Board Members

Adviser Board

Idea Action Strategy
Idea Action (2004 – 2008)

1. INTRODUCTION
Idea Action (Idea) is a not- for- profit ICT organization, led by the professional youth, for the youth. Youth, Human rights, sustainable development related issues are its prominent activities to uplift and organize information society in Nepal since 2002 with extremely credible records. It was established as a web based organization (nicenepal.com) on 2002 and registered in Kathmandu on 15th December 2004 with the main theme of "equal access to the power of knowledge for all ". Implementation & promotion of ICT through advocacy, awareness, trainings, researches, disseminating information, publications and conduct events & campaigns as well as maintaining portal website are the major activities of Idea Action at national, regional and grass-roots levels.

Idea Action principally works for the issues of ICT. It has considerably contributed itself for the process of bringing ICT strategy in the country and raising number of ICT issues to the national agenda to influence necessary policies and legislations.

Similarly, Idea Action provides a platform for people and organizations involved in ICT concerned to help them develop themselves and make necessary positive changes in their community. It works for the technical section as they lack access to information, knowledge and skills in many areas that would affect them. Community groups or organizations have potential and ideas but they lack orientation. So, we are here to facilitate them to provide them with the appropriate materials and tools required.

2. STRENGTHS AND POTENTIALS
Idea Action's implementation of various activities in the past and their resulting performance indicates several strengths of the organisation. As it is in the learning phase, it has also identified some of its weaknesses. These strengths and weaknesses make some areas of its comparative advantage. Before coming into any decision on the directions to be taken in future, it was considered to carry out SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis. The results obtained from this exercise are presented below:

2.1. Strengths

Ų Links with strong organisation to the grassroots level.

Ų Credible partnership relation with the fraternal organisations at the national, regional and global level.

Ų Effective working relationship established with the external agencies, academic institutions and the donors.

Ų Pioneering work in the identification of people's issues (both at the local and national level).

Ų Proven ability to work in the difficult areas and under various difficult circumstances.

Ų Committed staff consisting of learning activist, self-motivated and preserving informal work culture.

Ų Presence of adequate internal governance mechanism including the financial and programming systems.

Ų Strong, visionary and participatory leadership.

Ų Proper financial record of accounts for various diverse funding resources.

Ų Established physical infrastructure including well-organized documentation system and a resource centre.

Ų Good credibility as one of the few ICT Organisations working in Nepal with both national and international links.

2.2 Weaknesses

Ų Lack of documentation of various achievements in the process of learning.

Ų Employees with strong sense of volunteerism and commitment but relatively lack professionalism.

Ų Lack of personnel policy leading to the prospective career path for the staff.

Ų Risk of financial sustainability (due to the uncertainty of the donor funds and lack of local resource mobilisation)

Ų No established benchmark for the work quality (which possess difficulty to monitor the progress made over the years)

Ų Inadequate internal control system.

Ų Still in the process of evolving as a building institution.

Ų Lack of effective coordination among network organisations and the centre.

Ų NGOs in Nepal lack proper organisational work and resources nevertheless, Idea Action also falls under that category.

2.3 Opportunities

Ų The supreme law of the country honours ICT right. It waits for the consolidation through an active role of civil society.

Ų The state is failing to deliver basic education on technology, primary health care and shelter to the majority of people under poverty. The non-governmental organisations are expected to play greater role in these areas.

Ų Initiatives of the citizens and civil societies are appreciated as potential lobbying forces for improved service delivery at national and global level.

Ų Better awareness for the need of expanding partnership between NGOs and the government, and also the NGOs and the international development agencies.

Ų Need for protecting & implementing ICT in community organizations, disadvantaged groups like women, children, Dalits (untouchable cast), refugees, disabled and the religious minorities in the country.

Ų Growing recognition about the role of civil society that they can act better in certain areas than the government.

Ų Increased access of ICT for promoting exchanges, learning, networking and campaigns in national as well as in global level.

Ų There is a chance to take part in the conflict transformation programme from the local level through ICT.

Ų There are some opportunities to work together with the local authority on ICT issues.

Ų International community’s frequent support for ICT actions.

2.4 Threats

Ų Increasing poverty, illiteracy, deprivation and stereotypical values in the majority of population.

Ų Negligence of the government towards civil societies, ICT and to achieve justice impairing their continuity and independence.

Ų Growing intolerance, sectarianism, adherence to narrow identity and fundamentalism among the people.

Ų Growing Technical instability, unrest and growth of insurgencies against the Technological system.

Ų Erosion of Technical institutions and practices

Ų Lack of better community participation in the Technical, development and administrative spheres.

