"The El Salvador Digital Ecosystem Country Assessment (DECA) report presents the findings and recommendations of the El Salvador DECA. It outlines the key aspects of El Salvador’s digital ecosystem and provides 10 recommendations for creating a more inclusive, safe, and enabling environment. Guide
...
d by USAID/El Salvador priorities, which include i) security increased for likely migrants; ii) jobs and income potential increased for likely migrants; and iii) government responsiveness, accountability, and transparency improved, the DECA process included desk research, consultations with USAID/El Salvador technical offices, and 101 key informant interviews with stakeholders from civil society, academia, and the private and public sectors. Key findings include: digital transformation is a priority for El Salvador; a weak regulatory environment and the lack of clear government strategies have held back digitization efforts; stakeholders frequently cite improving digital connectivity and citizens’ digital literacy skills as recommendations for greater digital adoption; cybersecurity policy and initiatives are underdeveloped and the awareness of effective defense measures is low across the digital ecosystem; most Salvadorans are still unbanked. Sixty-four percent of Salvadorans have no financial institution (traditional bank or mobile money) account. Only 11 percent of Salvadorans had a mobile money account as of 2021; GOES embraced bitcoin in September 2021, spotlighting El Salvador on the world stage; the COVID-19 pandemic spurred digital uptake among micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs)." (https://www.usaid.gov/digital-development)
more
"Despite the strides made towards strengthening two-way communication and dialogue in the regional response to the Sudan crisis, there remain critical gaps inhibiting the effectiveness of collective efforts. The Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) and the Regional Refugee Response Plan should allocate
...
time, priority and resources to communication and engagement approaches which ensure investment in key communication, community engagement and accountability (CCEA) activities. This should include integrated CCEA activities in sectoral interventions and those led by local and diaspora humanitarian action. The information and engagement ecosystem is in constant flux in Sudan and neighbouring countries and maintaining a solid communications base requires a range of skills and analysis. As a priority for protection, forward planning must consider the skills needed." Key takeaways)
more
"This assessment tool seeks to provide step-by-step advice and concrete recommendations for those wishing to develop a gender approach to cybersecurity policy. Building on APC’s previous work on a human rights approach to cybersecurity, online gender-based violence, and cybersecurity and gender, r
...
anging from research to advocacy, this document is part of a framework we have designed to support policy makers and civil society organisations in developing gender-responsive cybersecurity policies. This framework also includes two other documents, and we recommend that those using this assessment tool consult them before putting the principles and processes we outline here into practice: a literature review that explores how cybersecurity as a gendered space has been addressed in research; a document identifying norms, standards and guidelines that cybersecurity policy makers and advocates can draw on when seeking to promote a gender approach within national or multilateral cybersecurity discussions." (Intgroduction, page 4)
more
"This Agenda explores how digital technologies are already being used to accelerate progress toward the SDGs, and how inclusive digital transformation can be scaled further. The Agenda also showcases 34 digital solutions, two for each SDG, highlighting the power and potential of digital. The solutio
...
ns represent a range of different products and stakeholders; for example, some are open-source and supported by non-profit organizations or public sector institutions, while others are proprietary solutions developed by companies or entrepreneurs. However, they are all grounded in their positive impacts in achieving SDG targets – and their potential for scalability, replicability, and global relevance. These solutions chosen offer a snapshot of the scale, breadth, and possibilities of digital transformation for countries around the world. Although diverse in implementation – from foundational digital payment initiatives, to cutting-edge supply chain traceability tools and datadriven platforms – altogether, they highlight key priorities and principles to ensure that digital can support the SDGs. Each solution reaffirms the importance of designing based on needs and realities, and the essential components of collaboration and co-design that need to guide the development of any digital initiative. This range of solutions also highlights the appropriate use of technology, and the importance of grounding technologies in a people-centred, inclusive, and safe-andsecure approach." (Executive summary, page 5)
more
"As such, a National Fund for Journalism (NFJ) is a dedicated structure that is designed with a strategic sectoral purpose to provide long-term funding and financing to an independent journalism ecosystem in a particular country, region or place (as a Local or City Fund for Journalism, for example).
...
