Pambazuka News 391: Cyber democracy: an African perspective

ITCH is a South-African born, internationally relevant online/offline magazine that publishes verbal and visual creative work. Work published includes non-fiction (book reviews, essays, polemic), narrative and poetry, as well as visual work in any medium. Submissions can include audio files (e.g., poetry recitals) and video (short films, animations, etc.).

In September 2008, ministers from over 100 countries, heads of bilateral and multilateral development agencies, donor organisations, and civil society organisations from around the world will gather in Accra for the Third High-Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness (2-4 September). Their common objective is to help developing countries and marginalised people in their fight against poverty by making aid more transparent, accountable and results-oriented.

Under a new law in Tunisia, prisons are required to provide separate facilities for pregnant or nursing inmates. The new law also reduces the length of time a child can stay with their incarcerated mother from three years to one.

The regional energy regulatory association has called on southern African countries to adjust electricity tariffs bearing in mind the potential negative impact this may have on the more vulnerable members of society.

The telecommunications sector is becoming a new gold rush where large white-owned companies pocket the wealth and leave nothing for the masses, says the chairman of the Independent Communications Authority of SA (Icasa). The lowest rungs of society would be alienated if the regulator did not actively demand a greater role for black people in the industry, said chairman Paris Mashile. That is why Icasa would insist new licences for scarce spectrum went to companies that were 51% black-owned.

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