Ų Conflicting interests of different constituents (e.g. donors, government and the NGOs) and increased competition to access resources from the public sector.

Ų Over confidence of the policy makers on free market as a panacea of all the societal and development problems.

Ų Technology advocate/defenders are working at risk.

The above-mentioned strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats provide useful hints for Idea Action in reassuring its role. After some years of experience, it has attained significant level of maturity to effectively pursue the mandates concerning ICT issues. These observations conjoined with the analysis of national contexts, demand crucial involvement of the role of Idea Action in supporting the ICT sector with clear vision and mission.

3. Our Idea (Vision)
Idea Action's vision is to project another Nepal possibly through ICT, where all people have equal access to the power of knowledge.

4. Our Mission
Idea Action's mission is to provide a national forum on ICT and to promote ICT especial for the youth in Nepal.

5. GOAL
Idea Action's goal is implementation and promotion of ICT for equal access in Nepal.

6. Objectives

Creating a national platform where all interested parties can share their ideas, knowledge and experience concerning ICT & youth issues and policies.
Implementation & promotion of ICT.
To work on youth issues.
To protect & promote of Human Rights, Peace and Justice.
To work on sustainable Development issues.
To work on population and disadvantage groups.
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Ų Providing ICT awareness and advocacy to the general public.

Ų Mobilizations of ICT activists through formed of ICT clubs.

Ų Publishing an annual evaluation report on the nationwide ICT situation.

Ų Raising voice for cyber and other rights in national and international level.

Ų Representing youth in Nepal in the creation of national ICT policies and strategies.

Ų Monitoring and evaluating of current ICT projects will also be implemented by this group.

Ų Providing guidance and direction for future ICT projects

Ų Providing capacity building programs and encourages youth to utilize their time for ICT volunteer activities that would help them in their personal development as well as enable them to make positive contributions for the society.

Ų Providing and protect the necessary ICT rights and privileges, benefits to individuals, institutions, companies and organizations.

7. STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK AND ACTIVITIES
In Nepal, the areas requiring immediate attention and remedial actions in the context of ICT issues are immense. Therefore, it would not be prudent to assume that Idea Action alone will be able to address all the outstanding and emerging issues. It would rather like to be modest in its commitment so that it does not become over ambitious and result ineffective.

While the need for collaborative work at different fronts and the prospects for partnership are well perceived for the accomplishment of its mission, Idea Action sets priority to adopt the following strategic objectives:

Fig 1: Strategic Framework

7.1 Policy Advocacy / Campaign

Policy advocacy/campaign is one of the strategic interventions for Idea Action. Major activities covered by this will be as follows:

Ų Influence policy formulation from the prospective of participation and empowerment of the marginalized and underprivileged groups in asserting ICT and equal access to all opportunities.

Ų Identify and prioritise advocacy areas for policy development, monitor the existing policies and their implementation and reformulation.

Ų Establish dialogue; build lobbying networks, foster coalitions and the alliance of different organisations and individuals extending at local, national and the international levels. Strengthen Idea Action’s focal working relations with WSIS, WSIS South Asia and other.

Ų Conduct campaigns, rallies, awareness programmes to deliver ICT rights and equity to the underprivileged people such as women, Dalits, and the victims of violation.

Ų Idea Action will lobby to include ICT as a subject in the formal curriculum mentioned by the government.

7.2 Training and Facilitation

Training and facilitation will be another important strategic measure followed by Idea Action. They will cover the following activities:

Ų Develop training packages to empower different target groups like different organizations, political leader, elected women representatives, children rights groups, youth community, agricultural workers, Dalit’s association and other groups.

Ų Run training and refresher courses to the community ICT leaders and ICT representatives to enhance their capacity to assert and monitor the ICT activities.

Ų Supplement residential training along with the mobile training programmes.

Ų Develop professionalism in the delivery of training to the trainers, curriculum development and follow pedagogical approaches to adult education. Carry out training evaluation including tracer studies on the reaction, learning, behavioural changes and results of the training programmes after completion. The training interventions will be based on research findings. Relations with the foreign training centres shall be developed for qualitative upgrades.

Ų Special training programmes and related materials shall be developed for the partner organisations committed to advocacy work, ICT monitoring and the research activities related to this field. Idea Action will make attempts to introduce ICT education to the schools and universities in cooperation with the relevant government agencies and NGOs.

Ų Training for the district level policy makers and ICT leadership development at the local level will be conducted.

Ų Technical trainings will be provided to those people who are associated with the operational technical works of Idea Action.

7.3 Knowledge Building

Knowledge building shall remain as another important strategic measure for Idea Action for the next five years. Following activities shall be covered under this strategic focus:

Ų Deliver ICT education to unprivileged people at different districts of the country.