It can take different forms, but in essence is designed to redress shortcomings, barriers or imbalances in a particular media market, or to incentivise, catalyse or accelerate new entrants or transformative processes in that market. A National Fund for Journalism (NFJ) can complement and reinforce other policy measures aimed at improving and strengthening the independent media ecosystem. NFJs are ideally nationally- or sometimes regionally-governed funding structures that are independent of the funders - including governments, bilaterals, multi-laterals, foundations, tech platforms and others - that provide them with financial resources. Even if underpinned principally by public money - either from a domestic government or from international government donors or both - their transparency and independence reduces the risk of the funder being seen to be interfering in the media landscape/market or in individual grantees. This can also help to give confidence to other sources of funding, such as philanthropic, tech, corporate or individual donations, where such donors are wary of being seen to fund media directly. Given these primary sources, NFJs need to operate with a high degree of accountability and transparency, and in general, NFJs are designed and administered by independent and professional bodies, with independent governance and transparent structures and processes. NFJs ideally include representation from diverse parts of the media sector, and potentially from citizens. An NFJ may be centrally administered through a single body or may be a mechanism to decentralise funding through diverse bodies or sub-funds to particular regions or communities, to counteract spatial, racial or other inequalities. As a sector-level intervention, an NFJ should have a longer horizon than project or programmatic funding schemes. In many locations, NFJs will need to address the need for long-term stable funding and therefore, if not established in perpetuity, could be designed to last for a minimum of ten years. NFJs should be established to exist beyond electoral or political cycles, emergencies or short-term project cycles. In many cases, for example, where funds are provided through regulatory mechanisms, they may be established in law." (Pages 4-5)
more
"This Charter outlines normative directions and an action agenda for a feminist approach to digital transformation, based on wide-ranging consultations with nearly 100 participants from the Global South. It calls for key principles of digital governance – openness, freedom and security – to serv
...
e as a guide in attaining constructive pluralism, equitable and just societies, and flourishing futures across our planet. It asserts that the UN Global Digital Compact must secure state and corporate accountability for protecting women’s human rights in the digital age, a new global social contract for a socially just digital transition, and institutional arrangements to ensure network and data resources become part of the commons." (Title page)
more
"This study is based on desk research, supplemented by a three-month open commenting period and a public workshop whose participants have substantial experience in the technologies and practices analysed, or are members of the communities of practice, amongst them experts who work in “Global South
...
” contexts. A s a result, a recommendation matrix was developed which tackles the most important issues: balancing “Global North” privileges by subtraction instead of just adding diversity, working towards social justice by involving the communities of practice from the very start, setting up a polycentric governance structure based on values defined by the communities, establishing ethics of care and translation processes to mediate different roles and accommodate individual needs, supporting multilingualism, low connectivity environments, interoperability, and experiments, all with a critical stance towards standardisation and rationalisation, planning sustainably for the long term, collaborating and cooperating, doing everything transparently, at a moderate pace, learning humbly and perpetually." (Abstract)
more
"Between September 2022 and January 2023, the Public Interest News Foundation (PINF) worked with local communities in Bangor, Bristol, Folkestone, Glasgow, Manchester and Newry, to create ‘Local News Plans’ for their areas. We facilitated discussions between local stakeholders, including news pr
...
oviders, businesses, community groups, councillors and others, to find out what they think about the state of local news, what impact this is having on their communities, and what they believe is needed to build a more sustainable local news economy. We found that:
• People believe that local news should be truly local. They don’t want ‘cookiecutter’ local news, but original local news that truly reflects their area.
• Despite their passion and commitment, local news providers are struggling to meet this need. Commercial providers are chasing page views, whilst independent providers are burning themselves out with long hours and low pay.
• Local stakeholders are keen to support new funding models for local news. They recognise that old revenue models have been disrupted, but they believe that, in many places, new sources of local funding can be found for local news.
• The Local News Planning process unlocks collaboration. It brings people together in a powerful spirit of creativity, agency and optimism.
These findings confirm the scale of the challenge facing local news, but they also contain the seeds of a new approach that we call ‘media wealth building’." (Summary, page 6)
more
"This study, commissioned by the European Parliament’s Policy Department for Citizens’ Rights and Constitutional Affairs at the request of the LIBE Committee, examines risks that contemporary social media - focusing in particular on the most widely-used platforms - present for democracy, the rul
...
e of law and fundamental rights. The study focuses on the governance of online content, provides an assessment of existing EU law and industry practices which address these risks, and evaluates potential opportunities and risks to fundamental rights and other democratic values." (Abstract)
more
"The Guidelines outline a set of duties, responsibilities and roles for States, digital platforms, intergovernmental organizations, civil society, media, academia, the technical community and other stakeholders to enable the environment where freedom of expression and information are in the core of
...
digital platforms governance processes. The Guidelines were produced through a multi-stakeholder consultation that gathered more than 10,000 comments from 134 countries. These global-scale consultations fostered inclusive participation, ensuring a diversity of voices to be heard, including those from groups in situation of marginalization and vulnerability. Cultivating an Internet of Trust is a shared responsibility among all stakeholders. It calls upon us all to sustain an enabling environment for freedom of expression and the right to information." (Short summary)
more
"Hoy más que nunca advertimos la necesidad de una Inteligencia Artificial (IA) que respete los derechos humanos y las perspectivas de los pueblos indígenas, destacando su papel en la preservación de identidades y patrimonios culturales indígenas. Es fundamental democratizar la IA, incluyendo una
...
