African CSOs Speak on the World Summit on the Information Society

This publication is a collection of contributions from civil society organisations (CSOs) across Africa reflecting on information and communication technology (ICT) around the continent. According to the introduction, "African Civil Society have engaged in the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) in a resolute manner. From its early stages, when the notion of ICT for development was only a nascent idea to the very last days of the second phase of the Summit, the profile of the African Civil Society has been transformed, making them serious partners in building Africa’s Information Society. Through participation in the WSIS process at the global, regional and national levels, African CSOs have learned some lessons. Indeed, one vital lesson is that it is best for us to speak for ourselves."

This publication is an attempt to provide an opportunity for organisations to share best practices and lessons learned. It aims to provide insight into the basic knowledge that has been acquired in the WSIS process, presenting key issues and fundamental questions in building a people-centred, inclusive, and development-oriented Information Society. These issues include, among others, management of internet resources, free and open source software (FOSS), multi-stakeholder partnership (MSP), and mainstreaming access regarding gender and the needs of differently-abled persons. The publication further aims to provide ideas and plans for moving forward.