Ų Provide ICT training and ICT materials to the target groups that have received functional literacy from other agencies (government and NGOs). Where no other agencies have organized literacy programmes, Idea Action will initiate to provide literacy programmes and ICT education itself. Idea Action shall encourage other agencies to be involved in the literacy advancement work as far as possible.

Ų Tailor made ICT education materials shall be developed to cater to the type of interventions needed (i.e., for addressing the needs of Dalit, women, children, minorities and the materials for a conflict situation). Awareness programme shall be implemented considering their varying needs and feedback over the previously implemented programmes.

Ų Develop community ICT leaders in the districts by identifying suitable candidates and giving training with sensitisation to the ICT issues. These community leaders shall be prepared for volunteering their contributions to the cause of ICT initiated by Idea Action and being open to the initiatives taken by others too. These volunteers shall work as resource persons / teachers in the community ICT awareness programmes run by Idea Action at various districts.

Ų The district community leaders may opt to be organized as a NGO, in which case Idea Action shall provide its support with training on ICT and project management. Idea Action shall support their initiative by providing ICT materials and publications. Idea Action shall selectively implement programmes with such NGOs on a partnership basis to institutionalise the intervention process locally.

Ų Workshops, seminars and interaction programmes for the law enforcement officials, activists, and the elected representatives shall be organized to make them more responsive to the ICT issues.

Ų Conducting research through the local volunteers, activists and other professionals shall identify intervention needs. They shall make attempts to identify different ways of resolving the local conflict situations. Training materials for experimental designs shall be developed accordingly.

Ų Workshops and interactions among the local representatives and the political activists will be organised in order to enhance their understanding on ICT.

7.4 Research and other Creative Actions

Research shall remain Idea Action’s continuing activity for the identification of new alternatives of interventions in the context of changing circumstances. Some of the key activities covered by this strategy shall include the following:

Ų Idea Action’s working model involves Research-Action-Organisation. As a first step to the process, research shall play important role in the identification of issues and gauzing intensity of the problems for further identification of effective intervention strategies.

Ų Research shall remain as an inherent component in all the strategic areas to be undertaken by the activists and professionals as per the need.

Ų Quality standards of information and qualitative and quantitative data based on field report shall be upgraded to publish and disseminate better products.

Ų The subject of the research will be based on the mission and vision of Idea Action.

Ų The information taken out from the research will be used as reference materials while conducting advocacy, educational campaigns to force the concerned parties for bringing out the solutions.

Ų Technical and subjective cooperation and coordination will be provided, while conducting researches through its local network.

Ų Fellowships will be provided to conduct research on ICT.

7.5 Monitoring and Dissemination

Ų ICT resource centres located at the central level shall be strengthened.

Ų ICT researchers shall be identified at the district level and trained for the establishment of collection; documentation and dissemination of ICT related information in a systematized manner.

Ų Visits shall be made at organizations to bring reports regarding their state of ICT.

Ų Reports on the situation of ICT shall be used to create awareness and build commitment among people, law enforcers and the activists towards preventing the violations in their surroundings. Information shall be disseminated through media, seminars and journals.

Ų Leading cases of the ICT violations and the potential threats to the ICT government organizations shall be taken to the courts for penal actions and compensations.

Ų Reward system for the outstanding contributions of cases promoting and protecting ICT shall be institutionalised.

Ų Mechanism to monitor the implementation international ICT related treaties will be developed to prepare alternative compliance report.

Ų Essential initiatives will be taken to implement, reform and if necessary for making laws in the national and international level.

Ų Establishment & Development of ICT clubs to dissemination ICT in local Level.

Ų Prioritisation of issues, while working in ICT.

8. IMPLEMENTATION MODALITY
Research-Action-Organisation (RAO) model shall remain Idea Action’s modality to foster its mission and the implementation of strategies. Research on various issues shall be carried out to have proper understanding of their genesis, gravity and the crosscutting relations. Interventions shall be designed on the basis of results suggested by researcher. Actions shall be taken to empower people through awareness building, sensitising on asserting the ICT, training and facilitating to form groups / organisation. Idea Action shall mainstream the enriched and motivated target communities to form self-motivated groups for the assertion of their rights. It shall support such groups by providing training, materials and becoming partner in the advocacy of relevant rights.
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1. Idea Action’s Core Activities

Different Department and unit will be working for enhanced performance.

