Title – Inaugural Plenary Session: Connecting the Indigenous

& Mountain Communities towards Sustainable & Inclusive

Digital Society in the Asia – Pacific.

Connecting Indigenous and mountain communities in the Asia-Pacific region is crucial for
fostering a sustainable and inclusive digital society. These communities often face
geographical and social isolation, limiting their access to essential services and economic
opportunities. By bridging the digital divide, we empower these communities to participate in
the global digital landscape, enabling them to preserve their unique cultures, share traditional
knowledge, and access education and healthcare.

About DEF.
The goal of the Delhi-based non-profit Digital Empowerment Foundation (DEF) is to enable
people to use digital tools and literacy to improve their access to healthcare, education,
employment prospects, and skills. The organization's primary goals are to increase the
general public's accessibility to technology, empower women, young people, people with
disabilities, and the elderly by offering media literacy, functional digital literacy, and digital
upskilling in the areas of agriculture, micro and nano business, health, education, livelihood,
and entrepreneurship.

Panellists:-
• Bikram Shrestha
Bikram Shrestha is the president of Nepal Internet Foundation, also he has served as the
Past President of Internet Society, Nepal Chapter. According to Shrestha, Nepal Internet
Foundation (NIF) is a research and development forum that supports and performs
technical and geographical research in context of Nepal to build up Infrastructure and to
the reach of Internet within the country. Shrestha talked about his difficult-to-reach visits
to the Nepalese villages of Khunde Gol and Khumjung. Due to the presence of the Sherpa
community, the combination of two is also known as twin roof. In order to enable people
to share and learn about these remote locations as well as to experience the love and
 legacy of cultures around the globe, he works to establish last-mile connections and
robust digital networks.

• Sylvia Cadena
At Asia Pacific Network Information Centre, Sylvia serves as the interim CEO. The goal
of the APNIC Foundation is to provide the Asia Pacific region with an inexpensive,
secure, open, and global Internet.
In order to realise this goal, the Foundation increases funding for Internet development in
three areas, that are Infrastructure, Inclusion and Knowledge.

• Naveed Haq
Serving mainly in the Asia-Pacific area, Naveed Haq is the Regional Director for
Infrastructure and Connectivity. In order to link the disconnected, he claims to have a
professional desire for working with people and creating networks and Internet
infrastructure. Over the years, working with different communities in different roles and
on different projects, he finds himself fortunate enough to sate this appetite.

• Ms. Atsuko Okuda

Ms. Atsuko Okuda is employed by the International Telecommunication Union as a
regional director. She discussed the ways to combat misinformation, emphasising the
need for both traditional and new media to collaborate. She also said that digital inclusion
and empowerment are necessary to reinvent the role of media, particularly in Asia and the
Pacific, along with the Strategies, actions, and approaches to combat and mitigate the
spread of false information.

CONCLUSION

Concluding to this Inaugural Session, Atsuko draws attention to a crucial problem: around
half of the population is still offline, underscoring the necessity of closing the digital
divide. ITU statistics for the Asia-Pacific area highlight the significance of sustainability
in digital development, highlighting the necessity for a qualitative approach to achieve
holistic development. Act East is a strategy framework that promotes connectivity and, by
strengthening police development in rural areas, combats challenges like as human
trafficking. Understanding the importance of partnerships is essential for successful
connectivity projects, particularly in the business and marketing domains. The goal of
ongoing and innovative connectivity is best exemplified by community participation and
alternate connectivity options, working with organisations such as the Indian Red Cross
in Odisha. This strategy crosses boundaries and entails cooperation, coordination, and
collaboration.

CNX SESSION 2
Title – Presentations . Gender, Connectivity and Access :
Role of Women in Community Networks.

Panel Speakers and Presenters .

Maria ( Mia ) Perez
Maria works as the National Coordinator at Switch in Philippines, Switch aims to
develop the knowledge and abilities of women and people who identify as gender non-
conforming. Mia wants to articulate community network in different perspectives which
encompasses the following aspects such as; how to do things “technically”, possible
power supply and concern along with keeping in mind the objectives of APNIC.
According to her, she is researching ways for women to become more involved in the
community network along with the technical forms which can be adopted in affordable
price. She also wants to work on enhancing their ability to improvise training and being
certified to handle reliable, secure, and safe networks which will further ensure and
accelerate the stability, and accessibility on a global level.

Isha Suri
Suri is employed with the Centre for Internet and Society, India, as the research lead.
The emphasis on women's self-representation and advocacy revolves around tackling
their marginalisation in diverse settings. Twenty percent of women actively participating
in drawing conclusions and submitting work puts light on the invinsibilization of women.
In this case, equity plays a crucial role that raises questions about why gender issues tend
to crop up in every situation.
To overcome these discrepancies, better regulation design is being called for. The
fundamental problem is that gender restrictions have an impact on mobility, access to
skills, and community involvement. According to Isha, “Men in some cases are gender
blinded which makes it difficult for women to have access to public technological
resources”. She also mentioned about policy for women safety, that mere implementation
or writing of policy is not the end of the discussion, rather action and effectiveness of the
policy is more crucial.

