Current Projects at Bytes for All, Pakistan
Take Back The Tech: to end violence against women!
This project is meant to invest in equality by strengthening women's strategic use of information and communications technologies to combat violence against women and girls. This project is dedicated to empower women working for peace, human rights, and development through the strategic use of information and communication technologies (ICTs). Take Back The Tech is a flagship of Bytes for All and a vibrant campaign in Pakistan.
Privacy Rights in Asia
Privacy Rights in Pakistan looks at Privacy issues and helps develop a network of organizations for continued work in this area. Bytes for All, Pakistan is implementing this project with the sole objective to improve the understanding of Privacy Rights in Pakistan.
Digital Security Programme for Human Rights Defenders
Given the heightened security situation and increasing crackdowns by the government on media and human rights defenders in the country, B4A is focusing on its flagship capacity building programme on Digital Security. This initiative continues to be one most successful programme, where resources persons from B4A are traveling throughout the country from north to south, not only to raise awareness about this issue but equip human rights defenders and civil society organizations with the tools to be safe and secure online.
Internet Censorship and Surveillance – Open Net Initiative
With its peculiar problems, Pakistan is very active on internet surveillance and censorship. This is evident from various globally known examples and instances in the country since 2006. Internet censorship is being put in place in the name of religion, combating terrorism, blocking blasphemous content and to prohibit anti-state elements, however, always focussed on curbing freedom of expressions, curtailing discourse on politics, democratic rights and pressing socio-development issues. This project looks at the impacts and issues posed by increasing Internet censorship and surveillance in the country.
Openness, Access and Governance in Pakistan
The Open e-Governance Index (OeGI) is an action-research project that aims to measure the state of ‘openness’ in the implementation of ‘e-governance’ in Pakistan. Open e-governance can be measured in terms of the ability of the different actors of the political system, including governments, business and civil society, to participate in decision-making in society, through the use of information and communication technologies. While it will be implemented as a pure research project during the pilot phase, the organizers hope that future iterations of the project can allow it to be more action-oriented so that the findings under the research would enable ICT experts and advocates to push for policy and programmatic changes in the political environment. More details about this project are available at www.opengov.bytesforall.pk
Freedom on the Net
Bytes for All is partnering with Freedom House on its Index on Global Internet and Digital Media Freedom. B4A has contributed Pakistan Country Report to this Index and participate in larger network activities in the region.
Global Information Society Watch Report
The Global Information Society Watch (GISWatch) is a space for collaborative monitoring of implementation of international (and national) commitments made by governments towards the creation of an inclusive information society. Bytes for All is the country contributor to this global space with the 2011 publication focusing on Human Rights on the Internet.