2. ICT STRATEGY AND ITS RATIONALE

2.1 As Idea Action has gained various experience and strength to overcome those challenges as an ICT NGO, it is essential for Idea Action to work on its core competence areas with extra focus for effective results. In this context, Idea Action felt necessary to review its strategy with reference to past learning against the assessment of prevalent realities and new prospects for the future. As a result of such review, this strategic plan has been formulated to determine the future course of action for the next five years (July 2005 - June 2009).

2.1 Though the universal recognition for the concern of ICT has become an integral part of freedom for people to guide their civilized states for the last five decades or so, the concept of democratic freedom for all and the need for protection of the rights of the weaker and vulnerable sectors of the population in Nepal is a recent phenomenon. Over the past years of its working life, Idea Action has learned many good lessons about how it should plan its events for a better future by making the most out of its past experiences.

2.2 Idea Action’s commitment towards its future actions are rooted on the following realities:

2.2.1 The past four decades of development efforts in Nepal could not bring about a discernible improvement in the living standard of the people. Increased chunk of the population remained in dismal poverty over the years instead. They remain trap in the vicious poverty excluded from any socio-economic and political development. The poor became poorer with their associated reasons of unequal land distribution, social exclusion, gender discrimination and absence of opportunities to basic education and health care. The state has not been able to protect and promote economic, social and cultural rights of people equally.

2.2.2 The state led development has failed due to the lack of good governance manifested in rampant corruption and lack of transparency, over-centralization of power, absence of accountability, non-adherence to the rule of law, and lack of punitive actions against the transgressors. It has also failed to maintain law and order and mobilise people's participation in the process of administering rules and regulations.

2.2.3 Employing child labour and their exploitation is rising. ICT Access to the primary school education is still a big difficulty for those who live below the poverty line. Even some of them manage to enrol; their dropout rate is quite high.

2.2.4 The democratic system, which is nearly a decade old, has been filled with mistrust. Most of the grassroots level people have no faith upon the capacity of basic state institutions to solve the emerging problems of various kinds. This demands increased role of civil society organisations to overcome the ICT issues.

2.2.5 The electoral process as devised and practised in the country barely reflects the genuine choice of the candidates. The violators of law can easily make it a means of capturing state power. Some political leaders and their activists involved in different political parties have been turned criminal and such people are defiantly protected or even elevated to the higher positions in the state machinery. The wrong doers are blatantly rewarded, which mocks the established norms of a civilised and law abiding society. Poor people are compelled to tolerate and accept dehumanising act, as they have no grip over solving the issues encountered.

2.2.6 The state lacks willingness and capability to analyse the implications of various programmes supported by the donors. As the government has no strong aid policy, some donor agencies have been able to pursue the policies of their concerns more than to concentrate on the local preferences.

2.2.7 The new information technology has dramatically changed and revolutionised the way business is carried out in the modern sectors. However, these innovations largely bypass the masses and they often are the victims of such changes.

3 Idea Action’s ACHIEVEMENTS TO-DATE

Started with Education / awareness building and literacy programs as well as ICT solutions for empowering the social organization and poor people of Kathmandu Valley two years ago, Idea Action has significantly moved ahead. Some of its key achievements are summarized below:

Activities and Initiatives

Special Initiatives
3.1.1 Launch of WSIS Youth South Asia: WSIS Youth South Asia was established in 2003 in collaboration with other youth led ICT institutions to deal with ICT and youth issues in the region. Idea Action has been hosted its secretariat since 2004.
3.1.2 Launch of WSIS Youth Nepal: Similarly it has also launched WSIS Youth Nepal.

Recent Activities
3.2.1 ICT Implementation project
HRERLIC-Nepal a youth focused & volunteer youth led rural human rights organization, which has 950 human Rights Clubs, 16 District Committees and 10,000 committed Activists in Nepal. Before 2001, it was running under the traditional culture. Many organizations never reply its queries because of emails generally go to junk email category using the hotmail account because it had only one hotmail account. After the development of its web site, email account and after receiving ICT training, they realized being into another world. Idea Action is paying the amount of the Rs. 2000.00 ($26) per year for the space of 10 MB and providing free of cost domain (www.humanrights.org.np).

Now a day, it has been recognized at national and international level through its general concern of ICT. All youth human rights activities were excited in their work and communicating frequently with low cost through email. This organization has created partnership in the national/ international arena like, oneworld.net And U.K, Bangkok & India that are some examples of this organization’s representative in conference and workshop as resource persons and facilitators. On March 2004, many people from different walks of life had come in its 3rd national Human Rights conference & youth camp as observer from different countries

3.2.2 Youth involvement for creative development
We are working in Lamjung District at Bhorletar Valley with the help of our local partner organizations Green Valley (Bhorletar) and Gomati Youth center (Karaputar) on "youth involvement for creative development" where green valley accumulated funds worth (50 thousands) themselves for Female/youth skill development training, road build up and youth mobilized sports programmes. As a result, female are out of kitchen, now they are known as a leader of community and entrepreneurs. Similarly, Gomati Youth Center has started awareness and advocacy campaign on Education, Health & Culture and they are full responsible on all most of local festivals & cultural programmes. This type of public participation comprising of youth should be a replica for the movement of Youth itself.

