{"id":984,"date":"2020-09-21T11:24:49","date_gmt":"2020-09-21T11:24:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/annual-reports.itforchange.net\/Annual-Report\/?page_id=984"},"modified":"2020-09-25T11:14:21","modified_gmt":"2020-09-25T11:14:21","slug":"2019-20-digital-rights-development-democracy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/annual-reports.itforchange.net\/Annual-Report\/2019-20-digital-rights-development-democracy\/","title":{"rendered":"Digital Rights and Democracy"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Overview<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>

Directors’ Note<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>

Our Team<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>

Thematic Areas<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>

\u00a0 1. <\/span>Data and the Digital Economy<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>

\u00a0 2.\u00a0<\/span>Digital Rights and Democracy<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>

\u00a0 3. Prakriye<\/em> Field Centre<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>

\u00a0 4.\u00a0ICTs and Education<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>

\u00a0 5.\u00a0Gender Justice in the Digital Society<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>

Publications<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>

Financial\u00a0Statements <\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>

List of Abbreviations <\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Digital Rights and Democracy<\/span><\/p>

Exploring the intersections of digital rights debates with democratic politics, especially in post-colonial societies in the Global South, has been a constant focus of our research, advocacy, and field-building efforts. In times of data governmentality and the automated public sphere, building an inclusive democracy, which furthers citizens\u2019 voices and meaningful participation for those at the margins, is what we strive towards. <\/em><\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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\u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/strong>Spoorthi<\/em> \u2013 A spatial data system for the inclusive cities agenda<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/p>

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The Spoorthi team<\/figcaption><\/figure>

In 201<\/span><\/span><\/span>9<\/span><\/span><\/span>–<\/span><\/span><\/span>20<\/span><\/span><\/span>, <\/span><\/span><\/span>IT for Change <\/span><\/span><\/span>(ITfC)<\/span><\/span><\/span> implemented the final phase of<\/span><\/span><\/span> the <\/span><\/span><\/span>action research project <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a>Spoorthi<\/a>,<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span> <\/i>s<\/span><\/span><\/span>upported by the United National Democracy Fund (UNDEF). <\/span><\/span><\/span>T<\/span><\/span><\/span>he project <\/span><\/span><\/span>seeks to build a proof-of-concep<\/span><\/span><\/span>t, <\/span><\/span><\/span>community-based spatial data system for inclusive local governance in urban poor neighborhoods. <\/span><\/span><\/span>It was <\/span><\/span><\/span>implemented in east Bengaluru in partnership with the Association for Voluntary Action and Service (AVAS) and the Center for Study of Science, Technology and Policy (CSTEP). <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>

In 2019, i<\/span><\/span>n partnership <\/span><\/span>with our <\/span><\/span>data steward<\/span><\/span>s \u2013 a cohort of <\/span><\/span>young women and me<\/span><\/span>n leaders who have <\/span><\/span>been <\/span><\/span>train<\/span><\/span>ed<\/span><\/span> on digital literacy <\/span><\/span>and<\/span><\/span> basic data analytics \u2013 <\/span><\/span>we set <\/span><\/span>up a <\/span><\/span>bilingual (Kannada and English), <\/span><\/span>community-based spatial data platform <\/span><\/span>to<\/span><\/span> track community grievances pertaining to Water, Sanitation, and Access to Health (WASH) services. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>

Stewards from <\/span><\/span>Spoorthi<\/i><\/span><\/span> also organized a data campaign in November 2019 to map issues related to lack of drinking water supply. Through video testimonials and interviews, baseline data from the platform, and a validation survey exercise, stewards presented key water-related issues to the community at a forum. <\/span><\/span>R<\/span><\/span><\/span>esidents were <\/span><\/span><\/span>also <\/span><\/span><\/span>invited to speak <\/span><\/span><\/span>about <\/span><\/span><\/span>the<\/span><\/span><\/span>se<\/span><\/span><\/span> issue<\/span><\/span><\/span>s<\/span><\/span><\/span> and <\/span><\/span><\/span>discuss<\/span><\/span><\/span> their experiences<\/span><\/span><\/span>.<\/span><\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/p>

S<\/span><\/span><\/span>tewards have <\/span><\/span><\/span>also <\/span><\/span><\/span>been able to take their engagement with the project <\/span><\/span><\/span>forward <\/span><\/span><\/span>in <\/span><\/span><\/span>several <\/span><\/span><\/span>other<\/span><\/span><\/span> way<\/span><\/span><\/span>s, exhibit<\/span><\/span><\/span>ing<\/span><\/span><\/span> great leadership and <\/span><\/span><\/span>drive<\/span><\/span><\/span>.<\/span><\/span><\/span> Especially as<\/span><\/span><\/span> the project moved into March 2020 and a national lockdown on account of the C<\/span><\/span><\/span>ovid-<\/span><\/span><\/span>19<\/span><\/span><\/span> pandemic <\/span><\/span><\/span>was put into effect, <\/span><\/span><\/span>some <\/span><\/span><\/span>stewards utilize<\/span><\/span><\/span>d<\/span><\/span><\/span> the <\/span><\/span><\/span>skills learn<\/span><\/span><\/span>ed<\/span><\/span><\/span> through the project <\/span><\/span><\/span>to organize and coordinate online <\/span><\/span><\/span>to <\/span><\/span><\/span>undertak<\/span><\/span><\/span>e<\/span><\/span><\/span> relief measures in their communities. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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<\/i>As digitalization rolls out a new world \u2018(dis)order\u2019, the power of digital platforms and their implications for people\u2019s lives and livelihoods cannot be ignored. Neither can the ignorance on the subject. That is why the work that IT for Change does on digital rights and democracy in a data-driven world is absolutely critical. Its analysis in bits and bytes breaks down the complex issue with unmatched clarity and commitment. It is THE voice to be heard to get it right and enable positive, transformative change.<\/i><\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
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Shalini Bhutani<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
Legal Researcher and Policy Analyst<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Bot Populi<\/span><\/strong><\/p>

