e-TALANOA www.spc.int Issue 6 — 2011 Pacific Legislatures Hearing on HIV and ICT Pacific legislators, legislative staff and SPC staff at the joint hearing in New Zealand The Pacific Legislatures for Population Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Contents and Governance (PLPG) in partnership New Zealand, Niue, Palau, Samoa, Tonga with the Pacific Islands HIV and STI and Tuvalu who are currently serving or From PICTO.......................................... 2 Response Fund and the Secretariat of the intending to serve as champions in either Pacific Community’s Pacific ICT Outreach advocacy for the prevention of HIV and (PICTO) Programme hosted the Pacific other STIs or promoting ICT as a tool for CRGA 41 supports SPC’s work in the Pacific ICT sector................................. 4 Legislatures Hearing on HIV and ICT at development. the Novotel Hotel, Auckland International SPC and UNDP join hands to assist The hearing focused on two distinct Airport in Auckland, New Zealand from Kiribati Parliament............................. 5 13–15 December 2011. components – The fight against HIV and STIs and the use of ICT as a key tool for Samoa Members of Parliament The three-day intensive joint hearing was sustainable development and took the taking the lead in ICT Training.......... 6 made possible with the support of the HIV form of panel discussions and inter-active & STI Section and the Grant Management exchanges with experts in the fields of HIV SPC conducts training on Web Unit of SPC’s Public Health Division. and ICT. 2.0 tools and social media for information sharing........................... 7 The Hearing was chaired by the Deputy The hearing also recognised the Framework Speaker of Parliament of Cook Islands, for Action on ICT for Development in PacINET 2011 - American Samoa...... 8 Hon. Tai Tura, deputising for Sir Geoffrey the Pacific as a guide to developing Henry KBE, Speaker of Parliament of the and improving information and USP connected to the International Cook Islands and Chair of the Executive communication technology (ICT) services Space Station...................................... 9 Committee of PLPG who was unable to to support development, strengthen attend due to parliamentary commitments governance and improve the livelihoods of News from the region......................... 10 in Cook Islands. communities in the Pacific region. Octopus Conference & Budapest The hearing brought together legislators cont'd on pg 3 Convention 10th anniversary and legislative staff from Australia, Cook meeting............................................... 11 Produced by: Pacific ICT Outreach Programme, Economic Development Division, Secretariat of the Pacific Community, Suva, Fiji e-TALANOA — Issue 6 From PICTO Siaosi Sovaleni Manager Pacific ICT Outreach Programme (PICTO) Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC), Fiji It’s that time of the year when we all indulge in some Unfortunately, the Pacific countries policy and legislative R&R and heavy duty emailing, chatting, texting, browsing frameworks on ICT (and Internet) are still weak. We etc. The festive season provides an ideal time to find only have one Pacific country that has a dedicated and reacquaint with old friends and make new friends legislation for computer crimes while a further five especially with Web 2.0 tools and social networking. countries have provisions in related legislation (such as in These tools bring with them the convenience and ease of telecommunication) that address some aspects of cyber communicating with friends and family in an affordable crimes. We also have only one country that specifically manner. has legislation to criminalise spam. Cybercrime is a key area in the endorsed regional Framework for Action on Having said that, there is also a flip side to this — the ICT for Development in the Pacific (FAIDP) and a lot of danger and risks of using such online tools. I am not a fear partners are active in this area. A lot of efforts are now monger but I do believe that it is necessary to know the focused on ensuring that these partners work together as ‘goods’ and the ‘bads’ of using these tools. We have heard a team rather than in competition with each other. stories of long lost or childhood friends being reunited by facebook and even the Arab spring when Facebook Cybercrime and safety in not just a local or regional and Twitter replace AK47 and bombs as the mean for problem, it is a global problem and as such need to be revolution. But we have also heard horror stories about tackled accordingly. We need to have local legislation that families losing their homes to online fraud and scams, are based on best practices and criminalise the misuse of theft, and child pornography. ICT. We also need to ensure that these legislation and tools are harmonised and can be used to effectively collaborate With the increased use of ICT, the potential number of with other countries in recognition of the trans-national victims also increase and sadly our children tend to be nature of cybercrime. the most vulnerable. We need to educate ICT users and especially children about