diversidad de voces en su desarrollo y aplicación y este es uno de los grandes objetivos de este reporte. En definitiva, este reporte es una invitación para entender la necesidad de una IA participativa que respete y se enriquezca con la diversidad cultural, convirtiéndose en una herramienta para el desarrollo sostenible y la promoción de libertades fundamentales. Se presenta como un llamado a la acción para incorporar activa y respetuosamente las perspectivas de los pueblos indígenas en la IA, apuntando hacia una futura sabiduría colectiva que honre la riqueza de las experiencias y conocimientos humanos. Todo esto, sobre la base de la Recomendación sobre la Ética en la Inteligencia Artificial de la UNESCO, que funciona como una brújula de orientación ética y un cimiento normativo mundial, que permitirá desarrollar IA al servicio de la sociedad, con especial énfasis a los grupos poblacionales más vulnerables, y respetuosa de los derechos humanos." (Prólogo, página 7)
more
"This report examines the regional and global state of Media and Information Literacy (MIL), a major theme identified in the Education 2030 Framework for Action. It is divided in three major sections: 1) definition of MIL, 2) good practices (curricula and pedagogy, teacher preparation, assessment) a
...
nd 3) examples of collaboration between non-state actors and governments [...] The conclusion points to some recommendations in relation to the identified challenges. It suggests, inter alia: to place MIL in the remit of education systems, by inscribing it in the basic core curriculum, from K1 to K12; to bridge the gap between policy formulation and effective implementation, by making MIL training a compulsory component of teacher certification; to break the glass ceiling of sensible practices, by promoting more coordination among actors in the sector and fostering a global MIL governance." (Abstract)
more
"The first part of these guidelines describes specific stakes related to Public Sector Information and Data (PSID) Access. It starts by defining PSID and their typology, continues by positioning their access at the heart of RTI, and stresses its role in giving a new boost to GPDI promotion. PSID dis
...
closure and dissemination multidimensional values, are then described from governance, social, cultural, economic perspectives. Ubiquitous and intelligent technologies’ Impact on PSID is discussed at the end of this part. The second part highlights main issues to consider while developing and promoting PSID access, and how to address them. The focus is put on components necessary to any normative framework for a broader, trustworthy and inclusive disclosure, namely its constitutional basis, strategic levers, legal foundations, and structures to support PSID requests and appeals. Other dire ctives are also proposed to ensure a serene and sustainable PSID disclosure, such as balancing PSID access and privacy, proactive release, intellectual property protection, and request algorithms transparency. This part describes also how set-up and reinforce institutional capacities to oversee access to information, as well as practices and directives necessary to manage PSID resources." (Introduction, page 10)
more
"Social media influencers impact our collective societal mindset by shaping our thoughts and opinions or setting agendas. Past research on social influence must be unpacked to understand how social media influencers effectively create content using authenticity co mpared to celebrity. Establishing a
...
sense of authenticity – consciously or unconsciously – enables them to come across as “being real.” This ability can be exploited and abused to amplify disinformation. The Digital Services Act’s approach to disinformation reflects the realization that platforms cannot adequately self-govern. Thus, it prescribes a structured role for civil society inclusion. For more oversight and accountability, EU member states will have to appoint Digital Services Coordinators who can be more effective if they work with platform councils made up of representatives from civil society, including influencer associations." (Page 1)
more
"This publication considers the range of policy changes that have been tried or recommended by global regulators, assessing their impacts on press freedom and news media sustainability, with consideration for the risk of capture, and other potential tradeoffs of these interventions. It examines four
...
categories of interventions: related to taxes and direct subsidies; copyright and licensing; competition and antitrust regulation; and transparency. Each piece discusses the driving concept behind each intervention, its advantages to publishers, how these benefits are distributed and how decisions are made regarding them, potential government involvement in each one, and their ability to address key underlying challenges related to news media sustainability. Our research also emphasizes the interrelationships between these policies and their broader effect on the platformatization of journalism. However, given that these interventions are in their early stages, or in some cases are still theoretical, a dearth of data makes it difficult to conclusively assess their impacts on media sustainability, media freedom and access to news. Where data asymmetries exist related to these questions, they are noted as areas for further research and potential regulatory attention." (Introduction, page 2-3)
more
"This report summarizes and groups the most common recommendations to address gendered disinformation and analyzes gaps between the evidence base and the recommendations made to date. This review is aimed toward those who seek to develop solutions to gendered disinformation in its different forms, a
...
lthough stakeholders across sectors should consider how they can operationalize these recommendations. While reviewers found many actionable recommendations, they also noticed significant gaps and missed opportunities for impact and collaboration." (Executive summary, page 4)
more