[Kictanet] "Take Back The Tech!" - an online campaign for the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence.

[alice at apc.org]

TAKE BACK THE TECH!

Hello everyone,

We need your help! APC WNSP is initiating "Take Back The Tech!" - an online
campaign for the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence. We've
been sounding this off for awhile, but now we are ready to make it happen.
And your input is absolutely critical for this campaign to take off.

The campaign is in great need of content and ideas. Whatever you have
experienced, thought about or know will inject the life and matter of the
campaign, so please do read on :)

*What is the campaign about?*
=============================
It is simply a call for every person who uses online communications (ICTs),
e.g. for chatting, emailing, blogging, doing websites or developing tools,
to use ICTs for activism against VAW (violence against
women) for 16 days.

Primarily, we are asking women and grrls to "Take Back The Tech!" But you
don't have to be female to disagree with violence faced by women and be part
of the campaign to transform gender relations. Unequal power relations lie
at the heart of VAW, and this is apparent from the streets to online spaces.
So we're now saying technology should be used for equality, not to
perpetuate violence.

The question is, how? This is where you come in with what you know and come
up with answers.

*What can you do?*
==================
Right now, we are building the site for this campaign to happen. A working
space has been created to list out the different things that are needed, and
you will definitely be able to put stuff you know into it.
Some examples are:

. Writing "How To" guides, like how to clear your cache, how to make sure
your email communications are secure etc.
. Submit online tools and applications that you came across that might be
handy on this issue . Share your story, or something you know happened. E.g.
someone who had been cyber-stalked and what she did, the number of unwanted
porn spam you get everyday, or a brilliant and creative initiative that
works to end VAW online, etc.
. Translate resources and article into your local language.
. Create icons, images and graphics
. Suggest ideas on what can be done for the 16 Days. e.g. change your IM
status message for 16 days, or email signature, or googlebombing.
. Think of people or organisations that you know who would like to take up
this campaign on their website etc . Offline things that could happen (uhm.
stencil revolution ;)) . Anything else you think is missing!

*What Next?*
============
Just go to the working space and register as a user. Then check out the
different sections and what is needed for that. Put in what you know, your
ideas and your thoughts!

1. Go to: http://www.takebackthetech.net/wiki/tiki-index.php
2. Click on "register" (right hand bar, under "Login"
3. Fill in your information, then click on "register".
4. Check your email, and click on the link.
5. You are now registered and can submit content on any of the sections!
6. Tell someone you know that might be keen to take this on, and have
knowledge, ideas and information that they would like to share.

All the stuff here will be part of the building block for the campaign site,
which together, we'll get to as many ICTs users as we know to "Take Back The
Tech!" for 16 Days :)

*More information*:
==============
You can know more about the campaign from the site above. Or if you have
more specific questions, just write an email to jac at apcwomen.org.

Looking forward to meeting you at the working space, and having you as part
of the campaign!