Community networks, a perspective from freedom of expression and access to information

[antvlax]

Submission Title

Community networks, a perspective from freedom of expression and access to information

Description

The digital divide in Mexico is not just a matter of connectivity. The deployment of physical infrastructure must be coupled with a cultural, linguistic and community perspective, able to provide internet access as a way to exercise a wide range of rights. Article 19 Mexico and Central America office is doing field work in the state of Chiapas to analyze, from a broad perspective, the impact of connectivity policies and the lack to internet access on indigenous communities and the raising of local initiatives to build community networks. The project is linked to the work of the organization to promote proactive transparency that allows people, particularly women, to use access to information mechanisms to defend other rights.

Sharing this experience is an opportunity, firstly to present preliminary results of the field work but also to generate significant links with other initiatives looking to consolidate long term projects in which communities play an active role to promote access to Internet, develop strategies for digital literacy and appropriate the use ICTs.

Type: A mix of a talk and a workshop. The first part of the session is intended to be more a talk. The second part is thought to be a two way dialogue and debate, and finally a participative exercise in which attendants create a repository of resources.
Length: 2 hour
Additional considerations: max number of participants 15, could have experience on research, advocacy, human rights, policy, community network deployment, right to freedom of expression and access to information and everyone willing to listen, debate and share ideas :)

Session Objective

• Share Article 19’s experience in Mexico, lessons learned, obstacles, language pertinence, community relevance, methodology.  
• Discuss the cultural and community importance to develop local, regional and international initiatives to expand Internet access and defend an open internet.
• Create a communication network with participants to share experiences, ideas, strategies and different resources to promote internet community networks. 

Material and Technical Requirements

Flipcharts, markers, projector, post it's

Presenter(s)

Name: Vladimir Cortés Roshdestvensky and Paulina Gutiérrez
Email: [email protected] and [email protected]
Url(s): www.articulo19.org (https://articulo19.org/)
Twitter: @vladyruzo, @paulinagtzr (https://twitter.com/paulinagtzr, https://twitter.com/vladyruzo)
GitHub: antvlax (https://github.com/antvlax)

Interested in attending the sprint July 16-18: Yes
Interested in a community billet:

Presenter Bio

Vladimir Cortés Roshdestvensky is the deputy officer of the digital rights programme in Article 19 Mexico and Central America. He is currently supporting projects on surveillance, online harassment against journalists, and internet access in rural communities. He has worked as an international consultant specialized in human rights, freedom of expression, media and journalism in Latin America and the Caribbean. Vladimir has trained journalists and human rights defenders on international standards of journalism, multimedia production and digital security.

Paulina leads ARTICLE 19 Mexico and Central America’s digital rights strategy. She was the Law Programme Deputy Officer before creating a specific programme on Internet policy, technology & human rights matters at the Regional Office. She is an international human rights lawyer and freedom of expression online advocate. Her experience is based on international policy research, human rights violations legal advisory and gender issues. She is passionate about the right to internet access for social justice.