Professional Documents
Culture Documents
By Carlos Batista
carlos@finatec.com.br
NP³ - Núcleo de Pesquisa em Políticas Públicas
Universidade de Brasilia, Brazil
January, 2003
Table of Contents
1. INTRODUCTION............................................................................................. 4
2. METHODOLOGICAL FRAMEWORK.............................................................. 9
2.1 Assumptions.............................................................................................. 9
2.2 Aspects considered................................................................................. 10
2.3 Case Studies........................................................................................... 11
2.4 Web site Studies ..................................................................................... 11
3. CASE STUDIES ............................................................................................ 13
3.1 Case Study: Brazil................................................................................... 13
3.1.1 Introduction...................................................................................... 13
3.1.2 Municipality - Sant’Ana do Livramento ............................................ 13
3.1.3 Municipality - Barra do Ribeiro ........................................................ 14
3.1.4 Municipality – Guaíba ...................................................................... 16
3.1.5 Experiences and reports.................................................................. 19
3.2 Case Study: Uruguay............................................................................. 25
3.2.1 Introduction...................................................................................... 25
3.2.2 City of Rivera ................................................................................... 25
3.2.3 Experiences and Reports ................................................................ 26
3.3 Case Study: Peru.................................................................................... 28
3.3.1 Introduction...................................................................................... 28
3.3.2 Municipality – Lima .......................................................................... 28
3.3.3 Municipality – Villa El Salvador........................................................ 29
3.3.4 Municipality of Surco ...................................................................... 30
3.3.5 Experiences and Reports ................................................................ 32
3.4 Case Study: Ecuador .............................................................................. 41
3.4.1 Introduction...................................................................................... 41
3.4.2 Municipality – Quito ......................................................................... 41
3.4.3. Municipality - Cantón Cotacachi ..................................................... 45
3.4.4 Experiences and reports.................................................................. 46
3.5 Case Study: Mexico ................................................................................ 50
3.5.1 Introduction...................................................................................... 50
3.5.2 Municipality – Santiago de Querétaro ............................................. 51
3.5.3 México City / Delegación de Iztapalapa .......................................... 56
3.5.4 Experiences and reports.................................................................. 59
4. COMPARATIVE STUDY ON THE PRESENCE OF GOOD GOVERNANCE60
FACTORS ON LATIN-AMERICAN LEGISLATIVE WEB SITES....................... 60
4.1 Introduction ............................................................................................. 60
4.2 Methodology............................................................................................ 60
2
4.3 Analysis and results ................................................................................ 62
Tukey,s ..................................................................................................... 62
4.4 Conclusions............................................................................................. 70
5. GUIDELINES FOR ELABORATING A TRAINING PROGRAM FOR ICT
UTILIZATION ................................................................................................ 72
5.1 Introduction ............................................................................................. 72
5.2 Background ............................................................................................. 72
5.3 Justification ............................................................................................. 73
5.4 Objectives ............................................................................................... 74
5.5 Assumptions............................................................................................ 74
5.6 Guidelines ............................................................................................... 75
5.7 Target Population.................................................................................... 77
6. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS ................................................................ 80
7. BIBLIOGRAPHY............................................................................................ 87
7.1 Digital Bibliography – Eletronic Media .................................................... 96
7.2 Digital Bibliography - Internet Sites......................................................... 97
ANNEX 1: GLOSSARY ................................................................................... 103
ANNEX 2: LIST OF INTERVIEWEES ............................................................. 121
List of Interviewees – Brazil ........................................................................ 121
List of Interviewees – Uruguay.................................................................... 121
List of Interviewees – Peru.......................................................................... 121
List of Interviewees – Ecuador.................................................................... 122
List of Interviewees – Mexico...................................................................... 123
ANNEX 3: LIST OF SITES .............................................................................. 125
3
1. INTRODUCTION
This work is a survey of the conditions for the use of ICT (Information and
Communication Technologies) in five countries in Latin America: Brazil, Uruguay,
Peru, Ecuador and Mexico. In several municipalities, mayors, leaders and authorities
were interviewed and many local organizations visited.
Both the factors determining good governance at the local level and their
relatedness to ICT were examined in order to increase knowledge on this relationship.
Aspects considered were: decentralization, citizen participation, transparency and
grassroots movements, alternative experiences, popular participation and social-
movements networks
Another point examined was whether certain factors were present or not in web
sites of Municipal Assemblies in some Latin American municipalities. These factors
could be conducive to the presence or absence of good governance. Some of the
factors of good governance adopted in this research took in consideration the
possibility of citizens to interact with their legislators and to obtain information on
legislative procedures. One hundred and twenty (120) municipal web sites were
analyzed, focusing on the web sites of municipal legislative organs.
This research project's main task was to explore the link between ICT use and
the improvement of local good governance as found in Latin American municipal
legislative and executive organs. The answer to this question necessarily involves the
study of alternatives and possibilities of increasing good governance based on ICT
use. One of the proposals derived from this research is the formulation of a training
programme directed to personnel who will use ICT having in mind the improvement of
good governance at the local level.
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of community needs. Independently of the size of populations or the importance of
governments, expressions such as “itinerant government”, participative administration”,
“popular ombudsman”, “participatory budget and management” have become
frequently heard, spoken of and implemented in many municipalities.
Today, one can see that in many parts of Latin America popular participation
and organized social movements in the process of governmental decision-making
have increased, and one can see an effort to reach public decisions in co-operation
with the population.
One can be partially optimistic that good governance will improve with ICT
introduction and expanded use. The presence of ICT is likely to invigorate political
relations by allowing direct citizen participation in government, by avoiding mediations
and by thus optimizing the representative process and expanding participative
democracy.
One can also see how the use of these new management instruments, in
addition to increased citizen participation, is correlated with good governance. The
discrepancy from which political structures in Latin America tend to suffer (with
occasional political variations) is well-known, so certainly many additional conditions
must be met for good governance and effective institutional activity.
5
It is clear that demanding popular movements are trying to participate in
decision-making or in the management of decisions, and this is (whether we like it or
not) a new form of power-sharing. This is valid for both movements which are moving
towards power, and for those movements which already participate in power through
representation by their leaders. Both types of movements have tried to reduce the
centralization of decision-making and to augment their participation in governments.
Conditions for good governance have improved with ICT use in the last few
years in Latin America. This can be proved historically by a few examples, such as the
use of the press for political mobilization, the mandatory literacy campaigns, the
expansion of telephone, radio and TV networks, the increasing number of personal
computers, and finally the spread of the world wide web allowing interactivity between
society and constituted powers.
Information technologies are the benchmark of the 20th Century and the main
feature of the beginning 21st Century. The dissemination of their tools (computers,
internet, mobile communication) has enabled society to achieve the necessary
instruments to make knowledge accessible to the masses, and to augment productivity
in industry, in agriculture, in services, and expanded cultural activity. The greatest
challenge of the information era is to avoid a gap between those who have and those
who do not have access to the goods and skills required in the digital era. Information
technology can be a powerful tool for the development of a new critical and
participation-oriented citizen consciousness.
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However, they can be reduced by using ICT more intensively and in several
sectors of the economy. Its link to local good governance can best be illustrated by the
expansion of educational services, of distance learning, and of cultural activities; by
job incentives; by the expansion of judicial services and the control of justice; by
increasing citizenship, public safety, human rights and more interaction with
authorities; by the engagement of social groups; by the monitoring of public interest
projects; by access to consumer protection agencies; by a more adequate rendering of
services to the handicapped; by expanding the services: “Speak to us” - “Avoid waiting
lines” (banks, elderly persons, post office); by public safety (police, fire department);
social security and assistance; information on the sources and uses of energy and
alternative energy; health; public utility services (transportation, transit, housing), and
so on.
ICT can be very useful for interacting with the legislative, obtaining information
on legislative operations – norms, rights, monitoring of legislative proposals, actions
pressurizing the legislature and contacts with representatives. For example, the
consultation of a 'proposals databank' according to type, number, author, issue, date,
and other parameters, would facilitate a follow-up of the projects, of amendments
made, of related subjects, and it would allow to register through e-mail to receive data
on the progress of proposals of interest.
ICT can be used for rendering services to the public, such as obtaining general
certificates, personal documents – identity, commercial information, transfers,
contracts, deaths, notary information, or facilitating the payment of taxes and dues. In
the area of public safety, ICT can be very useful both in infrastructure solutions
(equipment and personnel) and in building a network (including a database) for
combating drug trafficking and arms smuggling, as well as for the centralized control of
criminals and border patrol operations.
The challenges brought about by ICT integration revolve on the question of how
to allow the advancement of different segments of society toward innovation and the
adaptation of new technologies in order to improve government processes and to
reduce economic and social disparities. It is necessary to define public policies which
are capable of boosting ICT use, which itself contributes to social inclusion, the
expansion of human freedom, and the reduction of the digital divide. One thing is sure:
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the problem is less of a technical or economic nature, but more on the side of political
will and the desire for equality.
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2. METHODOLOGICAL FRAMEWORK
2.1 Assumptions
The introduction of computers to public management has been the first step for
the modernization of mainly the internal services of the municipal executive bodies, i.
e. the automation of administrative processes, which then facilitates the organization of
information by means of a classification process and which permits to make it available
to the public.
The third step, the primary object of this study, is the use of Information and
Communication Technologies – ICT – for good governance. ICT represents a decisive
step in the process of the democratization of public information and in the citizen-
government-citizen interaction. Citizen-government interaction guarantees the
recognition of the priorities and demands of the public, the responsiveness of the
governing group, and the improvement of multiple operational aspects which are
intertwined in government-citizen relations.
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material (be it of individual or of community interest) and in interaction with
government.
Interviews and group meetings were the first step to detect whether or not these
aspects were present in the community or in the government guidelines, and if there
were links between these social expressions and ICT use. We also tried to assess the
opportunity for, and the interest in, implementing training programmes for a more
effective use of ICT in order to improve local good governance involving all these
social and political actors.
One should also draw a distinction between the use that is made of this term in
public administration and for official purposes from that in the press, by NGOs and
universities. The importance attached to the differences here can be illustrated by an
example: in Ecuador there is great public interest today in “making public information
transparent”, “the public information is public”, in publishing the budget completely, in
maintaining the budget integrally in the internet. This observation is also valid for Peru,
where, on the other hand, there is a great concern for making bidding processes more
transparent, a concern that is in turn found in Ecuador as well. Generally speaking,
many of these concerns are shared, e.g.: decentralization in Peru has been the object
of public discussion and occupies a relevant space in public administration. In Brazil
10
legislation on public bidding for products and services already exists, including its
availability on the internet.
In considering those aspects, five case studies were carried out regarding the
countries of Brazil, Uruguay, Peru, Ecuador and Mexico. The survey was done in two
steps: firstly, interviews with authorities, community leaders, representative groups
(from the community), and directors of social and political organizations; secondly, an
extensive collection of bibliographic material.
In Brazil, the relations between ICT and good governance were examined
through a field study in three municipalities of the State of Rio Grande do Sul:
Sant’Ana do Livramento, Guaíba and Barra do Ribeiro, interviewing the mayors, the
presidents of the legislative bodies, and other municipal leaders.
In Peru, a field study in Lima and neighbouring towns was the basis for an
analysis of ICT use. Some local institutions were visited, while authorities, and
community leaders were interviewed.
The research in Uruguay was done in the city of Rivera, i.e. in the northern
region of the country bordering on Brazil, by interviewing the Intendente (mayor) of
Rivera, and the President of the Junta Departamental (local legislative body) and other
local authorities.
In Mexico, research was done in Mexico City, in the city of Querétaro, and in
the Delegacion of Iztapalapa, in co-operation with local authorities and leaders.
For the purposes of knowing whether or not the web sites of the legislative
assemblies of selected Latin American municipalities contain good-governance factors,
it is assumed that the use of ICT and the improvement of good governance at the local
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level are indeed linked. Therefore, 'factors of good governance' as understood in this
research paper take into account whether and to what extent citizens can interact with
the members of the local legislative bodies and whether and to what extent they can
obtain relevant information on the legislative and its work.
120 municipal web sites were scrutinized, giving priority to the web sites of
municipal legislative assemblies, including those of the capitals of the Brazilian States
and some Latin American national capitals.
The research began with approximately 160 municipalities chosen by size and
location, before it was found out that some 40 municipalities either did not have a web
site at all, or they were unreachable during the search. Finally, the web sites of 120
legislative assemblies were evaluated:
101 web sites of municipal legislative bodies (84.2% of the cases);
sixteen web sites of bicameral federal parliaments (13.3%);
three web sites of unicameral federal parliaments (2.5%).
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3. CASE STUDIES
3.1.1 Introduction
The relations between ICT and good governance in Brazil were analyzed by
way of two different procedures. The first of which was based on field studies in three
municipalities of the State of Rio Grande do Sul: Sant’Ana do Livramento, Guaíba, and
Barra do Ribeiro where interviews with the mayors, the presidents of the municipal
legislative bodies, and other municipal leaders were conducted.
