The Global Information Society Watch (GISWatch) 2018 edition highlights the role of community networks in achieving universal access to information.
GISWatch is “a space for collaborative monitoring of the implementation of international (and national) commitments made by governments towards the creation of an inclusive information society.” In its 2018 report, it focuses on community networks defined as “built, owned, operated, and used by citizens in a participatory and open manner.”
The 2018 edition contains both thematic and country reports. The thematic reports feature the following topics:
- At the limits of the internet: Technology options for community networks;
- Legal framework for community networks in Latin America;
- Community networks and telecommunications regulation;
- Towards financial sustainability in community-based networks;
- Community networks as a key enabler of sustainable access: A review;
- Community networks: Stories and power;
- Feminist infrastructure and community networks: An opportunity to rethink our connections from the bottom up, seeking diversity and autonomy; and
- Decentralising culture: The challenge of local content in community networks.
The country reports, on the other hand, consist of accounts from 43 countries across the globe on their local access initiatives.
You may download the full report here.
The Global Information Society Watch is a joint initiative of the Association for Progressive Communications (APC) and the Humanist Institute for Development Cooperation (Hivos).