Palais des Nations, Geneva, February 17-25, 2005

The Grassroots Women’ Delegation representing civil society organisations* in India that are part of the OneWorld South Asia (OWSA) network, present the following recommendations as their Grassroots Charter for WSIS II PrepComII

1

The existing caucuses should include two representatives each from the grassroots and one of these should be a woman. This is key to creating two way communication and awareness among the vast mass of rural and urban poor of the issues linked to WSIS.

2

The Information Society charter should take a broader definition of ICTs than at present. In addition to Internet and computer, other technologies, such as community radio, video, phones/mobiles and wireless should be given equal importance, as they are more accessible to the poor.

3

Information and communication in local languages on the Internet should be given top priority so as to enable the people to access information in their local languages. They have a right to access this information available on the Net and elsewhere for their use.

4

Any financial mechanism to finance ICT4D should take into account the local ownership and control of ICT4D initiatives. Local communities and governments and private sector should finance these initiatives and outside funding should be confined to specific areas of support and expertise such as training and capacity building. This will ensure that the funding from outside does not come with control and the local people own the process.

5

Women, who have traditionally been on the fringes of the technology and its use, should be at the center stage of the Information Society and ICT4D initiatives.