The Brazilian part of the research began in Sant’Ana do Livramento in the State
of Rio Grande do Sul. The Vice-Mayor of this city expressed his interest in matters
such as “information technologies for planning and budget formulation”, “citizen
participation”, a training programme and digital inclusion. The situation of ICT use in
this municipality is partially mirrored in his statements, as follows:
Going into the details of his statements, one can confirm that population
initiatives occur through person-to-person interaction. Consequently, increased ICT
use could offer incentives to citizen participation and make the local community more
dynamic. The Vice-Mayor stressed that personnel training would be essential for his
administration. The municipal executive is still in the first phase of ICT use so as to
modernize its management and to increase the capacity for interaction and
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communication with the rest of the community. In our talks with the Assistant Secretary
for Planning of Sant’Ana do Livramento, it was confirmed that the process of electronic
accounting and the creation of a web site are located within the framework of e-
administration.
Equipment and material, technical and personnel constraints were the issues
raised in a meeting with the President of the Legislative Chamber of Sant’Ana do
Livramento. He was very interested in a training project, and it is clear to him that such
a project would promote citizen participation. According to him, citizen participation
today only occurs through individual demands and personal contacts.
The Municipal Legislative Chamber uses the radio to diffuse its proposals,
perhaps because of the small number of public workers. Radio is widely used to
communicate with the population. The President of the Chamber recognized the need
for formation and training, without which it would not be possible to employ ICT
facilitating the follow-up of legislative procedures. Civil servants must also be trained.
All members of the Chambers have a computer and a printer on the premises of the
legislative body, but they do not have internet access.
The President of the Chamber suggested that a training programme for the
population could use mobile units (trucks or vans) with instructors and pertinent
equipment in different boroughs of the city. This would solve the problem of mobilizing
people and would stimulate public participation at a lower cost.
The Mayor of Barra do Ribeiro (Rio Grande do Sul) emphasized the difficulties
in modernizing his administration that contradicts his own interest in the matter but is
brought about by the resistance of the public servants and the residents. He intends to
computerize the municipal executive, including an internet site informing the public on
events, courses etc., and to publish a bulletin on line, making the municipal budget and
other information transparent to the public. He thinks that ICT use would foster the
democratization of information, but today such an endeavour is prevented by the high
costs of equipment.
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idea of their openings for access and participation, before courses and training are
provided.
If one considers the high costs of hardware and software equipment and bears
in mind that computers are conceived for individual use, it is understandable that ICT
use for the purposes of citizen participation is still difficult in this municipality.
Nevertheless, there are plans for installing a computer at municipal executive office for
collective use by the public.
The interviewee, who is also the President of the Mayors’ Council of the State
of Rio Grande do Sul, mentioned the necessity for all of his State's mayors to become
more conscious about the need for computerization and training municipal servants; he
15
recognized, however, the difficulties in implementation owing to the high costs of
equipment.
It can be inferred from the interviews that there is a significant increase in the
demand for ICT training courses and that – proper incentives provided – local
residents may soon profit from the openings for access and participation offered by
ICT. The public follows the activities of the Legislative Chamber through newspapers
and direct contact with councilpersons, particularly in polemic issues.
The lack of professional training within the public service is just another of the
many deficiencies that beset the municipal authorities of Barra do Ribeiro. At the
Chamber's offices, only little research is done in utilizing the internet. Government
needs to invest more money in order to increase the number of computers and make
them accessible to the population.
Few schools and a small number of people have internet access, but it was
suggested that mobilizing school children is the most efficient means to put the
population closer to ICT and therefore increase popular participation and to promote
participation and transparency.
According to the Mayor of Guaiba (State of Rio Grande do Sul), a web site of
the municipality exists, but it is dated and seldom visited. He intends to build a new
web site with accounting and budget reports and other information. There is a relatively
16
high number of machines (90) installed, as the administration confused
computerization with just buying machines, without worrying about training public
servants on how to use them. These computers are used in a precarious manner, just
substituting old typing machines. Health-service workers use the internet most
frequently of all.
People are looking for courses and hope to overcome digital exclusion. The
Mayor stated that the local authorities needed to supply ICT training. However, the
most important priority for the municipality is still to provide food for hungry children
and dispossessed adults.
The Mayor recognizes ICT as a fundamental tool for improving local good
governance and firmly believes that a training programme increasing ICT use would be
necessary.
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available to the public in order to promote transparency. The political community of
Guaíba does not know, for example, how to obtain information about the 2003 Budget.
The President of the Guaíba Legislative Chamber estimates that twenty percent
of the Guaíba population are aware of the importance of computers and have a notion
of digital exclusion consequences. For the remaining eighty percent, encouragement
programmes (such as clarification campaigns, school campaigns) could be
implemented by the local Legislature, thus including the whole society in this
modernization process.
There are no local radios or TV channels. For the president of the Industrial
Association, all four local newspapers publicize too few pieces of information, and they
should publish more information on the municipal executive.
Regarding the issue of exclusion, he said that schools and libraries should have
the responsibility of becoming public computer points where equipment could be
installed and connected to the net for digital inclusion. He is also convinced that the
community would respond well to such an initiative, because the community already
uses the Industrial Association equipment, although in a restricted way. A well-drafted
programme with a high factor of implementation and penetration would be a real
alternative that would also enhance ICT accessibility and the computerization of the
population. He stressed the viability of such an initiative, however low the investments
are today.
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3.1.5 Experiences and reports
19
the introduction of new information and communication technologies in public schools
as a tool in support of the teaching-learning process. This is an initiative of the Ministry
of Education and is developed in partnership with the State governments and some
municipalities.
The guidelines are established by the Ministry of Education and by the National
Council of the Education Secretaries of the States. In each unit of the federation there
is a State Commission of Computers in Education responsible for the introduction of
ICT in public elementary and high schools. ICT are increasingly present in day-to-day
life, in varying degrees of interaction. PROINFO is an educational programme whose
development started in 1997 and whose main objective is to integrate distance
computerization (telematics) into pedagogical practice, making it a strong ally to spur
an innovation process within the school environment and thus to improve the teaching-
learning process. Other objectives are to promote educational approaches taking into
account the scientific and technological progress and to prepare students for
citizenship and participation in a developed society.
The federal legislative organs also have experiences with ICT use and its
advantages for good governance and for channelling society's demands.
The Interlegis programme is an initiative for the modernization and integration
of legislative organs at the federal, state and municipal levels. It is based on a
partnership of the National Congress (the Federal Parliament) with the IDB – Inter-
20
American Development Bank, which began in 1997 and whose objective consists in
promoting greater transparency and interaction with society.
21
Chamber of Deputies transparent, the TV Câmara intends to serve the promotion of
education and Brazilian affairs by broadcasting culture, arts, regional programmes. It
is a public TV programme, dedicated to citizenship and the information of the Brazilian
people through the diffusion of ethical, moral, social, artistic and cultural Brazilian
values.
In 2002 Brazil experienced its largest democratic process ever – the general
elections for the offices of the President of the Republic, of state governors, senators,
state and federal deputies. This peculiar round of elections saw a very wide use of
technologies in the processes of the voting itself and of the dissemination of the
results.
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media, and society alike were able to follow up the electoral results in detail and in
such a way as to increase the transparency of the whole process. If transparency
improves good governance and if information is an indispensable component of
political education, the availability of electoral information is an instrument for the
improvement of good governance and thus of democracy.
From an institutional point of view, Brazil has free elections, a freely elected
Congress and an independent judiciary, combined with all the constitutional
guarantees of a typical representative democracy. However, political reality does not
always reflect formal institutional structures.
23
This means that students are stimulated to critically reflect their needs and their
struggle for citizenship rights.
Each CDI is initially formed by a team of voluntaries, but in the end, a CDI can
legally become an NGO. It is thus capable of raising funds and forming partnerships
with several foundations so as to build a team of professionals solely dedicated to the
democratization of computer use.
The CDI targets young residents of low-income communities, but the project
was developed in a way that allows for its adaptation to the needs of diverse
individuals and groups, to local realities and needs, without loss of quality. Today,
Schools of Computer and Citizenship can be found in correctional facilities for adult
and juvenile deliquents, but also in mental institutions, in institutions for the hearing
impaired, and also in indigenous areas and others.
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3.2 Case Study: Uruguay
3.2.1 Introduction
The research done in Uruguay on ICT use and good governance and on
opportunities for a training programme took place in the City of Rivera in the northern
region of the country, close to the Brazilian border. Both the Mayor of Rivera (the
Intendente), the president of the Local Junta (the municipal legislative body) and other
local authorities were interviewed.
Rivera's Mayor was very receptive to the idea of an ICT training programme for
several sectors. Systematic ICT use can lead to synergy with other on-going
community projects, facilitating an increase in citizens’ participation in local
government activities. He was enthusiastic about the project particularly because it did
not only address technological aspects but also good governance, i.e. political factors.
25
is the a video-conference room available at the National Telecommunication Enterprise
(ANTEL) is available.
The Mayor has installed an internal computer system which could be the
embryo of an ICT-implanting process at the local level. A programme improving the
qualification of public servants would be welcomed as they already have a certain
familiarity with ICT usage.
The president of the local legislative body (Junta Departamental) pointed out
that there is a strong interest in the interaction between citizens and the legislature,
where popular participation, ICT, political demands, and training for Junta personnel
are discussed at length.
In Rivera citizens and deputies interact directly and personally. The municipal
deputies roam the Departamento (the geographical area of the municipality) and talk
directly and personally with members of the community. Citizen demands and
initiatives are channelled exclusively through political parties. Each of the parties has
its own computer at the Junta offices for use by counsellors or advisors.
At the Municipal Legislative Chamber, only one of the computers has internet
access. Resources being scarce, staff members are not yet familiar with ICT use in a
working environment.
The President of the Junta thinks that a project stimulating ICT should be
implemented as soon as possible. This would facilitate contact with Rivera’s
population, and would speed up interaction between municipal legislators and
community members. On the other hand, he stressed that the use of ICT will never
reduce the importance of political parties in citizen-legislature relations.
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Among the social-inclusion programmes whose objectives could be fostered by
ICT use ranks ProWoman - Promotion of Equal Opportunities for Women Employment
and Professional Training Programme (ProMujer – Programmea de Promoción de la
Igualdad de Oportunidades para las Mujeres en el Empleo y la Formación Profesional
(MTSS - DINAE/JUNAE- Cinterfor/OIT)1.
27
3.3 Case Study: Peru
3.3.1 Introduction
In Peru, the analysis regarding ICT use and improvement of good governance
at the local level is divided in two parts: the first deals with a field study done in Lima
and neighbouring communities. Local institutions were visited and interviews were
held with authorities and leaders. The second part of the survey deals with a set of
experiences and reports on ICT use in Peru.
Approximately 10 million people live in Lima and surrounding towns. The first
meetings took place at the Transitory Council of Regional Administration – CTAR
LIMA. Interviews were held with the Technical Secretary, the Chief of Investment
Promotion – Regional Management, and the Chief of International Technical
Cooperation and Coordination. This Cooperation Unit organized a discussion with
approximately 30 representatives of social base organizations which focussed on the
advantages of, the opportunity for, and the alternatives of, introducing ICT in their daily
activities and on implementing an ICT and good-governance training programme for
members of the local public service. This was a remarkable experience where all
could freely express their ideas and opinions about digital exclusion and the social and
political situation of Peru, particularly with respect to social assistance programmes
and citizen participation.
In the City of Lima there were other meetings with several community
representatives (Mothers’ Club, Popular Self-Managed Restaurants, Glass of Milk
Committee), where the focus was on the possibility of introducing ICT in routine
activities. They are, in fact, spontaneous initiatives of citizen organizations to render
services to the community. Members of these organizations stressed the difficulties of
communication and the costs of infrastructure, the difficulties of and the high prices of
access to networks. Nevertheless, given the characteristics of their activities, these
citizen-participation initiatives could transform themselves into important bridges for
ICT use, especially to guarantee their communication with government and society.
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3.3.3 Municipality – Villa El Salvador
In this same report (Azcueta, 2001) one can find some recommendations to
stimulate and to promote ICT use along the following guidelines:
29
• “Respect for and development of citizen consciousness from knowledge
and the distribution of rights and obligations of each inhabitant of our unique planet”.
In Santiago de Surco, many subject matters were in the focus of the interviews
with local authorities held at the municipal executive office: decentralization,
transparency, popular movements, support from this office to participatory movements
were among the issues discussed with the Chief of the Special Projects Office and with
advisors from the Alcadia (the municipal executive office). They reported on adult
literacy, citizen participation, and participatory budget programmes.
Examining the documentation of Surco one can find a concern with typical
issues of municipal administration, but also a tendency to use new technologies.
Improved citizen safety through the use of radio or centralized information; urban
development supported by greater transparency and the use of computer files to
control private companies executing public works; services rendered to the community
(civil registration, and civil files); supply of services (itinerant rendering, kiosks for
waiting citizen are posts that could be computerized); attention to environmental
30
education through ICT in schools; all these are on-going policies from the municipal
administration. Among the community services one should also stress employment
skills training (such as ICT training/formal educators, internet, TV Education), the
Municipal Children and Teenage Defense Service (DENUMA, where the ICT use
facilitates the organization and the implementation of the database, of registrations and
communication in several social spheres; and ICT use in education controlling school
evasion and student participation. Some suggestions are listed in the official
documentation Surco: a computerized and systematic municipal library catalogue; to
combat illiteracy with the help of ICT, such as School TV and other itinerant schools
with modern equipment; another example is the Environment Bus, an environmental-
education itinerant school, with ecological and educational nature walks for the
children.