appropriate use of ICT and So while I encourage all of you to use ICT, especially the certain ‘donts’ they need to be mindful of. Internet, to catch up with friends and news, just be safe! Some useful sites for advices and tools to use make use Happy New Year. of internet safer include New Zealand Netsafe Inc (www. netsafe.org.nz) and Australia’s Stay Smart Online (www. staysmartonline.gov.au/) Upcoming events e-Talanoa The name of the newsletter ‘e-talanoa’ came from merging the word ‘talanoa’, which largely means talking / communicating / sharing in most Expert Group Meeting on Geo-reference Pacific languages, with ‘e’ denoting electronic. Disaster Risk Management Information E-talanoa encapsulates the convergence of System in Asia-Pacific Region the traditional and the modern means of The 43rd Meeting of ICANN will communication and sharing of ideas and news. 15-17 February 2012 be held from March 11 to 16 in United Nations Conference Centre (UNCC) San Jose (Costa Rica). Bangkok, Thailand 2 e-TALANOA — Issue 6 cont'd from pg 1 The delegates endorsed the outcome of Cyber Safety and Security accessibility, availability and the Hearing on Thursday 15 December, g. acknowledge the concern about online affordability of ICT for people with which is summarised as follows: challenges such as identify theft, disabilities. online scam, loss of privacy, computer ICT for Development The delegates: security, online bullying (cyber bullying), child sex abuse materials EU ACP ICT Access for the Poor project and pornography, and copyright o. recognise the challenges in the (SPC) infringement; effective application of ICTs for development and the key factors in a. appreciate the assistance of EU and h. recognise the need for Pacific countries the design and implementation of ACP through the ICT Access for the to have internet safety programmes; ICT for development projects and Poor project in supporting the Hearing i. acknowledge the key role that Netsafe programmes. and recognize the key role of the project (and cyber [smart]) plays and the in supporting and strengthening strategic partnership formed by SPC Capacity Building Pacific ACP Parliaments; with Netsafe to assist Pacific countries p. acknowledge that the Pacific countries b. acknowledge the work done by the address online challenges and establish lack ICT capacity and that ICT Project including; ICT technical national internet safety programmes; capacity building is a key focus area of assistance, ICT capacity building, and provision of online resources through the Framework for Action on ICT for j. recognise the potential key role of www.e-pic.info, the development of the Development in the Pacific (FAIDP); The Orb for cybercrime and offence offline resources, website development, and reporting and the potential adaptation supporting members of Parliaments to q. recognise that Pacific ACP Parliaments for use of the Pacific countries. participate in key regional meetings; need ICT Capacity Building and the and value of Train the Trainers (ToT) Accessible ICT c. request SPC to form strategic approach. k. recognise that people with disabilities partnerships and seek resources to form a significant minority in Pacific continue providing this key ICT Emerging Issues Island countries and territories support to Pacific ACP Parliaments. r. recognise the need for members of and that they are amongst the most Parliament to be kept up to date with vulnerable and disadvantaged part of Internet rapid development in ICT; the community; d. note that the Internet has been the s. recognise the need for members to l. recognise that wide-ranging policies, fastest growing new media in history understand the benefits and challenges legislation and regulation will assist and that the challenge is still to of social networking (e.g Facebook, so that people with disabilities can promote and protect the Internet; twitter); participate equally in society; e. recognise the challenges that no new t. recognise the growing threat m. acknowledge that ICT is a significant Internet behaviours so existing laws of cybercrime and the attacks enabler and further recognize that usually can apply (e.g. fraud, theft, experienced by societies around the if used appropriately, ICT opens illegal content), some legislation (e.g. world underlines the need for countries opportunities for employment, anti-spam), policy development (e.g. to put in place a comprehensive set education and consequently e-waste disposal), self regulation of measures to protect their citizens. contributions by people with encouraged (e.g. peering) erquired; These measures include criminal law disabilities to the community as a and and criminal justice action; and whole; and f. recognise the need for reconciliation of n. recognise that inclusive u. recognise the urgent need to use and interests between telcos and ISPs may communications legislation as well dispose of ICT in an environmentally be necessary, that Governments are as policy on disability and ICT forms friendly manner and support the the key to the ongoing development of a foundation for implementation development of e-Waste strategy.