Amrita Choudhury
In her capacity as the chair of AprlGF and the director of CCAOI, she discusses the
importance of women's representation and how they make up half of the global
population. She goes on to discuss the value of networks and communities in articulating
them in the context of the modern world.

Dr Rajshree Joshi
Joshi is employed with the BAIF Development Research Foundation as the programme
director. Women make considerable use of social networks and technology, yet there is
still a glaring lack of recognition of the risks associated with women's vulnerability in
online spaces. He cites an incident from a primitive rural district of Uttarakhand, where a
group of women amid the pandemic times, got engaged into the mask making by learning
from YouTube which again prominently signifies the importance of Internet Connectivity
in generating employment.

Gayatri Buragohain
Gayatri Buragogain, the Executive Director leading the charge on a feminist approach to
technology, emphasises how crucial it is to guarantee that women are appropriately
represented in the tech industry. She promotes gender parity and diversity in the field,
pointing out that different viewpoints spark creative problem-solving. According to
Buragogain, women will be essential in influencing and forming technical developments
in the future. Her leadership is dedicated to tearing down obstacles that prevent women
from advancing in the digital industry, fighting for equitable chances, and creating an
atmosphere where women can flourish and make significant contributions to the rapidly
changing tech sector.

DAY 2 CNX SESSION 6

Title – Presentations ; Good Practices in Connectivity &

Access in North Eastern Himalayan Regions of India.

Brahmaputra Community Radio, by Bhaskar Bhuyan,

BCRS, Assam, India
In the wake of the Supreme Court's recognition of radio as private property, India has
witnessed a surge in community radio stations, now boasting around 400 across the
nation. These grassroots stations, such as those found in Assam, typically cover a radius
of 20 to 30 kilometres, ensuring localized outreach. With approximately four community
radio stations in Assam alone, these platforms play a pivotal role in connecting
communities and fostering communication at the regional level.
Brahmaputra Community Radio Station, also known as Radio Brahmaputra 90.4MHZ, is
the first grassroots community radio station in North East India, located in the district of
Dibrugarh, Assam. Its mission is to provide a platform for marginalized communities
living in geographically isolated and media-dark regions such as islands, tea gardens, and
remote villages, who speak local languages and dialects that are often not included in
mainstream media programs.

DEMI Solutions, Sikkim by Karma Bhutia

It is a community of successful, innovative, smart minds. Established in 2013, de.mi’s
main aim is to increase wealth & benefit its community of stakeholders, by promoting a
culture of innovation and competitiveness of its products, solutions and services. At de.mi
Bhutia says, “ We support the growth of innovative ideas, people, process & technology
across sectors such as Education, Mobility, Cloud Computing, Bigdata, 3D Printing,
Robotics, Biosciences, Green Technologies and Sustainable Agriculture”.

The Ziro Valley community network project by Nani

Moniya, Arunachal Pradesh, India

In the remote landscapes of Arunachal Pradesh's Zero Valley, a community network

initiative has emerged to address historical connectivity challenges. Initially confronted
with transportation obstacles due to poor road connectivity, the organization undertook
surveys to gauge the readiness of students and teachers to embrace technology.
Recognizing the transformative potential of the internet, particularly for the Aratani
tribes, the community focused on overcoming conservative attitudes towards technology.
With the establishment of WIFI in four schools, a central hub facilitated broadcasts to
three high schools and one primary school. The introduction of WIFI not only brought
connectivity to previously isolated regions but also opened up opportunities for education,
with children providing coaching and classes through pm Vani at a remarkably low cost,
marking a significant and life-changing development for the community.

The Char Chapori Networking Project by Manjuara Mulla,

India
In the Char Chapori region of Assam, the transformative journey of Amrapari began in
2020 under the dedicated leadership of its founder. Starting with a modest stall and a team
of 10 women, the initiative has burgeoned, now empowering a network of 100 females.
Operating in livelihood centres, the organization leverages internet connectivity to bridge
the gap between these women and the marketplace across seven active centres. Despite
challenges in the Brahmaputra area, where internet and electricity are scarce, the founder
envisions scaling up impact with increased capital and entrepreneurial opportunities.
Amidst the region's pervasive gender-based discriminations, connectivity issues further
compound the struggle, hindering mobility and access to education. Taking a proactive
stance, the organization mobilizes groups of 30 women to combat child marriages, acting
as a crucial link to the administration in cases where intervention is necessary.
 Recognizing the hurdles faced by girls unable to attend school during adverse weather or
menstruation, the founder advocates for digital solutions. Through digitalization efforts,
she aims to create informative videos to disseminate accurate information, empowering
girls in these areas to overcome challenges and access education despite the limitations
imposed by nature and societal norms.