Some of the programmes such as the donations to the needy in the South of
Peru and the donations from the citizens of Surco, “Programme of Surcano Voluntary
Work”, are examples of how ICT are an important instrument of demand identification.
The Municipal Promotion for Entrepreneurial Development Programme – PROMDE -
allows the design of programmes for implementing joint activities and making use of
digital information to promote municipal management improvement.
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3.3.5 Experiences and Reports
3.3.5.1 On Decentralization
Decentralization was a key issue in a meeting with the chief Advisor of the
Ministry of Housing, Construction, and Sanitation. He has shown a great concern with
the issue, firmly believing that Peru is prepared for digital democracy once all current
conditions are favorable to install ICT to improve good governance. He belongs to the
optimist party of public administration believing that the conditions for stepping up to
the new technologies and for a reduction of the digital gap are there.
The “National Training Plan for the Strengthening of Regional and Local
Governments”2 is a compilation of norms that existed in 2002 and proposes to facilitate
the decentralization process by promoting more transparency at regional and
municipal elections. People are convinced that transparency and freedom are
strengthened through knowledge and access to more democratic instruments.
32
• regional and municipal training and technical assistance
• local and regional funds for development
• local and regional connectivity.
In meetings with the Peruvian Press Council and other representatives of the
press, the problems of access to public information, transparency, the role of the press
in obtaining public information and collective interest were discussed. The
representative of the Institute for the Press and Society stressed their vigilant anti-
corruption role and the role of other NGOs related to anti-corruption, as well as the
opportunity to act together as focal points in an ICT training programme. He stressed
the function of the Veedurias Ciudadanas ("Citizens as mass media observers")
organization .
33
Veeduria Ciudadana is in support of a law that would make the social responsibility of
the means of communication mandatory by promoting ethical and democratic policies.
A National Council for Radio and Television would be created, attracting members
from civil society and from the State, to regulate, to conduct and to monitor operations
of the media. Of course, the promotion of social responsibility among businesspeople
should be accompanied by other developments and responsibilities. By means of
these and other topical proposals ICT can contribute to the construction of full
citizenship.
When asked in which institutions there is particularly high or a very low degree
of participation or no participation whatsoever, the Peruvians affirm that local
institutions and the press are more accessible than the national institutions. In a
country where a Law of Citizen’s Rights to Participation and Control exists
communication media can have a function of controlling power, promoting access to
government decisions, including popular participation through debates and exposing
these decisions to public opinion and social demands.
A seminar promoted by the Peruvian Press Council in Lima had as its main
theme the use of ICT for good governance. Strong concern for matters related to
transparency and information was to be observed on the part of the Peruvian Press.
The opening session of the seminar dealt with the “Law of Transparency and Access
to Public Information”, with participants from People’s Defence and from the Legal
Defence Institute. The presentation and discussion in the workshop “Access to
Information and the Use of New Technologies” treated exhaustively problems of
transparency and access to information in Peru using ICT. A second workshop dealt
with “Transparency and Access to Information in the Hands of the State: the use of
new technologies and the pending agenda of transparency”, participated by the Co-
ordinator of the SYIAF Project - Integrated System of Financial Administration of the
Ministry of Economy and Finances. After that, provincial cases were presented – “The
Line of Access to Information”, by a representative of the Peruvian Press Council.
Other matters treated were “New Technologies of Information and Digital Journalism” ,
and “Investigative Journalism and the New Technologies of Information”.
34
3.3.5.3 On citizen participation
Peruvians maintain that values such as respect to human rights, autonomy and
independence from the powers of the State, transparency and communication of the
acts of government, decentralization of power, participation and citizen supervision,
well-developed political parties and efficient mechanisms of controlling the State, are
indispensable for a Peruvian democracy.
35
experienced dialogues with members of the legislative bodies and believed in their
own capacity of influencing them. Above all, the population hopes for good
government as a result of their participation. It becomes evident that if these social
actors had new technologies, in addition to the social involvement process, they could
also have access to organized information, have accelerated transmission of
knowledge, and, most of all, have the possibility of operating in networks.
In an interview with PRONAA´s National Head Officer and his advisors it was
possible to confirm that PRONAA is a public, decentralized organism and tries to
improve dangerous nutritional situations. Infant population is PRONAA’s priority as a
nutritional risk group as well as those in emergency situations and organized groups
(“Mothers' Club”, “Popular Self-Managed Restaurants”, “Campesinos Communities”,
schools and hostels). As for the improvement of good governance as understood in
this report, one of PRONAA´s most important objectives is to promote the active
participation of the population in the execution of the programme, as well as in its
supervision and control bodies.
36
Restaurants Programme; the Food for Work Programme; and the Emergencies
Programme.
37
3.3.5.5 The “Huascarán Programme”
Smaller investments and a shorter implementation time thanks to the use of ICT
will help to realize advanced networks of communication that reduce obstacles like
distance and poverty, characteristics of vast rural areas of the country. The application
of ICT will contribute to the optimization of the administrative processes within the
Ministry of Education, thus promoting exchange of information that will foster intelligent
organizational interaction and favour development and integration of knowledge sector.
In order to obtain higher benefits from ICT at the local level in countries such as
Peru, two basic conditions must be met: 1) ample access to these resources by the
population guaranteed by increased ICT infrastructure; 2) the development of
adequate applications to various socio-cultural segments. In summary, the Huascarán
Programme tries to reduce inequalities of access and ICT use and also to diminish the
scarcity of knowledge on the day-to-day use of ICT as a tool for social and personal
progress.
Those involved in the Huascarán Project expect that within five years a learning
environment and a sustainable structure should be established through the application
38
of ICT. Students, teachers, and the administrative staff of the educational centres
should by then be skilled for ICT use. Information transfer between the headquarters of
the Ministry of Education and its several sectoral branches could then be rapid and
efficient; and the education centres and the intermediary organs could be connected in
order to better achieve their objectives. ICT use should facilitate intelligent
organizational interaction.
The original proposal of the Peruvian Scientific Network (RCP – Red Cientifica
Peruana) was to provide universal access to information and communication
technologies, beginning by training more than 50,000 persons through courses. The
first “cabineros” (small cabin entrepreneurs) who saw an opportunity for business, are
participating in a new model of the economy in which information is a primary
resource, the principal capital.
39
However, the idea was to turn cabins into something more than just a
connection point. They should be a centre for training and producing local knowledge
that would assist persons and organizations to expand their potential to sustain their
own development. Therefore, the problem was not only being connected, but also to
generate knowledge which, in the context of globalization, would increase the
productivity of the local economy and the transparency of public administration, and
which would make the social and cultural services more effective.
In fact, the Peruvian internet cabins have become a factor of spreading ICT
given that more than 70% of Peruvian users make use of these cabins. This very
popular model has some peculiar characteristics which leaves open the question of
their sustainability and continuity. In many cases, the cabins are very close to the
informal market, with improvised, second-hand equipment, pirate software and
doubtful quality control. This is an intensive-demand market which leads to reduced
prices, which then keep profits low and difficult to sustain with adequate quality control.
The intriguing question is that of how 2,000 low cost cabins can operate in a brutal,
competitive market, and continue to guarantee internet access to a large population.
ICT were only recently introduced to the government's agenda, while the
independent development of the cabins evinced an incredible entrepreneurial capacity
of the private sector, at the same time that it showed an immense capacity of social
mobilization. Today, the cabins in Peru are faced with many problems, from brutal
competition to security concerns. Many believe that they have arrived at a saturation
point. However, the cabins have permitted that social segments totally unlinked to
modern technologies begin to have access to ICT. The role of the public cabins in
combating social digital exclusion was responsible for the digital inclusion of groups
and local organizations, like indigenous groups, beginning to use ICT on networks.
40
For the general public to benefit even more from ICT it is important that all
social actors be involved in a large process of participation and training. The cabins or
the telecenters can be the articulating place for this process, given their low costs and
their multiplying effect, as the Peruvian experience very well demonstrates.
3.4.1 Introduction
The study of the relationship between ICT use and the improvement of good
governance in Ecuador is divided into two parts: first, a field study done in this
country, in the city of Quito and in the municipality of Cotacachi, presents interviews
with local authorities and leaders, as well as reports on the visits made to local
institutions. The second part of the Ecuador study is an account of experiences and
reports on the ICT use in the country.
Strategic planning was the focus of discussion in an interview with the Director
of Strategic Prospective and Competitiveness of the City of Quito, as well as an
evaluation of the current status of the QUITO XXI CENTURY DEVELOPMENT PLAN –
ADJUSTMENT (2002-2004). This interview included a discussion on the possibilities
of ICT use considering their inclusion in the development plan as an accepted and
important promoter of good governance.
41
In Ecuador, the ODEPLAN (Planning Office of the Presidency) is an
autonomous entity and an important state instrument for planning development, and
for institutional and political co-ordination. The importance of planned actions are
highly valued, therefore strengthening the legitimacy of the planning process.
Thus, among ODEPLAN documents one could examine training modules for
experts, public workers in planning, gubernatorial offices, provincial councils,
municipalities, rights councils, NGOs, and civil-society organizations related to specific
themes for the formation of personnel organized in networks who can eventually
generate a new model of planning.
42
In an interview conducted at the Municipalities Association of Ecuador (AME)
the stress laid on the role of municipalities in the development of the country to
guarantee decentralization, budget decentralization, and the role of AME in supporting
training programmes using ICT as a preferred tool for good governance.
The case of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MRE )of Ecuador illustrates how
one's effort to introduce information technologies can improve one's Internal
Management System and communication with other offices of public administration.
Starting with a “zero paper” policy the MRE intends to reach all Ecuador consulates
through automated means as well as all Ecuadorians living out of the country. There
are social movements that try to guarantee the right to vote for all migrants (many
without papers) and to allow them to invest their money earned abroad in Ecuador.
In the same line of thought, the work done by BONILLA e CLICHÉ (2001),
Internet y Sociedad en America Latina y el Caribe: investigaciones para sustentar el
dialogo, discusses various ICT implementation studies and their results in strategic
areas for regional development such as: education, culture, health, environment,
human rights, productivity, administration, good governance, and democracy itself.
The book emphasizes equity problems and shows how social, economic, and
technological divisions affect excluded groups. In addition, the authors analyze the
implementation of public policies via internet and a conceivable link with processes of
citizen participation and the construction of a new political culture through free access
to information.
43
The authors call for greater social control of communication media as participation and
consensus increases. This work deals with the power of television in building public
opinion and how the print media reaches the public, particularly on urban areas, in
addition to audio and visual media and their possible political use.
The authors draw the reader's attention to the success and failures of the
experiences made in "participatory diagnosis". They also warn about the difficulties
arising from leaders' patronage which makes the creation of democratic channels
impossible, as well as about the lack of cohesion among members impairing people
and organizations to participate in a co-ordinated manner by going beyond the
motivation phase.
In Ecuador there is a strong effort to expand the physical basis necessary to the
implementation of ICT. The National Telecommunications Council – CONATEL – is
acting along this line through the Nation´s Connectivity Commission.
44
3.4.3. Municipality - Cantón Cotacachi
An effective demonstration of this new orientation was the fact that a computer
was installed on the sidewalk in front of the Municipal Executive for public access with
a public employee to help inhabitants access information where they should vote in the
elections that took place on 20 October 2002.
An interview with the mayor focused on how the city began gathering
information on priority problems and areas detected by the "participatory diagnosis".
Some recommendations such as ICT use in Cotacachi were made by the diagnosis
45
experts, similarly on how to associate citizen participation experiences and
participatory budget in Cotacachi with ICT use for improving good governance at the
local level.
46
announcements (“cunias”) on the electoral process mentioning the importance of
voting as an exercise of democracy, the seriousness of the decision to be taken and
the weight of the vote. These announcements were distributed to all 51 members of
the Coordenadora at zero cost and were broadcast by the Community Radios. Many
radio station collaborate in preparing informative material including training courses.
Eight radio stations broadcast in Quechua language to facilitate communication with
Quechua-speaking natives. AMAZONIA NETWORK (RED AMAZONIA) was created to
report on ecological issues and cultural themes of that region. These are indicators of
population participation warranting good governance thanks to the use of
communication technologies.
CORAPE has been airing programmes which well illustrate the use of radio as
a technological instrument for citizenship. The following themes are examples of the
approach used: “Quality of services and products including ‘political products’”;
“Ecuadorian Consumer Protection Law”; “Education through political platforms”; “Don’t
be a Frustrated Consumer”; “Make the Vote an Instrument of Power”.
ChasquiNet was created in 1998, and has the seal of approval from the Ministry
of Education of Ecuador, aiming at being a resource centre, a space for promote and
strengthen the community, and of a diffusion of activities, all having the ultimate goal of
social change. The ChasquiNet Foundation promotes a productive work environment
in non-profit organizations and works in reducing the gap of information and
communication.
47
provide solutions for access and connectivity to excluded population sectors in
Ecuador.