In June 2019, w<\/span><\/span><\/span>e <\/span><\/span><\/span>set up<\/span><\/span><\/span> Bot Populi<\/span><\/a><\/span>, <\/span><\/span><\/span>an alternative media<\/span><\/span><\/span> outlet,<\/span><\/span><\/span> in <\/span><\/span><\/span>partnership with <\/span><\/span><\/span>six <\/span><\/span><\/span>other <\/span><\/span><\/span>global organizations<\/span><\/span><\/span>. <\/span><\/span><\/span>F<\/span><\/span><\/span>ormally launched at the RightsCon Summit in Tunis, <\/span><\/span><\/span>Bot Populi has <\/span><\/span><\/span>been conceived of as<\/span><\/span><\/span> a space <\/span><\/span><\/span>to <\/span><\/span><\/span>refram<\/span><\/span><\/span>e<\/span><\/span><\/span> human rights and social justice <\/span><\/span><\/span>debates i<\/span><\/span><\/span>n the digital <\/span><\/span><\/span>paradigm<\/span><\/span><\/span> while <\/span><\/span><\/span>foreground<\/span><\/span><\/span>ing<\/span><\/span><\/span> the missing <\/span><\/span><\/span>G<\/span><\/span><\/span>lobal South perspective<\/span><\/span><\/span>s<\/span><\/span><\/span>. <\/span><\/span><\/span>Between June 2019 and M<\/span><\/span><\/span>arch<\/span><\/span><\/span> 2020, <\/span><\/span><\/span>the project team<\/span><\/span><\/span> published 37 contributions in the form of essays, interviews, and videos<\/span><\/span><\/span>, <\/span><\/span><\/span>including <\/span><\/span><\/span>three themed issues <\/span><\/span><\/span>on <\/span><\/span><\/span>competition in the digital economy; <\/span><\/span><\/span>agritech and platformization; and an <\/span><\/span><\/span>ongoing <\/span><\/span><\/span>Feminist Data Future series<\/span><\/span><\/span>. <\/span><\/span><\/span>As <\/span><\/span><\/span>the world <\/span><\/span><\/span>grappled with the Covid-19 pandemic, <\/span><\/span><\/span>we <\/span><\/span><\/span>started <\/span><\/span><\/span>work on <\/span><\/span><\/span>two themed issues that would <\/span><\/span><\/span>ke<\/span><\/span><\/span>ep alive<\/span><\/span><\/span> the conversation on how this crisis <\/span><\/span><\/span>c<\/span><\/span><\/span>ould further authoritarian interests across the world<\/span><\/span><\/span>.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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<\/i> I have had the opportunity to work with IT for Change since 2019. The organization has reached out to help with the efforts of app-based drivers and delivery partners to organize and pursue policy-level changes for improving their working conditions, securing labor rights, and ensuring decent work overall. I believe a collaborative endeavor of traditional trade unions\/global union federations with organizations like IT for Change is necessary during these uncertain times. <\/i><\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
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Basudev Barman<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
Network Coordinator, Ola and Uber Organizing Campaign, ITF Delhi Office<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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\"\"
The ITfC team with their fellow participants at IGF 2019.<\/figcaption><\/figure>

Advocacy and writing<\/span><\/strong><\/p>

In 2019, we continued to engage with the digital civic space in India <\/span><\/span><\/span>by<\/span><\/span><\/span> actively writing in the media and being part of key policy processes.<\/span><\/span><\/span> ITfC<\/span><\/span><\/span> engaged in depth with the Personal Data Protection Bill process. We developed <\/span><\/span><\/span>and sent <\/span><\/span><\/span>a <\/span><\/span><\/span>submission<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/span> to<\/span><\/span><\/span> the Joint Parliamentary Committee on <\/span><\/span><\/span>the <\/span><\/span><\/span>Personal Data Protection Bill, 2019, <\/span><\/span><\/span>which <\/span><\/span><\/span>argued for broadening the<\/span><\/span><\/span> scope of public interest claims in data, <\/span><\/span><\/span>and safeguarding personal data from re-identification (in case of <\/span><\/span><\/span>anonymi<\/span><\/span><\/span>z<\/span><\/span><\/span>ed dat<\/span><\/span><\/span>a) and executive overreach.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>

Over the year, <\/span><\/span><\/span>our <\/span><\/span><\/span>research team members wrote on topical issues such as <\/span><\/span><\/span>content takedowns<\/span><\/span><\/a> and <\/span><\/span><\/span>political ad funding<\/span><\/span><\/a> on social media. <\/span><\/span><\/span>We contributed a chapter i<\/span><\/span><\/span>n an edited <\/span><\/span><\/span>anthology of essays titled<\/span><\/span><\/span> Communicating for Change<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a>, <\/span><\/span><\/span>advocating for<\/span><\/span><\/span> the idea of <\/span><\/span><\/span>institutional learning<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a> as <\/span><\/span><\/span>a<\/span><\/span><\/span> way forward for deepening democra<\/span><\/span><\/span>cy<\/span><\/span><\/span> and enhancing the sensibilities of state institutions to recogni<\/span><\/span><\/span>z<\/span><\/span><\/span>e diverse <\/span><\/span><\/span>forms of <\/span><\/span><\/span>claims-making.<\/span><\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Critical forums at national and global levels<\/span><\/strong><\/p>

Some of our key engagements from the past year are as follows:<\/span><\/p>