Regular Activities

3.1 Website: Idea Action has a maintained web site, which is frequently updated and has earned reputation as a resourceful centre. The web site has gained recognition worldwide.

3.2 Catering 'information for awareness' through E-Bulletin, Websites and Articles

3.3 Conducting action researches on various ICT, Development and social topics.

3.4 Web Development: It has developed lots of social organization’s website as well.

3.5 Youths’ awareness: Idea Action organized programs in raising Youths’ awareness in different modes of time in the country. It organised a seminar in which the participants discussed about the appropriate ICT that the country needed.

3.6 Study on the Youth Tele-Centre: Idea conducted comprehensive research to reveal the facts about Youth Tele-Centre situation through a study of Youth Tele-Centre Nepal in 2004

3.7 Study on the Rural Communication: Idea Action has made a draft about Rural Connection through Internet

3.8 Youth Tele-Centre: Idea provides low cost Internet access and free of cost information from its partner organizations.

3.9 ICT Support: Idea Action has supported web page and multimedia sections for several community based organizations. It was involved in ICT Syllabus Development.

3.10 ICT Training Centre: Idea Action imparts ICT education to the unprivileged communities. Participatory approach is followed for the ICT education courses offered with literacy as an entry point. The ICT education programme is supported through training for local volunteers. These programmes have left significant impact for the creation of agents helpful for transformation at the local level, hence to muster the support for people’s empowerment. Idea has managed ICT training programmes through its partner organizations for different organizations and poor people.

3.11 Monitoring of the national and international ICT Actions: Idea as observations and monitoring lots of national and international ICT Actions. And study national and international policy and strategy. .

3.12 Information compilation and dissemination system: Idea has developed national mechanism for the purpose of collecting relevant ICT related information. This method is also useful in the dissemination of information for wider public awareness.

3.13 Establishment of ICT organisations at the district levels: Idea promoted establishment of ICT organisations in some districts of Nepal, including in the most remote areas. It has been playing supportive role in strengthening their capacities.

3.14 Collaborative relation with the organisations working in the field of ICT: Idea Action has developed collaborative relation with the like-minded organisations for co-ordination and greater impacts. In this context, it has joined hands with the UN agencies, INGOs, NGOs, GOs, Trade Unions, Academicians and the international ICT and Media ICT Organisations, as for example, WSIS, One world.net, TIG, WSIS South Asia, Sea Tech, NICE. This organisation has also been working in relation with the ICT Community performing the co-ordinating role.

3.15 Member of the network: Idea as a network for coalition for WSIS. TIG, One World.

4. INSTITUTIONAL FORMATION

Idea Action is a membership-based organization.

Over the years, it has thus been functioning with the following structure.

4.1 Executive Board
Idea Action has seven board members among the general members. The board is lead by a president with vice president, secretary, treasurer and members. As per the operations, the president is responsible for day-to-day executive dealings, extract funding for the programmes as agreed upon and ensure program implementations. The president provides overall organizational leadership, and the treasurer is responsible for the monetary and accounting management. Scrutinizing functional responsibility to the members and an effective oversight are the reform agenda for future.

4.2 General Assembly
General Assembly is the main forum that elects the Executive Board adopts policies and programmes and entrusts the Board with necessary responsibilities to implement the programmes. This is, in this sense, an apex policy-body.

4.3 Implementation Formation

Ų Creative (Planning & Research) Division

Ų Programme implementation Division

Ų Administration and Finance Division

The offices are the main medium that transmits the policies into actions;
Central Office: Kathmandu, the central office is headed by the president.

4. 3.1 Skill Development Unit
This unit is concerned with National and international ICT organizations and their activities and policies. Its task is to perceive the directions of ICT emission worldwide.

4. 3.2 ICT Documentation, Dissemination and Monitoring Unit
This unit shall cover the activities such as information network, verification and update of ICT position, ICT profiles, interaction and sharing of information, maintaining and updating ICT materials in the library and web sites, and ICT awards.

4.3.3 Education, Advocacy & Awareness Unit
This unit shall take care of ICT education and literacy programs, community ICT leadership building, ICT education and awareness, material development, ICT support, training and facilitation, networking, research, seminar, and need based interactions.