The ChasquiNet Foundation also has developed some other projects such as
community telecenters. Given that the majority of the population does not have access
to computers nor to telephone lines, ChasquiNet and the communities themselves
have adopted and spread the concept of “telecentro”. ChasquiNet supported the
creation of telecenters and handed them to user communities which manage them like
micro-business.
48
Among UNORCAC projects with ICT use, Sumac Ñan is worth mentioning for
its communication in education and development through the radio.
49
3.5 Case Study: Mexico
3.5.1 Introduction
The main conclusions on the use of ICT are presented here, starting with the
interviews done with government political and social actors and from in loco
observations in the municipality of Querétaro and in the Delegación de Iztapalapa
(delegación is a kind of regional administration of the city within the Government of the
Federal District). Elements of Mexican administrative organization, the political context
of the country and of the places studied are also presented.
In the federal plan, political parties offer different perspectives and proposals for
the organization of the public administration, of transparency on public information and
for the relationship with society.
PAN identifies itself with structural adjustment policies and opening to foreign
trade, accompanied by the modernization of the management of the State. Starting
with a concern with State transparency, the Federal Law of Transparency and Access
to Public Governmental Information was initiated, making it mandatory for government
offices to make sufficient information available so that citizens can analyse public
management, using necessary mechanisms and technologies. It also establishes that
any citizen can access information, through the internet, from his home or by
computers made available by government (CHAVEZ, 2002).
The case studies chosen to represent action from PAN – “Partido de Acción
Nacional” and PRD – “Partido Revolucionário Democrático” are office holders: the
municipality of Querétaro is now governed by PAN while the Delegación of Iztapalapa
is governed by the PRD. These examples cannot be considered as a pattern for
parties’ behaviour, but they indicate the existence of certain patterns of public policies.
50
3.5.2 Municipality – Santiago de Querétaro
• Citizen Wednesday
• Personalized Attention
• Attention to the Communication Media
• Citizen Mail
• Electronic Mail
51
System, formed by the Thematic Councils and by the Delegacion Councils is part of
them.
The Thematic Councils meet every month and they operate informally due to
the fact that they were not foreseen in the legislation. When they were created, all
citizens participating in meetings had a voice and voted, but there was a norm
instituted by which it is necessary to participate in at least 50% of the meetings held in
the prior six month period in order to have a voting right. The Jefe de Participacion
Social stated, in an interview, that the fact of the meeting being just consultative in
character and of aiding/supporting the government, it is a disincentive to experts in
specific themes. The following existing Councils were cited: Environment, Health,
Sports, Public Safety, Culture, Tourism, Urbanism, Youth, and Rural Development
One can observe that the running of these councils does not utilize ICT. Even
though people´s participation is considered very important, the Ayuntamiento (the
Municipal Executive) still convokes people to council meetings using leaflets, posters
and direct invitation to specialists and community leaders. The councils do not have a
structure of their own, nor internet web sites or Radio/TV programmes, or another
appropriate means of communication. Councils operation also does not rely on a
computer system to monitor debates and register in tapes suggestions presented to
the administration.
The Thematic Councils and the Councils of Delegación have an important role
in city planning, particularly in recent years. Long-term planning is a concern of the
current administration forecasting what the city will be in 2025. The fact that
counsellors’ mandate does not coincide with the municipal administration´s mandate
was raised. No permanent links can be established, provoking an endless debate
between different administrations. An important participation experience in
Delegacional Councils and other forms of participation of society in city decisions was
the Zoning Project and Dignification of Public Street Commerce in the City of Santiago
de Querétaro, developed during the 1997-2000 administration.
52
The project promoted the organization of street vendors in the Historic Center,
and was a prize-winning project in a competition promoted by CIDE-Center of
Economic Research and Teaching. It was among the ten best administrative
experiences of the country. However, it did not use intensively ICT. Meetings were
convoked through leaflets, posters, sound cars and through press releases to private
communication media (radio, TV and newspapers). In this case, one can observe that
substituting traditional means by ICT could bring obvious benefits to citizenship
practices.
53
noviembre de 2002) is utilized for both municipal information (72% of the cases in
2001) and reports, denouncing or complaints (11% of the cases in 2001).
The availability of this new data base on the internet will also contribute to the
administrative decentralization of the municipality. Other computer information
systems to facilitate follow-up of internal processes and communication between
central administration and regional delegacion administrations are now being created.
54
year, a CD-Rom was utilized. In both years, the exhibition was advertised through
radio stations. The presentation of the report by Alcaide was televised in a space
bought by the administration.
An interview with the Director of Cabildo Affairs showed that the Municipal
Legislative Power – the Cabildo (a word which also means negotiation)–, is presided
by the Municipal President and does not have its own technical structure capable of
distributing information with more independence in relation to the Executive offices. In
relation to the above-described initiatives regarding access and citizen participation,
the members of the Cabildo also participate in meetings of the Thematic Councils and
of the Councils of Delegacion. The Cabildo meetings area is open to the public,
without a separation between public and plenary. The table of the Cabildo is located in
a large room where additional chairs can be provided for the public, when needed.
Legislation is approved and published in the Gaceta Municipal. This information is also
available through internet in the Ayuntamiento web site.
In the front page of the document of the municipality of Querétaro called “actions ...
the responsibility of being well informed”, a monthly publication of Querétaro Municipal
Presidency – Mexico, (n° 22, 2002) one can observe two interesting ICT calls:
55
3.5.3 México City / Delegación de Iztapalapa
The largest city of the Americas, Mexico City is located in the central Mexican
highlands, with approximately 20 million inhabitants. Its administration is divided into
17 delegaciones. Iztapalapa Delegación is subdivided into 7 Territorial Directions,
amounting to circa 2 million people. In addition to a very heterogeneous social
composition, there is a chaotic irregular soil occupation by poor migrant families –
mostly coming from State of Oaxaca. Administered by a PRD delegate—this
Delegación is subject to intense political disputes by different power groups –mostly
from the same party, PRD.
Unlike in Querétaro, one could not observe such a strong concern with citizen
participation, even if it was mentioned by members of the administrative structure of
the delegación interviewed. On the other hand, one could observe the use of clientele
mechanisms to obtain support of power groups who represent the residents of different
colonias (boroughs). This form of relationship is rebutted by borough associations
that simply do not accept interference from the Delegación administration; these
borough associations constitute themselves as a form of popular self-government
experiences inspired by the Zapatista movement. This is the case with the Union de
Residents San Miguel de Teotongo (San Miguel de Teotongo Colonos Union) or with
the Francisco Villa Popular Front, based in the Colonia San Lorenzo de Tesongo.
The creation of the Unit of Citizen Attention resulted from the problems raised
by the fragmentation of services rendered to citizen, in which for each demand or a
document application he/she should look for specific sectors of the administration.
After the Unit was created, all services were concentrated in a sole sector, operating
from 9:00 to 14:00 hours; the citizen is sent to the competent area, and public
servants monitor the whole process until a final answer is given to the demand. The
existence of these services is made public through circulating folders, radio and
internet notes. On Saturdays, the Delegación also has 30 minutes available on a
commercial radio station to communicate with the population.
56
demands are filed, they are sent on the same day to competent sectors; these sectors
have a schedule to answer which varies according to the type of demand. In most
cases the citizen needs to return to Ventanilla Única to get the result. Only 4 types of
demands can be made directly to the Dirección Territorial: a) permits for markets; b)
permits for public events; c) residential certificates; and d) licenses to build residences.
The paper work is monitored by a computer system which is not yet integrated to the
database of the Delegación and Dirección Territorial, with a periodical general report
printed to follow-up the demands. A new integrated system is being implemented to
speed up communication of each demand process.
Demands for public services (fixing public light, fixing public street potholes,
public safety, other) are done through CESAC – Center of Citizen Attention and
Services. The Delegación’s information system is connected with Direcciones
Territoriales, which allows finding where cases are located and verifying them in real
time. In order to obtain answers on filed demands, the citizen can return to CESAC or
check directly with the responsible sector. Another way to find answers is by
furnishing a code number received when the demand was filed, through dialing 070.
Six Thematic Fora are organized annually, four of them being Social
Development, Public Safety, Urban Development, and Citizen Participation. The
recommendations resulting from these Fora are partially adopted in the Annual
Operational Programme ( POA ) of the Delegación, but are not always implemented.
This is the case with the working tables to evaluate transparency, the so-called
“Social Controllership”.
As for daily life in the boroughs, the administration performs the so-called
“Consulta Vecinal” (Neighborhood Consultation) which serves, for example, to ask
neighbors about the convenience of opening bars or permits for parties and events. In
2002, 200 of these consultations took place. Another administration’s incentive was a
project called “Citizen participation for the Improvement of Life Conditions”. This was
an initiative convoking people for collective work on the “Periphery Ring” (the
57
expressway which circulates around Mexico City) and the distribution of 15,000
(fifteen thousand) pamphlets for the prevention of mudslides in the rainy season.
The Direction for Citizen Participation is further related to the General Direction
of Citizen Participation of the Government of the Federal District in Mexico, which
develops the Integral Territorial Programme, with two annual general assemblies
involving the local population. The first, in March, is to inform about common
programmes that are being developed; the second, in October, is to give an account
on how they are evolving. The delegate is also reached directly by the population
through an Annual Report, published and presented to the population in a public
square. The date and hour of the Assemblies are announced through radio, posters,
and sound cars.
“in the Delegación, persons are not well received and the problems are not solved.
The administration is bureaucratic and not transparent, as there is no Cabildo. The
administration does what it wants to do, and is only responsible to the Distrito Federal
Assembly”.
In order to respond to the needs of the residents, the Union implements integral
self-development projects administered by the local community, which includes 4
clinics, 5 popular restaurants, a plant nursery with a 50,000 plant production per year
for reforestation journeys at the ecological park, children daycare, a library, the
production and installation of urban equipment, among other things.
58
3.5.4 Experiences and reports
59
4. COMPARATIVE STUDY ON THE PRESENCE OF GOOD GOVERNANCE
FACTORS ON LATIN-AMERICAN LEGISLATIVE WEB SITES
4.1 Introduction
4.2 Methodology
One hundred and twenty municipal web sites were consulted with priority to the
web sites of Municipal Legislative Chambers. Given the difficulties inherent to this
search, web sites from Legislative Chambers of Brazilian State capitals and Legislative
Chambers of some Latin American capitals were adopted as reference. The search
began with approximately 160 municipalities chosen by their size and location.
However, it was seen that forty of them either did not have a web site, or that these
web sites were unavailable. 120 web sites remained, whose sample included Latin
American capitals, Brazilian State capitals, and a group of Brazilian municipalities.
Finally, one hundred twenty Legislative Power web sites were evaluated.
These web sites can be classified according to their geographic distribution and their
power level, as shown below:
60
Web sites evaluated by geographical region and power level
Municipal Legislatures National Legislatures
Senate Unicameral Congress Total
Brazil 101 1 0 102
Latin America 0 15 3 18
Total 101 16 3 120
Having in mind that the principal interest of this study is to analyze good
governance at the local level, the majority of web sites (84.2%) studied were Brazilian
municipalities, because of two essential motives: first, local government web sites in
other Latin American countries were unavailable – power structures in different
countries vary and many countries do not have a “municipal legislatures”; second,
because in the Brazilian municipalities it was possible to better verify the adopted
variables in function of a similar political structure of these municipalities – all 101 of
them had a municipal chamber with similar characteristics to their correspondents in
Latin America (19 web sites or 15.8% of the sample)
Given the sharp differences in political structure of the countries examined, the
adopted assumption was that national legislative web sites – in general well built –
should present all required information. Therefore, in case the information requested
was not found by benchmarking in these bigger web sites, the probability of finding
them in smaller web sites would be reduced. In addition, inclusion of units of
observation on different levels of power in the same database, in different countries,
increasing variability, guaranteed better ways of comparing them.
All adopted variables are nominal and qualitative with two categories:
“characteristic found” or “characteristic not found”. Data collection in web sites
attempted to detect if the Web Page of the observed legislature had indications or links
containing the researched variable: for example, if the variable “access to bidding and
contracts” was present or not, or if there were any links indicating if this variable could
be found in other web sites. If at least one other link was indicated, the variable was
marked “characteristic found”.
61
2. Process information, “daily agenda”;
One can observe that examined variables found in visited web sites are
generally relevant. The proportion of observations indicating good governance
variables oscillated between 5.8% and 90%. Median was 35 percent: it can therefore
be said that in 35% of the cases one can find good governance variables in the visited
web sites. That is, 50% of the variables have more (or less) of the observations in the
visited web sites. Adopting a more rigorous estimator like “Hampel’s M Estimator”
(which is 40%), one can safely say that when a proportion of occurrences is above
40%, the variable being analyzed will be considered relevant or satisfactory. Among
17 (seventeen) descriptive variables adopted, 9 (nine) were found above 35% of the
cases, and 8 (eight) occurred above 40%, considered a critical value or typical for
accepting relevancy.
62
The first variable studied was “Structure, organization and composition of the
Legislative Chamber”. It is interesting to observe that this variable was present in 72%
of the web sites visited, absent in 28% of the cases. Information about the structure of
the chambers is present in the majority of the examined web sites.
The second variable, “List of the representatives” refers to whether or not one
can find the list of the elected representatives of a Legislative Chamber in its web site.
The List of representatives was found in 89.2% of the cases.
