ICT policy

Uganda was one of the first countries in Africa to develop a policy on universal access to information and communication technologies (ICTs) and to implement a universal access fund, designed to support initiatives aimed at improving poor and rural populations' access to ICTs. Today, Uganda's universal access policy and rural communications development fund are generally seen as "best practice".

This book presents the Ugandan experience – an experience that was unique because of the country's early liberalization of the communication sector and explosion in the use of mobile communication technology. Regulators, policy advisors, and government officials, both within and outside Africa, will find this book useful as they develop their own policies, strategies, and implementation plans for universal access.

Business people, community activists and policy-makers have an interest in as many people as possible -including people in the lowest income-brackets- having access to the internet, being able to check out important information on websites and communicate cheaply via email or internet phone.

In order to reduce poverty and foster inclusive development through affordable access to the internet, APC is working on a resource kit for realising a universal access agenda, present promising options, experiences, lessons and opportunities in pro-poor access provision in developing societies.

Our approach to gender and ICT work involves an understanding of power relations in society. This recognition includes an awareness of the unequal power relations between women and men, North and South, rich and poor, urban and rural, connected and unconnected-in local communities, in sovereign countries, and globally.