The Africa Youth ICT4D Network (www.ayinetwork.org)
The
African Youth and Communication Technologies for Development
(ICT4D) Network - AYIN - is a pan-African and all- inclusive
platform for African youth input into the African information
society agenda. It vision is “a networked generation
of young Africans empowering themselves and contributing to
the continent’s active participation in the Information
Society”.
Beginning
with a fortunate crystallization of youth advocacy efforts,
supported by the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) (through
a mailing list), young Africans discussed their role and expectations
around the Information Society.
These
discussions led to the emergence of concrete proposals on
the path to follow in order to move in the direction of progress.
With the support of numerous organizations, youth gathered
at the second African preparatory conference on the world
Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) which took place
in Accra 2-4 February 2005, and came up with action-laden
recommendations - including the setting up of the African
Youth ICT4D Network through which they promised to lead action
within the Information Society.
AYIN was
launched on the 4th of February 2005 during this conference.
The
Network objectives include:
·
To ensure youth input into Africa’s Information Society
interventions
· To maximize youth potential/energy in the achievement
of the Millennium Development Goals, within the context of
regional initiatives such as NEPAD and National strategies
· To engage relevant stakeholders in the implementation
of all aspects of the AISI & WSIS Plan of Action
The network
set up a coordinating team, the AYIN Bureau, to lead organizational
strategies. The bureau acts in line with the constitution,
and helps lead the implementation of the Plan of Action. The
network has also nominated an 11-man bureau, representing
all the five regions of the continent and the Diaspora. National
Coordinators are also elected in all country to foster Youth
involvement in e-strategies.
Action
plan implementation
The network
has started implementing its plan of Action with a study on
harnessing ICT for Youth Development.
Overall,
this study would contribute to assessing the involvement of
Youth association and individuals in ICT4D activities at national
and sub-regional levels and provide a useful reference point
for countries with regard to how to strengthen Youth contribution
in formulation, implementation and monitoring of e-strategies
for their leadership promotion and development. Five country
cases studies have started including, Burkina-Faso, Egypt,
Ghana and Rwanda.
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