The variable “Internal Rules” is present in 53.3 % of the observations. This high
estimate shows that more than half of the web sites inform on internal operations of
their respective legislative chambers.
The variable “Organic Law or Constitution” occurs 63.3% of the cases, showing
a concern with informing the public regarding the major legal instrument regulating
spheres and levels of power.
As for “Daily Agenda” the proportion of cases found (30.8%) is smaller than the
cases not found (69.2%). Even so, this proportion can considered satisfactory if it is
understood that this value corresponds to 1/3 of the Latin American web sites
researched.
The variable “Accounting and Financial Report / Fiscal Management report” can
be found 52.5% of the visited web sites. This occurrence, in addition to being a
relevant majority, can be understood as advanced in terms of information to the
public, since there was no tradition of accountability on public money before Internet
was widely used. In Brazil, the Law of Fiscal Responsibility obligating periodic
accountability of public expenditures, could be a reason for the increase in this type of
information.
63
There is a group of variables below median, that is below the 35% mark. The
variable “List of parties and leaders; forms of access” is found in 30% of the cases.
The variable “Intranet” has the lowest frequency found, with only 6.7% of the cases,
what results in a very low level of internal computerization of the Legislative Chambers.
The variable “Publications, Technical Texts, Library” is found in 25.8% of the visited
sites. The variable “Newspaper or informative bulletin”, in 35% of the cases. The
variable “Radio” with 10%, and “TV” with 15% are also low frequency occurrences.
The variable “Voting Results per representative” appears only 5.8% of the time.
The variable “Access to bidding and contracts” appears with only 20.8% of
occurrences. Introduction of bidding and public contracts in government sites is a
result of a great effort in most Latin America countries trying to expand the number of
vendors. This important transparency component continues to be mostly published in
newspaper or specialized media instead of Internet. This small participation, 20.8% of
the cases, is exactly in the inferior quarter, below which all lowest site participation
variables can be found. Until 1994, no information on bidding and public contracts was
available on the Internet, what makes it somewhat a considerable change.
When one examines the first five variables with a high degree of occurrence,
one can verify that the factors, “contacts, denunciations, suggestions, criticisms, list of
representatives” are unanimously found at above 89% frequency in all sites. The
factors “Structure, organic law, constitution” have high participation, above 63.3%.
From this result it can be stated that the introduction of ICT brought a powerful
interaction tool between society and the legislature, as the access to the Chambers –
once personalized, sporadic, and direct — becomes a constant, non-personalized,
collective action through Internet.
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Proportion of occurrences of studied variables
in visited sites
65
given high cost of acquisition, maintenance and operation. However, low utilization
rate on Radio, with a relatively low cost, widespread use, is unjustifiable and it can be
highly stimulated.
This shows a high correlation between good governance and the use of ICTs in
local governments, measured by the occurrence of certain variables in the sites
analyzed.
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4.3.1 Proportions of occurrences of factors of governance in studied sites
The contingency table shows the variable “Suggestions and criticisms” versus
“Consultation to Legislative Proposals”, both occurring at the same time. In 98% of 49
cases when the variable “Consultation to Legislative Proposals” occurred, the variable
“Suggestions and Criticisms” was also found.
The relation (if it were one) between variables “access to bidding and public
contracts” and “Newspaper” was examined. That is, if present, the point was to know
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whether the variable “access to bidding” sent the visitor to some other publication, in
which this important information on public business would be present. In only 14 out
of the 120 reviewed sites these two modes were simultaneous. However, it was
curious to see in 13 cases out 120 in which “access to bidding” was found with no
reference to “Newspaper”.
Interaction between Radio and Newspaper is a case in point. Only 9 out of 120
cases (7.5%) appear simultaneously in studied sites. Only 21.4% of 42 cases showed
Newspaper appearing at the same time as Radio. In 96.2% of studied cases there no
simultaneous occurrence Radio and Newspaper.
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Radio versus Newspaper
Newspaper
Not
Found Total
Found
9 3 12
Found 21,4% 3,8% 10,0%
7,5% 2,5% 10,0%
Radio
33 75 108
Not Found 78,6% 96,2% 90,0%
27,5% 62,5% 90,0%
18 102 120
Total 100,0% 100,0% 100,0%
15,0% 85,0% 100,0%
Radio versus TV
TV
Not
Found Total
Found
6 6 12
Found 33,5% 5,9% 10,0%
5,0% 5,0% 10,0%
Radio
12 96 108
Not Found 66,7% 94,1% 90,0%
10,0% 80,0% 90,0%
18 102 120
Total 100,0% 100,0% 100,0%
15,0% 85,0% 100,0%
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4.4 Conclusions
However, a few recommendations can be made. The first refers to the need of
improving access to different Legislative sites. The second recommendation refers to
improving access to the variables, in other words, the need to incorporate factors of
governance to the sites. The third refers to the need of expanding the number of local
legislative sites in Latin American municipalities.
70
• To stimulate the insertion of simultaneous information in several sites in
ways that one could improve the degree of association between variables - that
is, the sites should incorporate information about governance at different levels;
• site managers should be stimulated to standardize their information by
clearly incorporating factors such as transparency, citizen participation,
decentralization, base social movements, as well as including elements of
comparability;
• sites should necessarily include a section with “Questions and Answers”
and “Proposals to the Legislative organ”.
Finally, one should argue that incorporation of ICT is a process from which
there is no turning around. Furthermore, there is a strong tendency to extensively
create sites in Latin American municipalities. However it would be advisable that
uniform guidelines be followed, guidelines which would guarantee the incorporation of
relevant information to society and which should effectively permit a high degree of
interaction between citizens and governments.
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5. GUIDELINES FOR ELABORATING A TRAINING PROGRAM FOR ICT
UTILIZATION
5.1 Introduction
In this age of information society, one of the most important public policies for
digital inclusion is exactly the training of human resources necessary not only for
optimizing ICT use, but also for its capacity of multiplying instances and applications.
The design of a training programme on ICT policy should include, among other
aspects, the identification of opportunities for complete insertion of Latin American and
the Caribbean countries into the economy of knowledge. Technological development
with ICT use can bring to some countries, maybe today excluded, their immediate
insertion in an advanced phase of technological progress. That is, ICT use can allow
countries to skip phases of technological development. However, the digital gap will
not be reduced if the process of introducing “digital democracy” at the local level is not
promoted simultaneously.
5.2 Background
This IDB project suggests three directions countries can take: 1) a private-
sector-driven approach; 2) a national government-driven approach; or 3) community or
local government-driven approach. The third approach is seen as particularly
promising since it builds a local infrastructure which allows ICT utilization,
“namely, the application of ICT driven by the needs and priorities established of local
community members and institutions, including some combination of municipal, private sector and
civil society actors”. Creative Community Initiative (www.iadb.org/ict4dev/comuni.Htm)
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There are registered experiences in Latin America which stimulated ICT use by
forming “creative communities” such as the project LINCOS (Little Intelligent
Communities) in Costa Rica. The Foundation Costa Rica for Development
encouraged this initiative seeking to create modern community centers using ICT as a
support to stimulate tele-medicine, video-conferences and distance education
programs, for example. Other LINCOS initiatives have been registered in other
Central American countries.
ICT use has been discussed as a priority for the future. However, multiple
forms of interaction between community and government can already be implemented.
The network operation of social movements, the utilization of distance education
mechanisms, the use of less expensive digital means than published media, are
excellent examples of digital technologies in the present.
5.3 Justification
The actors interviewed in the different Latin American regions were unanimous
in reaffirming the opportunity and the convenience of implementing such training or
educational programs. In addition, different experiences on governance in Latin
America all show the possibilities of ICT uses. The introduction of ICT for improving
governance in countries such as Brazil, Uruguay, Peru, Ecuador, and Mexico has had
an effective outcome, as experiences described and cases reported have shown.
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5.4 Objectives
ICT introduction for improving governance at the local level can change
substantially social and political relations in a society. The actors involved in this
process, be them now active or those who are yet to be integrated, will have a key role
in such a way to include important community segments in the information society
Governance at the local level must begin to be analyzed at the legislative level.
Local legislatures are represented by a typical elite (president of the municipal
chamber in Brazil, president of the Junta of “regidores” in some countries in Latin
America), most of the times. However, at the local level governance is directly
associated to the figure of the mayor who, in many cases, exerts a strong influence on
the local legislature. These two actors have shared responsibility for technological
innovation.
However, at the level of society many other actors have organized themselves
to pose demands on the Legislative and the Executive Branches. This has clarified
their operations and strategies of action towards a deeper interaction dynamic between
the government and the community. Society has organized itself in networks to inform
itself, to exchange information and to guarantee a process of “self organization”. Thus,
organized groups in society have presented themselves as a possible and effective
alternative to channel the expansion of ICT.
5.5 Assumptions
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Training should also answer the following basic questions:
- what are the new roles and responsibilities of the Legislature, of the public
sector, of the NGOs, in relation to electronic participation in political processes?
- what are the resources and factors necessary to make electronic participation
effective?
- what are the new measures to be taken, given the increase in electronic
participation, to guarantee engagement of all citizens and to reduce the digital
divide?
5.6 Guidelines
75
Other aspects such as children education or change of habits for adults with some
schooling should also be considered.
• Modalities of training include “training for trainers” and the “final training of users
and those involved in the process”. The format of the courses could have the following
categories: courses with attendance; distance education; teleconferences; sites on the
web.
• The format of the material can include: paper material for publishing; digital
material; video tapes; audio material; audio-visual material.
The formulation of the training program should consider the necessary statistics
to accomplish its objectives and goals comprehending:
76
• Programs
per country (types and specifications)
• Successful experiences in formation of personnel for ICT and
governance
• Projects existing in the countries
• Population target – how many could be trained or be reached
To formulate a program means to study the demand, the target public, to clarify
for whom should the training be directed, who should have the capacity for multiplying
contents, defining clearly the themes and the areas for training. It means,
furthermore, to verify the options, the conditions and the trends in Latin America, on
utilizing technologies of electronic training (intelligent practices, replicable experiences,
models). There should be examined the possibilities for introducing and making
permanent the ICT tools, as well as the technological infrastructure for introducing and
implementing ICT for improving local governance, on the short, medium and long term.
77
administration, who get involved with the issues and with the public decisions should
participate in this great effort to reduce the digital divide.
Several activities must be started at the same time involving several sectors so
that training will provoke the desired effects of engaging effective and increasing digital
participation.
78
Each and every program should privilege the possibilities and the facilities to
improve digital democracy.
79
6. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS
80
There is a strong interest by municipal administrations in Brazil to see how ICT
can help planning and budget formulation and citizen participation. Mayors and
presidents of Municipal Chambers agree on the need for a training program and digital
inclusion. They stated:
There were also original suggestions on training the population, for instance in
using trucks with ICT equipment and trainers to roam city boroughs in a true ICT
caravan.
Brazilian Municipal authorities have stressed the need for stimuli for the use of
ICT in private sector activities in such a way that competitiveness and quality of
services and products are improved and would result in the consequent increase in the
savings and investment capacity of local communities.
In Uruguay, contact with Rivera authorities showed that introduction of ICT was
timely in order to increase citizen participation in local government and that projects
spurring ICT would produce synergy with other ongoing local projects.
81
presidency of the Ecuadorian Republic, one can find the Coordination of the
Management System responsible for the development of a complex managerial
system for the presidency. However, it is at the local level that the concern with the
utilization of new technologies manifests itself. For example, the Quito Municipal
Executive discusses strategic planning with the implementation of the Quito Siglo XXI
Development Plan (adjustment 2002-2004). Use of ICTs is highly regarded as a
privileged management tool.
At the local level, the debates with indigenous population on themes – such as
citizenship: citizen participation, the indigenous question and their participation in the
administration, decentralization, preparation of local development plans; and
participatory planning: inclusion of all citizens in local decision-making processes,
experiences on local participative management, local councils – are a constant in all
municipalities visited in Ecuador.
82
improve governance. In addition, these leaders could act to duplicate knowledge to
other community members.
In Peru, a meeting with the local press and the discussions held over problems
of access to public information, transparency, and the role of the press in obtaining
collective interest public information brought a clear understanding of the role of the
press in fighting corruption. This country has active anti-corruption NGOs that could
very easily act as focal points in a training program for the use of ICT, as well as in the
so called “citizenship oversight”.
One could observe in Lima many social movements with a high degree of
participation of concerned citizens with food security and distribution of food. They
83
have many channels of communication with society such as the “Club of Mothers”, the
“comedores Populares” (popular eating places). In a “discussion group” with
approximately 30 representatives of grassroots social organizations, the thread of the
debate was the convenience, the opportunity and the alternatives for the introduction
of ICT in their activities through implementing a human resources training program in
ICT. There was a clear interest of local society in this subject. This was a remarkable
experience where all could express freely their ideas and opinions on digital exclusion
and the political and social situation in Peru, particularly in relation to social assistance
projects and citizen participation using ICT.
While this project was underway, the municipality of Lima promoted, a meeting
with several community representatives – Club of Mothers, Popular and Self-Managed
Eating Places, Glass of Milk Committee (Club de Madres, Comedores Populares y
autogestionarios, Comite Vaso de Leche) – where the possibility of introducing ICT in
routine activities of these organizations was discussed. The spontaneous initiatives of
citizen organizations to provide a service to the community. Here, however, the
representatives expressed their views on how difficult it was to communicate and the
high costs of infra-structure, the difficulties and the access prices to the network.
