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2012 CIVICUS World Assembly
ACTIVITY SESSION REPORT
Tools of change: online activism and offline action
Track 1– Changing nations through citizens ORGANISER:
MODERATOR:
PRESENTERS:
Panha Koul, Executive Director,
RAPPORTEUR: Gil ian Aitken
Dan Parker, Activist, Occupy
Movement, Canada
Yasmin Elayat, 18 Days in
Egypt, Egypt
Time and date:
Number of participants:
Presentations and discussions’ summary
The buzz session focused on the question of whether the usage of new technologies has translated to offline actions. The majority of the discussion looked at how new technologies have changed how people act. The workshop was split into three different themes: 1) discussing the different tools used; 2) discussing how to use the tools; 3) discussing how to get people to be active citizens. Panha Koul of COMPFREL spoke of his efforts to strive for free and fair elections, and to strengthen citizen participation between elections by using a website, radio shows, the Freedom Fone, SMS coded reporting system, an Android application, and a toolkit for E-Civic Voter Education. The discussion on his work focussed on the logistic behind COMPREL’s usage of SMS systems. One component of COMPREL’s SMS system is that they train three people in remote communities on how to use the system. Those three people are then responsible for training others in their community. Dan Parker spoke of the benefits and setbacks of using Facebook as a method of organising for change. He highlighted that the Occupy Movement in Montreal and the Quebec students’ movement on-line organising happened primarily through Facebook, but that for the sake of privacy, alternate online forums for organising should be used. A chal enge with alternate platforms is that people are not keen on using multiple log-ins. He highlighted that Facebook is good at getting the word out but not at getting people to act. To promote action, it is best to use texts and phone cal s.
Yasmin Elayat described the 18 Days in Egypt online crowd sourcing documentary project her team developed. The platform guides people through the tel ing stories of their experiences during the Egyptian revolution by offering different online modes of documenting real time information such as Facebook, Youtube, twitter, articles etc. The discussion centred on making sure that people who are 2012 CIVICUS World Assembly
ACTIVITY SESSION REPORT
not online can also share their stories. 18 Days in Egypt is now focusing its programming on reaching those who are not literate or not online.
Key lessons learnt, best practices, tools and/ or activities:
 Much effort needs to be invested to engage and spread awareness about societal issues among people who are il iterate or not online.
 Use other more private forums of communication and event organising than Facebook.
 Further explore SMS systems.
 Use online platforms that crowd source different information systems (Facebook, You Tube, articles, etc.) to compile peoples’ stories.
Diversity, equality or gender issues addressed
 Make sure that vulnerable groups such as women and other minorities have as many opportunities to use and better their skil s sets with ICTs. Key recommendations
To strengthen citizens’ actions and remove the barriers to people achieving sustainable change, we should: Train people to learn the skil s needed to use new technologies.
Ensure that people are not only connected, but also informed.
Build awareness around the rights of freedom of expression and access to information. Improve internet connectivity, especial y in poorer countries and rural areas.
Make sure that those who are offline and who do not have access to new technologies are also informed.
Have internet freedom, without laws that limit expression.
Concentrate on the successes that have been achieved.
Share best practices and lessons learnt in the usage of new technologies.
Incorporate partnerships to counter the chal enge of il iteracy.

Source: http://www.civicus.org/download/2012%20WA%20-%20Reports/Day%201/Track%201/WA_T1_1_Tools%20of%20changes-%20offline%20and%20on%20line.pdf