Project Internet Roshni : Connecting the Tea Tribe &

Adivasi in Assam by Austin Kawa.
In Assam, a pivotal initiative is underway to connect the tea tribe community and Adivasi,
constituting 20 percent of the state's population. Historically marginalized since their
arrival during colonial times as laborers, they have faced significant challenges in
accessing social, economic, and digital rights. Compounded by their remote locations and
the absence of Internet Service Providers (ISPs), these communities were excluded from
the digital realm. Recognizing the urgency to bridge this gap, an innovative solution
emerged — a community network that provides digital services at a remarkably low cost,
prioritizing the most backward and remote societies. This endeavour aims not only to
uplift these communities within Assam but also to expand its reach to other states. In
collaboration with the state government, the plan ensures that no one is deprived of their
rights in the evolving digital landscape. The concept of community networks, exemplified
by initiatives like guifi net, underscores the importance of networks managed by the
community for the collective benefit of tribes, villages, or any group. In Assam, the
Community Information Resource Centre, operating under the title "suchnapreneur,"
embodies this spirit, working towards empowering and connecting communities in their
journey towards digital inclusion and socio-economic upliftment.

• CNX SESSION 7 : WORKSHOP ; Building Community

Network Capacity in local context for last mile internet
access and reach.
In the workshop session, the attendees were asked to answer the following questions
which are, What is a Community Network ? What are the requirements of a
Community Network along with the What makes a “network” a Community
Network ?

A community or a collection of people creates, owns, and runs a community network,

which is a localised and decentralised communication infrastructure. It is intended to
meet the unique requirements and preferences of the local community, frequently in
places where conventional telecommunications infrastructure may be inadequate or non-
existent. There are many different kinds of community networks, such as mesh networks,
local Wi-Fi networks, and other kinds of connectivity options.

Regarding the Community Network's requirements, the following significant points were
covered in the submissions. Active participation and engagement of community people
are crucial. The community should be involved in the network's design, implementation,
and upkeep. The hardware needed to build up a network, such as routers and access
points, is referred to as networking equipment when discussing the infrastructure of the
community network.

When a community or a collection of people who share a common interest or live close
by creates, owns, and runs a network, it is referred to as a community network. A
community network can be distinguished from conventional, for-profit networks by a
number of essential features: The community it serves owns and runs a community
network. Community members decide on issues pertaining to its creation, layout, and
administration together. Community members actively participate in decision-making
processes under decentralised, participatory governance arrangements.

At the end of the workshop session, the attendees were asked to create a utopian village
of their choice; which resulted in a varied array of repones ranging from small community
networks connecting a few institutions such as a local community, school, few homes to
wide community network connecting one or two villages.
Closing of 7th CNX and 8th eNorth East 2023 : an Endnote
by Osama Manzar, Founder Director of Digital
Empowerment Foundation.

As the closing ceremony of this transformative event unfolds, we find ourselves

immersed in the inspiring narrative of community networks and digital empowerment, as
elucidated by the esteemed Osama Manzar, Founder-Director of the Digital
Empowerment Foundation. With a profound dedication to bridging the digital divide,
Manzar has illuminated the path towards inclusive connectivity for marginalized
communities. Through the lens of community networks, we have traversed the landscapes
of Assam, witnessing the empowerment of tea tribe communities and Adivasi, breaking
free from historical shackles of isolation and neglect. The evolution of Amrapari, from a
small stall to a beacon of change for women, exemplifies the potential within
communities to harness digital tools for socio-economic upliftment.

Manzar's emphasis on community engagement and ownership has resonated throughout

our exploration of these initiatives. The essence of a community network lies not just in
the wires and signals but in the collaborative spirit, where individuals come together to
shape their digital destiny. In Assam's journey, from overcoming connectivity challenges
to mobilizing against child marriages, we see the tangible impact of these networks on the
fabric of society.Moreover, the story extends beyond Assam, as the vision expands to
encompass more states, illustrating the scalability and replicability of these models. The
commitment of the state government to ensure that no one is left behind in the digital
revolution is a testament to the collaborative efforts between local communities and the
larger governing bodies.

As we conclude this ceremony, the words of Osama Manzar echo with resonance:
"Connectivity is not just about technology; it's about transforming lives." The stories
shared today unveil a future where digital inclusion is not a luxury but a fundamental
right. Let us carry forth the spirit of community networks, of suchnapreneurs, and of
collective empowerment, propelling us towards a digitally inclusive tomorrow, where
every individual, irrespective of their background, stands connected, informed, and
empowered.