Nevertheless, given the characteristics of their activities, these groups could change
into an important link to the use of ICT, especially to guarantee their communication
between government and civil society.
84
In the city of Querétaro, there is a Transparency Commission, a consulting
entity with a strong citizen participation, acting as an auxiliary internal control of the
municipality, responsible for safeguarding principles of legality, impartiality, loyalty,
efficiency, and honor in municipal public administration. Querétaro’s strategy is similar
to other municipalities investigated, that is, a strong concern with citizen participation.
This municipality tries to provide an effective administration based on social welfare,
which underpins the capacity for joint action within society.
The use and the potential for expanding ICT depends essentially on a physical
base. Magnifying this base will guarantee the necessary infrastructure for the
implementation of information technologies, as the case of Internet demonstrates. An
adequate physical base is fundamental, that is, expanding the telecommunication
system, extending telephone lines, lowering the costs of system access and utilization
time, reduction in equipment costs, lowering provider services costs, and, most of all,
establishing entry points that facilitate public access, following the example of Internet
Cabins (telecentres) in Peru. Having done that, the next step is to prepare an
“educational base”, that is, preparing youth and adults to use information technologies.
Education for the use of ICT should privilege improvement of local governance.
It should comprise political education (understanding the functioning of institutions,
mapping institutions, functioning of the parties, access to legislation), the technological
education for local governance and the use of ICT to access the legislative and the
executive.
85
participation, as it could be observed in the comparative study of inclusion of
governance factors in the sites of Legislative Chambers of Latin-American
municipalities.
86
7. BIBLIOGRAPHY
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a la Información Pública y el Rol de la Defensoria del Pueblo”. Defensoria del
Pueblo. 15p.
AZCUETA, Michel. (2001) “Combate Global contra la Pobreza: las soluciones existen.
La experiencia de Villa El Salvador”. Escuela Maior de Gestión Municipal. Lima
- Peru: Grafica Espejo. 50p.
Escuela Maior de Gestión Municipal: www.emayor.edu.pe /
emayor@chavin.rcp.net.pe
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BOSCHI, Renato Raul.(1999) “Descentralização, Clientelismo e Capital Social na
Governança Urbana: Comparando Belo Horizonte e Salvador”. Revista Dados,
n° 4, volume 42, 1999. Rio de Janeiro – Brasil. p. 655-690.
CALANDRIA. (2002). “Elige ahora, vigila después. Campaña por el Control Ciudadano
de la Getión Pública”. Lima - Peru: editado pela Calandria. 27p.
CASTELLS, Manuel. (2001) “La Galaxia Internet: Reflexiones sobre internet, empresa
y sociedad”. Espanha: Editora Areté. 317p.
CHIRIBOGA, M.; LLUCO, M.; MARTÍNEZ, L.; FLORES, R.; LARA, E.; TONELLO, J.;
MORALES, P.; e RODRÍGUEZ, L. (1998) “Una Minga por la Vida: Crédito para
los pobres del campo”. Quito - Ecuador: editado pelo Instituto Latinoamericano
de Investigaciones Sociales – ILDIS e Ediciones Abya-Yala. 144p.
ILDIS: ildisl@ildis.org.ec
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COELHO, Espartaco Madureira. (2001) “Governo eletrônico e seus impactos na
estrutura e na força de trabalho das Organizações Públicas”. Revista do
Serviço Público, ano 52, n° 2, abril-junho 2001. Brasília: ENAP - Escola
Nacional de Administração Pública. p. 111-136.52
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DIRECCIÓN DE IMAGEM MUNICIPAL. (2002) Revista Somos Surco. Año 7, n° 80,
agosto de 2002. 31p.
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GIUSTI, Miguel; e MERINO, María Isabel. (2001) “Ciudadanos en la Sociedad de la
Información”. Lima - Peru: Fondo Editorial de la Pontificia Universidad Católica
del Perú. 149p.
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pública, promulgados por el Gobierno de transación”. Revista Caretas, n° 10,
enero 2002. Lima - Peru. p. 26-28
MARGARIDO, Maria José Ferreira Foregatto. (2000) “Modelo para informatização das
administrações públicas municipais”. Texto para discussão, n° 35. Brasília -
Brasil: ENAP. 21p.
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MOLINA, Carlos Hugo; e ZAMORA, Gastón. (2001) “La Participación y la
Descentralización Instrumentos para el Desarrollo”. III Sessión Foro
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MORENO, Rosa María Alfaro. (2002) “Ciudadan@s ‘de a de veras”. Una propuesta
de vigilancia de la gestión pública, desde un enfoque comunicacional”. Lima -
Peru: editado pela Asociación de Comunicadores Sociales Calandria. 164p.
PNUD - Programa de las Naciones Unidas para el Desarrollo. (1999) “Informe sobre
Dearrollo Humano – Equador 1999”. Quito - Ecuador: Editora Voluntad. 231p.
NUD: registry.ec@undp.org
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Informe sobre Desarrollo Humano Ecuador 2001. Quito - Ecuador: Editora
Rimana. 266p.
PNUD: registry.ec@undp.org
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SATO, Cláudio Seiji. (1997) “Utilizando a internet na administração pública”. Texto
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VELASCO, Antonio Zapata. (1996) “Sociedad y Poder Local: La Cominidad de Villa El
salvador 1971-1996. Testemunios e reflexiones de un actor: Michel Azcueta”.
Lima - Peru: Desco. 379p.
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7.2 Digital Bibliography - Internet Sites
BROWN, Mark Malloch. (2001) “Democracy and the Information Revolution”. United
Nations Development Programme. Downloaded at:
http://www.digitaldividenetwork.org/content/stories/index.cfm?key=192
CORNEJO, Juan Morano. "Debemos enseñar y capacitar sobre los beneficios de una
sociedad digital. ¿Cuándo y cómo surgió la idea de crear una página web?".
Punta Arenas, Chile. Downloaded at: www.puntaarenas.cl
CHADE, Jamil. “Brasil assina convênio com a ONU e vai 'exportar' urnas”.
Downloaded
at:http://tb.bol.com.br/simpleRedirect.html?srv=cn&trg=http://www.estado.com.b
r/editorias//2002/10/23/pol002.html
97
Downloaded at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/2122142.stm
KINTTO, Lucas. (March 18, 2002) “Ecuador: Unesco distingue gestión de alcalde
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http://www.perspectivaciudadana.com/020323/americalatina01.html
PILCO, Sami Ayriwa. (2000) “La red de Internet y los Pueblos Indígenas de América
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SEINFERT, Jefrey W.; e PETERSEN, R. Eric. (2001) “The Promises of all Things E?
Expectations and Implications in Electronic Government”. San Francisco - USA:
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UNORCAC. Downloaded at: http://unorcac.nativeweb.org/somos.html
Miscellaneous
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“Digital Divide Basics”. Downloaded at:
http://www.digitaldividenetwork.org/content/sections/index.cfm?key=2
“E-Participation and the Policy Process from the Perspective of the Public Service -
Questions to consider”. Downloaded at: http://www.electronicgov.net/news/e-
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“Estado del Arte de los Telecentros de América Latina y el Caribe”. Downloaded at:
http://www.tele-centros.org/estarte/index.html
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“Literacy and Learning”. Downloaded at:
http://www.digitaldividenetwork.org/content/sections/index.cfm?key=4
“Race for e-votes off to slow start”. (2002) England. Downloaded at:
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“The United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan, explains why he believes that
information and communication technologies can improve the lives of people in
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“Voting in the information age: the debate over technology”. THE DEMOCRACY ON
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http://www.democracyonline.org
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ANNEX 1: GLOSSARY
Advanced infrastructure
Telecommunications system (hardware and software) that allows for long
distance digital connections, with service quality and high-speed. It includes
backbones and their derivations. LIVRO VERDE(2000)
Applicative
It is computer software to perform specific tasks such as text processors,
worksheets to organize and list data, file compactors, and simulations.
Backbone
“Back Spine” of a net. Relations composing the high-speed infrastructure,
intertwining several nets and sub nets.
Bit
In a binary digital system, bit is the smallest information unit, assuming only two
values – 0 or 1 (binary digit).
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Bitnet
Net formed by central computers (mainframe) linking North-American
educational institutions mainly, to transmit electronic mail messages. It is fact the
acronym of “because it is time network”. Despite its differences from Internet, the email
messages could be exchanged between two nets.
http://www.socinfo.org.br/livro_verde/download.htm
Bps
Bits per second. The bps measures data transfer rate.
Byte
Information unit corresponding to eight bits.
Citizenship Net
It is a system for intervention, articulation and promotion of local development in
all its forms.
http://www.iberomunicipios.org/glosario/
Content
Information that can be used that circulates at the Internet, such as home
pages, messages, email addresses, digital library contents, etc.
Cybercoffee
Public space where Internet access services are offered usually through
payment of a fee – usually at commercial establishments such as bookshops, bars,
pubs, restaurants.
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Decentralization
Jointly with centralization, they represent two opposing principles at an
organization. The first disaggregating, and the second aggregating power. They are
formulas, tendencies, principles of an organization, ways of setting an administrative or
political apparatus. As to pluralism, decentralization also configures the fight for local
autonomy aiming at democratization; a distribution of sovereign to arrive at self-
governing. However; this vision that many call utopist can lead to disorganization and
conflict. BOBBIO, Norberto; MATTEUCCI, Nicola; and PASQUINO, Giafranco. (1986)
Digital alphabetization
Process of acquiring basic computer use, net use, and Internet services
abilities. LIVRO VERDE(2000)
Digital City
Transfer of city models which exist in real life to the info world. A different way
to approach a real city, to walk on its streets and most emblematic sites, to know the
services offered in the city. It also allows for the participation of its citizens through the
Internet. These digital cities allow citizens to, among other things, solve tasks via the
Internet, electronic commerce, phone-work, phone-information, phone-medicine and
tourism.
http://www.iberomunicipios.org/glosario/
Digital Division
There has always been a gap between those people and communities who can
make effective use of informatics technology and those who cannot. Now, more than
ever, unequal adoption of technology excludes many from reaping the fruits of the
economy. We use the term "digital divide" to refer to this gap between those who can
effectively use new information and communication tools, such as the Internet, and
those who cannot. While a consensus does not exist on the extent of the divide (and
whether the divide is growing or narrowing), researchers are nearly unanimous in
acknowledging that some sort of divide exists at this point in time.
http://www.digitaldividenetwork.org/content/sections/index.cfm?key=2
Digital Exclusion
The process of connecting on line (specially to the Internet) in several regions in
the World is very diverse. The infrastructure required includes telecommunications
infrastructure and computational infrastructure. It is asymmetrically distributed. As a
105
consequence, there is a clear tendency to division of the world in people who benefit
from the infrastructure and people who are excluded from the digital revolution.
Digital Inclusion
Proposals and programs to seek solutions to provide Internet access to people
from different social segments and regions, avoiding the creation of an “info-excluded”
class. LIVRO VERDE (2000)
Digital library
Digital Library contains contents in digital and electronic format, to be accessed
locally or via communication nets. LIVRO VERDE (2000)
Digitalization
Conversion of information to the digital format.
Directory Service
Service to help locate people, objects or information associated to an
organization similar to the phone books with information on the telephone owners.
LIVRO VERDE (2000)
Distance Learning
Educational process where there is a physical separations between teacher and
student. It substitutes the personal interaction which is typical of a classroom by the
ICT interaction. ICT has incorporated new services from email to teleconferencing.
E-business
Economic activity where buy and sell transactions take place, including
marketing and payments. Over the net, in digital format. LIVRO VERDE (2000)
106
access to the public; individual privacy protection; and reduction in regional and social
inequalities.
In sum, e-government is offering services and information through the Internet
continuously (24 hoursx7days) in an integrated way, fast, objectively, transparently and
with social control.
http://www.governoeletronico.gov.br/r2
Electronic kiosk
Space or boots with computers linked to information systems available for
consultation by a specific public (company employees, park visitors, general public).
LIVRO VERDE (2000)
EPP
Smaller access providers connect to bigger ones, forming nets which connect
Internet access points called Points of Presence (PoP) or Electronic Points of
Presence (EPP). The Internet infrastructure in itself is composed by net backbones
linking several PoPs or EPPs and forming the part which concentrates the biggest
communication capacity. LIVRO VERDE (2000)
Eurocities
The main association of European digital cities. The goal is to give voice to
European digital cities in face of the European community institutions, as well as
107
institutions in other places of the world. It aims to be a meeting point for common
interests of European cities, where 8 out of 10 Europeans live.
http://www.iberomunicipios.org/glosario/
E-vote
Automatizaton of the electoral process, making elections easier and more
accessible. E-vote generates the correct elections results in just a few hours after the
closing of the election ballots. It leaves little room for external interference or vote
counting maneuvers. It is the development of a current trend of technology use in
various sectors.
Financial Decentralization
Movement of financial resources among several administrative and budgetary
units including:
- Quota - Credit in banking institution current account allocated to a unit
- Transfer-distribution of financial resources according to available credit, to
be used by the budgetary units.
