter, says Bridges.org.
The non-governmental organisation and consulting group says the fourth draft of the charter, published last week, represents a significant step in the right direction. "However, while industry players have actively engaged in the drafting process, the document has so far not benefited from the input of civil society," it says.
Briges.org and the Institute for Democracy in South Africa (IDASA) will hold a public meeting at IDASA`s offices in Spin Street, Cape Town on 8 September, with the aim of gathering as much public input as possible to respond to the fourth draft by 17 September.
"This is not because the working group does not desire this input, but there has been little opportunity for civil society organisations to participate, and many people are simply not aware of the process," says Bridges.org.
ICT offers the potential to help people overcome obstacles, and it can be a key enabler for development, it says. It can reward those who use it well with increased income, better quality of life, and cultural and political advantages. But those who do not use it are left behind, and ICT disparities exacerbate existing inequalities.
"Poverty is no longer merely the lack of income or financial resources, but has become a problem of access, including access to information, services and infrastructure, and political processes and decision-making.
"The ICT charter should be about empowerment for all, not just within business. The current draft focuses on addressing employment and ownership imbalances, but it is crucial that the final document sent to government looks at ICT empowerment more broadly.
"ICT has the potential to change the future in SA and there is still a chance for ordinary people to influence the way the charter is written," Bridges.org says.
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