- Sub-Transfer-redistribution, by budgetary units, to administrative units or
other budgetary units in charge of making the payments in order to
implement their work programs.
http://www.stn.fazenda.gov.br/servicos/glossario/glossario_a.asp
GigaPoP
Presence point at the Internet of a new generation with traffic capacity of billion
bits per second.
http://www.socinfo.org.br/livro_verde/download.htm
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Global City
It is the world net of digital cities. City that thanks to the communication
electronic means and communication nets can be virtually accessed by every person
in the planet.
http://www.iberomunicipios.org/glosario/
Governance
Many studies associate governance to good governance or good government.
The general definition of governance (World Bank) is the way authority is used in the
country’s resource management towards development. Governance, according to
Melo, refers to the modus operandi of public policies, which includes among other
things issues linked to the institutional-political format of the decision-making process,
to the definition of the appropriate public/private policy mix, to participation and
decentralization, to policy financing mechanisms and to the global reach of the
programs (cf. Melo, 1995:30-31). The concept is not restrict, however, to State
administrative and managerial aspects, nor to the effective functioning of the State
apparatus.
The more recent discussion of governance goes beyond the operational aspect
to incorporate issues related to the articulation patterns and cooperation between
social and political actors, institutional arrangements that coordinate and regulate the
transaction within and through economic system frontiers (Hollingsworth, Schmitter
and Streeck apud Melo, 1995). It is included in this definition not only the traditional
mechanisms of interest aggregation and articulation, such as political parties and
pressure groups, but also informal social nets (of vendors, families, managers),
hierarchies and associations of various types. SANTOS; Maria Helena de Castro.
(1997)
Governance
Broadening the governance concept leads to a less precise distinction from the
governance concept. However, Melo and Diniz prefer to keep the latter to systemic
and institutional conditions under which power is exercised, such as the political
system characteristics, the government form, the relations between branches, the
interest intermediation system. Martins (1995) expresses himself in a similar way and
makes the distinction between governance as institutional architecture and governance
basically as actors’ performance and their capability of political authority. It seems to
me there is little analytical meaning in trying to withhold a concept, to say, as empty as
governance, unless as a historical homage. In such case, the term will be intrinsically
109
linked to ingovernance due to over deaman and excess of participation. Other actors,
however, keep on using the term governance in a broader way, already referring to the
modern context of adjustment policies and State reform, assuming democratic
ambivalence. SANTOS; Maria Helena de Castro. (1997)
Hacker
A person with high technical ability to deal with computations systems or net
communications. Cracker - specialists in info systems that invade other systems
without authorization. LIVRO VERDE (2000)
High-Performance Processing
Processing involving computers, basic software and applications manipulating a
large volume of data and executing calculus in high speed. See also HPC.
http://www.socinfo.org.br/livro_verde/download.htm
Host
In Internet context, a host is a computer or a device which has an Internet
address and can communicate with other hosts. It is a knot at the net.
http://www.socinfo.org.br/livro_verde/download.htm
Home page
First and main page of a website. Serves as table of contents or index of
documents saved on that or at a different site.
110
Human Resources Administration Integrated System (SIAPE - Brazil)
SIAPE monitors and controls National Treasury expenses with personnel.
http://www.stn.fazenda.gov.br/servicos/glossario/glossario_a.asp
Hypertext
Text containing links to other documents or other parts of the same document.
The links are associated to words or expressions so that the reader can move to the
other parts automatically.
http://www.socinfo.org.br/livro_verde/download.htm
ICQ
The letters of the abbreviation are read as “I C=see Q=kyou” which equals to
the pronunciation of “I seek you”. It is one of the many instant message services
available at the Internet. It establishes a connection for message exchange in real
time, between two or more people simultaneously connected to the Internet. LIVRO
VERDE (2000)
Information Society
Information Society is a phase of social development when its members
(citizens, firms, public administration) acquire and share any information instantly, from
any where, in any preferred way. It is a new era when information flows at
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unimaginable speed and quantity. Information becomes fundamental social and
economical values. It as if an immense net of communication means covers entire
countries, connects continents, and reach houses and firms. They are telephone lines,
microwave channels, optical fiber lines, transoceanic submarine cables, satellite
transmissions. They are computers processing, controlling, coordinating information,
making information compatible to several kinds of receptors, distinct communication
means. The technology involved has been transforming production structure and
practice, commercialization and consumption, cooperation and competition, changing
the value generation chain. Similarly, regions, social segments, economical sectors,
organizations and individuals are affected differently by this new paradigm, according
to each one’s possibility of information access, knowledge base, and above all the
capacity to learn and to innovate.
http://www.iberomunicipios.org/glosario/
Infovia
Communication structure between computers, used for information exchange.
Group of procedures used to interconnect, process, control and make information
transmissions compatible, as well as electronic and net communication and services.
Infoville
Infoville is a demonstration project of the complete construction of a local virtual
community, where citizens can access various services, preferably the ones closer to
their houses, the ones related to their local government and own community, such as
local supermarkets, local bank branches etc.
http://www.iberomunicipios.org/glosario/
Intelligent City
Represents the physical part of a real city, that is, its calbes or infrastructure. An
intelligent city can be defined as a city where urban planning concepts are applied, as
well as digital telecommunication, space distribution and fostering of telemathic nets
that allow for a better quality of living and a good economic development to its citizens.
http://www.iberomunicipios.org/glosario/
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community such as education can mobilize society and conquer the link between the
formal and the informal. LIVRO VERDE (2000)
Internet
World system of computer nets – the net of nets – that can be used by anyone,
anywhere in the world where there is an access point. It offers ample choice of basic
services, such as electronic mail, free information access, authorized information
access, in several digital formats, file transfers. The basic protocol for data transport is
TCP/IP. LIVRO VERDE (2000)
Internet 2
North-American initiative aiming at the development of advanced net
technologies and applications. Internet for academic and research community. It
involves 150 North-American universities, in addition to government and industry
agencies. It aims at developing new applications such as phone-medicine, digital
libraries, virtual labs, among other things which as yet not possible with the current
available technology. It can also be written as Internet II. LIVRO VERDE (2000)
Internet Protocol – IP
Protocol responsible for routing packages between two systems which use the
protocol family TCP/IP used at the Internet. The basic Internet protocol.
http://www.socinfo.org.br/livro_verde/download.htm
Legislative
Branch of the State which corresponds to the representatives of the society, as
the society delegates to the legislative the power to formulate and reformulate laws,
public rules in harmony with its time. FUNDAÇÃO GETÚLIO VARGAS. (1986), Social
Sciences Dictionary
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Link
Bridge or link to other documents and/or parts of document, in hypertext.
Management
Act of managing part of public assets, under the responsibility of a specific unit.
Applied to funds, supervised entities, among others.
http://www.stn.fazenda.gov.br/servicos/glossario/glossario_a.asp
Mercocities
It is the net where a MERCOSUL group meets. The group is composed of
mayors, governors, and responsible parties of the big urban centers of the countries
joining MERCOSUL. Its goal is to strengthen local administrations as a logical and
natural counterbalance to globalization.
http://www.iberomunicipios.org/glosario/
Metadata
Data on other data, that is, any data used to assist in the identification,
description and localization of information. In other words, it is the structured data that
describes the features of an information source.
http://www.socinfo.org.br/livro_verde/download.htm
Modem
Device that allows a computer to transmit and receive data through a logical
analogical communication mean such as a telephone line. It is the acronym of
modulator-demodulator.
News groups
Groups interact in digital nets (on line) and discuss issues of common interest.
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On Line
Electronic data processing modality of interactive and instataneous character. It
allows for instant consultation and corrections by the user, as well as instant messages
from the system.
http://www.stn.fazenda.gov.br/servicos/glossario/glossario_a.asp
Owners Nets
Nets used by closed groups. In general they are not accordingly to universal
standards. LIVRO VERDE (2000)
Package Routing
Forwarding packages through interlinked hosts, linked by at least two nets,
aiming at reaching the package destiny.
http://www.socinfo.org.br/livro_verde/download.htm
Political Participation
Seen as full citizenship and voting rights, involving all population groups. Also
seen as integration as a counterpart to decision-making concentrated in political or
economical groups generating exclusion problems. The participation can be divided in
two levels, a formal level involving the vote, the military service, and the payment of
taxes; and the informal level, where participation is spontaneous, voluntary, in
development projects and in decisions which are of interest of group. FUNDAÇÃO
GETÚLIO VARGAS.(1986) Social Sciences Dictionary.
Portal
Site consolidating several products, services, information on a certain area of
interest. Web access portals usually offer free email services, news, chat services,
general information, search tools etc. LIVRO VERDE (2000)
Pressure Groups
Pressure groups is a temporary organization, the subgroup of an interest group
at certain moments, aiming at acquiring certain goals through pressure. That is, the
group tries to influence a decision, in the case of a Parliament, approving or rejecting a
project. CARVALHO; Marcio A. (2002)
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Pressure groups on line
According to the definition of pressure groups, those are temporary
organizations that use technology for data processing of interactive and instantaneous
features that allow consultations and corrections by the user, as well as instant
messages.
Protocol
Group of rules forming a language used by computers to intercommunicate.
LIVRO VERDE (2000)
Provider
Firm or institution offering Internet services.
QoS
Quality of Service. Net capacity to offer services with differentiated
characteristics according to the application needs.
http://www.socinfo.org.br/livro_verde/download.htm
Remote Login
Procedure for remote access to a computer through the net.
Server
Physical and computational base to offer net services. An Internet web server is
the software to satisfy the requests for webpages or HTML files.
Set-top box
Set-top box is a converser that connects to a TV set in order to navigate the
Internet or use email through a telephone or cable TV connection. The TV set screen
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is then used as a computer monitor.
http://www.socinfo.org.br/livro_verde/download.htm
Site
Colection of webpages on a given topic, institution, firm, person, etc
Social Movements
Collective attempt to provoke change, overall or partial change, in certain social
institutions, or to create a new social order. FUNDAÇÃO GETÚLIO VARGAS. (1986)
Social Sciences Dictionary
Technological Platforms
Informatics applications to develop complete projects, even if not necessarily
complete. In the case of digital cities, these applications are divided in different groups
to develop various kinds of services to the citizens: e-commerce, databases,
languages to access databases through the Internet, online banking etc
http://www.iberomunicipios.org/glosario/
Telecenter
A project of a social organization, government, or NGO concerned with
education and local cultural services, as well as with how to use and mobilize
technology tools to achieve education and local cultural services. Telecenters are
commited to the universal access to information.
http://www.iberomunicipios.org/glosario/
Telecities
Open net for urban development through Telematic Nets. TeleCities was
founded in 1993 by Eurocities members willing to concentrate their interest in activities
and issues related to the information society and social, economic and cultural
development in European cities.
117
http://www.iberomunicipios.org/glosario/
Teleconference
Telecommunications interactive modality to make it possible that several
people, in different places, communicate simultaneously via telephone line, computer
net, radio, among others. FERREIRA, Aurélio B. (1999)
Telematics
Telematics is the science dealing with manipulation and use of information
through the computer. It makes use of a set of techniques and distance communication
services associating informatics to telecommunications. LIVRO VERDE (2000)
Telemedicine
Use of computers and telecommunications to: medicine (remote and local),
medical related teaching-learning process, and scientific medical research. LIVRO
VERDE (2000)
Telework
Professional activity developed with the worker being physically distant form the
conventional work place, that is, away from the hiring party. LIVRO VERDE (2000)
TEN-155
Pan-European advanced technology net to support cooperative research and
net applications. In addition to providing high-speed IP services, it offers advanced
communications services and functions as test area for net and advanced applications
research. LIVRO VERDE (2000)
118
http://www.socinfo.org.br/livro_verde/download.htm
Transparency
Dissemination of public information, informing with clarity and ample access
(including the Internet) the information on the acts and decisions of the public
administration.
119
Virtual City
Virtual projects or non-real projects that are developed based on new
technologies that allow for recreating the necessary conditions for visitors to use all
services offered by a real city. In certain cases, they are mixed with the digital cities.
An example of a virtual city is http://www.ciudadfutura.com/.
http://www.iberomunicipios.org/glosario/
Virtual Community
It is where community members get in touch through the Internet using several
ways such as distribution lists, chats etc. Members with similar interests use the
Internet as a means to gather together and communicate.
http://www.iberomunicipios.org/glosario/
Virtual library
Service uniting information captured, organized, systematized, integrated and
made available at the net. Also various forms of data and metadata in reference to
documents, people, institutions, services and objects. Information can be presented as
a mix of text and multimedia (image, sound and video). LIVRO VERDE (2000)
Wi-Fi
Technology under development that makes it possible to access the Internet,
computer intranets, electronic agendas etc without cable. Wireless Internet.
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ANNEX 2: LIST OF INTERVIEWEES
121
• Kela Léon Amézaga, Directora de Proyetos de lo Consejo de la Prensa
Peruana, Lima.
122
• Gissela Dávila, Coordinadora de Radios Populares del Ecuador – CORAPE,
Quito.
Municipio de Querétaro
• Raul Ávila de la Vega – Director de Atencíón Ciudadana.
• Rafael Castillo Vander peereboon – Jefe de Participación Social.
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• Jorge Moreno Guerrero – Coordinador Operativo de la Dirección General de
Comunicación Social.
• Carlos Bringas Buenrostro – Jefe del Depto. de Comercio en Via Pública y
Tianguis (Secretaria de Gobierno).
• Jesus Mesa Altamiro – Director de Asuntos del Cabildo.
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ANNEX 3: LIST OF SITES
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próprios, cidadania, programa contra drogas e contra a violência e direitos humanos.
www.compi.org.br/
Cornellá www.cornella.net
Creative Community initiative http://www.iadb.org/ict4dev/comuni.htm
Cuenca www.cuenca.org
Democracia Digital - http://www.democraciadigital.org/
E-governance http://www.iadb.org/ict4dev/governance.htm
e-Government http://www.iadb.org/ict4dev/gov.htm
Ekhos I+C http://www.ekhos.cl/
Entre el comercio electrónico y la cabina pública - En Internet rigen otros
parámetros económicos que en los sectores económicos tradicionales. Los servicios o
buscadores de Internet se negocian en bolsa por cientos o aun miles de millones de
dólares, pese al hecho de que la mayoría hace ya años que arrojan déficit.
http://www.dse.de/zeitschr/ds100-3.htm
Estado del Arte de los Telecentros de América Latina y el Caribe - ¿Qué son
los telecentros? ¿Cuál es su origen? ¿De dónde vienen? ¿Qué buscan? ¿Hacia
dónde van? son algunas de las importantes preguntas contestadas en este estudio de
Somos@Telecentros. http://www.tele-centros.org/estarte/index.html
Europa - Information Society
http://europa.eu.int/information_society/index_en.htm
Europa - Information Society
http://europa.eu.int/information_society/index_en.htm
Fase - http://www.fase.org.br/
Fórum Social Mundial – http://www.forumsocialmundial.org.br
FREEDOM.ORG - http://www.governance.org/
Fundación ChasquiNet - É uma entidade sem fins lucrativos com o objetivo
de Internet aos indivíduos, organizações e comunidades que trabalham na área social
no Equador e região. www.chasquinet.org
Fundación ChasquiNet - http://www.chasquinet.org/
GELEDÉS - Instituto da Mulher Negra – http://www.geledes.com.br/
Getafe - www.getafe.net
Governo Eletrônico - http://www.governoeletronico.gov.br/
Horta de Valencia - www.joves.net
126
Ibase - http://www.ibase.br
ICT for Development - http://www.developmentgateway.org
ICT for Development -
http://www.developmentgateway.org/node/133831/?&more=yes
ICTs and agriculture - www.agricta.org
ICTs and agriculture - www.agricta.org
IDRC-International Women’s Tribune Centre http://www.iwtc.org.
IDRC-International Women’s Tribune Centre http://www.iwtc.org.
IN3 - IN3 es un centro interdisciplinario de referencia para el estudio, la
investigación y el desarrollo, que impulsa y reúne proyectos relacionados con los
efectos, el uso y las aplicaciones de las tecnologías de la información y la
comunicación (TIC) en los diferentes ámbitos del conocimiento y sectores de la
sociedad. www.uoc.es/in3/esp/missio.htm
Inclusão Digital - O site apresenta os resultados dos trabalhos desenvolvidos
durante o evento Oficina para Inclusão Digital. http://www.inclusaodigital.org.br/
Independent Média Center - http://www.indymedia.org
Information Society - http://europa.eu.int/information_society/index_en.htm
Information Society - http://europa.eu.int/information_society
Information Technology for Development
http://www.iadb.org/ict4dev/ictdev.htm
Information Technology for Development
http://www.iadb.org/ict4dev/ictdev.htm
Instituto del Ciudadano - http://www.rcp.net.pe/idc/
Instituto del Ciudadano - http://www.rcp.net.pe/idc/
Instituto para el Desarrollo de la democracia Participativa -
http://www.idepa.org.ar/
Instituto para el Desarrollo de la democracia Participativa -
http://www.idepa.org.ar/
Internet y Riqueza - El rápido avance de la tecnología ha contribuido a una
división más profunda en claras zonas de progreso y retraso. Esta condición ha
generado un proceso de polarización en todos los ámbitos. La brecha digital
impulsada por un desarrollo vertiginoso acentúa la disparidad entre países ricos y
pobres.
127
Internet y Riqueza - El rápido avance de la tecnología ha contribuido a una
división más profunda en claras zonas de progreso y retraso. Esta condición ha
generado un proceso de polarización en todos los ámbitos. La brecha digital
impulsada por un desarrollo vertiginoso acentúa la disparidad entre países ricos y
pobres. http://www.teleddes.org/deinteres/Internetyriqueza.html
Jun - www.ayuntamientojun.org
La Agencia Latinoamericana de Información-ALAI es un organismo de
comunicación comprometido con la vigencia plena de los derechos humanos y la
participación de los movimientos sociales en el desarrollo de América Latina. Su
accionar se inscribe en la lucha por la democratización de la comunicación, como
condición básica de la vida democrática y la justicia social. www.alainet.org/
La brecha digital como factor negativo - El analfabetismo digital ya está aquí
y crece cada día; y la brecha digital en lugar de decrecer, aumenta. La sociedad digital
parece que es sólo para unos pocos. Debemos actuar ahora para no quedar afuera, y
para que no queden fuera del proceso la mayoría.
http://enredando.com/cas/enredados/enredados192.html
La brecha digital: el caramelo de los políticos - Hoy en día, todos los
gobiernos que presumen de innovadores, e incluso las entidades supranacionales,
cuentan con ambiciosos proyectos cuyo objetivo último sería conectar a Internet a
todos los ciudadanos que caminan sobre el planeta y permitir que todo el mundo
tenga acceso a los beneficios de la Sociedad de la Información.
http://www.baquia.com/com/20001109/art00024.html
La Nueva Ciudad de Dios - Una iniciativa multimedia de Ediciones Siruela
sobre la cibercultura en el siglo XXI. Este proyecto incluye un sitio de Internet, un libro
y un Cd-Rom. http://siruela.com/ncd/
Las telecomunicaciones en zonas de interés social - La implantación de
servicios de comunicaciones en áreas rurales, suburbanas, marginadas y de extrema
pobreza ha representado un reto no sólo para países en vías de desarrollo, sino
también para otros países con mejor infraestructura financiera y material.
http://www.teleddes.org/desarrollo_socioeconomico/zonas_isocial.html
Licitenet.com - http://www.licitenet.com/index.jsp
Madrid - www.tumadrid.com
Mecanismos Parlamentares de Participação Cidadã no Brasil -
http://www.dhnet.org.br/direitos/brasil/leisbr/acesso/parlam/mecan.html
Ministério da Ciência e Tecnologia - http://www.mct.gov.br/
Movimento Nacional dos Direitos Humanos - http://www.mndh.org.br/
128
Movimiento Ciudadano por la Democracia - http://www.laneta.apc.org/mcd/
Movimiento Ciudadano por la Democracia - http://www.laneta.apc.org/mcd/
O CFEMEA - Centro Feminista de Estudos e Assessoria -
http://www.cfemea.org.br/
Observatory on the Information Society -
http://www.unesco.org/webworld/observatory/index.shtml
Observatory on the Information Society -
http://www.unesco.org/webworld/observatory/index.shtml
Omnia - www.omnia.org
Participação Cidadã - Bank Boston -
http://www.bankboston.com.br/fundacao/participacao.asp
Polis - http://www.polis.org.br/
Política y redes, nuevas formas de poder - Internet se ha convertido en la
pieza básica de la sociedad de la información o del conocimiento y es, además, un
foco de influencia en todos los ámbitos: social, educativo, cultural y económico.
http://www.aui.es/biblio/articu/Articulos/politica_redes.htm
Projecto Cidades Digitais, Portugal - O Projeto Cidades Digitais, criado pelo
Ministério da Ciência e da Tecnologia de Portugal destina-se a apoiar ações que
concretizem alguns dos objetivos do Livro Verde para a Sociedade da Informação,
aprovado em abril de 1997 pelo Conselho de Ministros.
Projeto Democracia Participativa - SP -
http://www.democraciaparticipativa.org/
Projeto Software Livre Rio Grande do Sul - O Projeto Software Livre RS é
uma parceria do governo do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul com instituições públicas e
privadas do Estado que tem como principal objetivo a promoção do uso de softwares
livres como alternativa econômica e tecnológica ao mundo proprietário.
Public Policy and Regulatory Framework in Knowledge Economy
http://www.iadb.org/ict4dev/public.htm
Public Policy and Regulatory Framework in Knowledge Economy
http://www.iadb.org/ict4dev/public.htm
Raval - www.ravalnet.org
Red Iberoamericana de Ciudades Digitales - http://www.iberomunicipios.org/
129
Red Nacional de Telecentros Comunitarios, Chile – Uma iniciativa do
governo chileno que permite o acesso às tecnologias de informação e comunicaç ão
aos habitantes das zonas rurais e urbano-marginais de todo o país.
Rede Brasil sobre Instituições Financeiras Multilaterais -
http://www.rbrasil.org.br/
Regency Foundation - The Regency Foundation established in 1990, is a not-
for-profit organization working with the United Nations and its agencies.
Resultan necesarios puntos de acceso público a bajo costo - Entrevista
con el antropólogo, experto en redes comunitarias, Scott Robinson, donde se analiza
el estado del acceso a Internet en Latinoamérica, y afirma la necesidad de que
maduren las heterogéneas experiencias de cabinas públicas o centros comunitarios.
http://www.bitniks.es/ARCHIVO/IDEAS/33/01.shtml
Salamanca - www.elbardelauni.com
Salamanca - www.salamanca2002.org
Sampa.org - O Sampa.org é uma iniciativa aberta a toda a população cujo
objetivo é ajudar São Paulo a se tornar uma cidade melhor, mais próspera, mais
humana e mais justa, disseminando e compartilhando democraticamente o
conhecimento e a informação.
Sociedade da informação - O Programa Sociedade da Informação (SocInfo)
brasileiro é um programa coordenado pelo Ministério da Ciência e Tecnologia (MCT).
Resultado dos desdobramentos das ações do Conselho Nacional de Ciência e
Tecnologia (CCT).
Tarragona - www.tinet.org
Tele centro HONDURAS - http://www.itu.hn/cpt/
Telecentro – América Central www.tele-centros.org/
Telecentros Activos de Chile, ATACH http://www.atach.cl
Telecentros Brasil - Um Telecentro Comunitário Sustentável (TCS) representa
um bem público. Ele agrega valor ao trabalho de organizações, agências do governo,
organizações de saúde, escolas e do setor privado.
Telecentros em Moçambique - Este telecentro é uma nova experiência para
Moçambique e é supervisionado pelo Centro de Informática da Universidade Eduardo
Mondlane (CIUEM). Com êxito, será possível instalar centros iguais em outros pontos
do país.
Telecentros en la mira: ¿Cómo pueden contribuir al desarrollo social? - Este
artículo examina con una mirada crítica el concepto de telecentros, y sugiere una
130
tipología para describir la diversidad de experiencias a que están dando lugar, con
particular énfasis en las incipientes experiencias con telecentros en América Latina.
http://www.idrc.ca/pan/chasquiSP.htm
Telecentros Prefeitura de São Paulo - Site da Prefeitura de São Paulo que
traz uma explicação do que é Telecentro e a lista dos telecentros administrados pela
prefeitura. www.prefeitura.sp.gov.br/cidadania/telecentros/index.asp
Telecentros y Bibliotecas - Este documento introduce el concepto de
telecentros, dirige al lector a algunos manuales y pautas útiles así como varios
proyectos en el mundo entero; explica la razón por la cual las bibliotecas pueden
contribuir al éxito de estos proyectos y por qué las bibliotecas deben considerar la
posibilidad de ampliar su rol para incluir las funciones de un telecentro.
www.home.inreach.com/cisler/telecentros.htm
Telecentros y bibliotecas: nuevas tecnologías y nuevas colaboraciones - A
mediados de los '80 el primer telecentro fue inaugurado en Velmdalen, Suecia. Ahora
existen en todo el mundo. No toda la gente tiene teléfono o computadora en su casa.
Los telecentros ayudan a lograr el objetivo de "acceso universal" al facilitar el acceso
comunitario a esta tecnología. http://home.inreach.com/cisler/telecentros.htm
Terrassa www.terrassa.net
The Information Society (TIS) journal http://www.ics.uci.edu/~kling/tis.html
The International Development Research Centre (IDRC) - http://www.idrc.ca
The Regency Foundation - http://www.regency.org/
Transparência Internacional - http://www.transparency.org/
Trasparência Internacional - Brasil - http://www.transparencia.org.br/tbrasil-
ie.asp
Tres-Cantos - www.tres-cantos.org
Una reflexión sobre el futuro de los telecentros en México y América
Latina - Las condiciones del mercado, el ritmo acelerado del desarrollo de la
tecnología digital y la ausencia de un marco regulatorio a su favor son factores que
inhiben el crecimiento de los telecentros en la región.
http://www.chasquinet.org/telelac/puebla.html
Villanueva de la Cañada - www.villanuevadelacanada.com
Viviendo la Democracia - www.viviendolademocracia.org/
Web AERC - www.aerc.net
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