[governance] How do we engender effective participation from developing countries (Africa)?

[kwasi boakye-akyeampong]

Suresh writes:
  "Or find some way to actually mentor fellows from the start to finish - so
that they can be drawn into the process. And improve fellowship selection
so that finding quality people from a particular location takes priority
over the usual CS catchphrases like "inclusive"."

  And I coundn't agree more with him. He was trying to make a point by suggesting hosting events in some remote and obscure place. That may be less attractive to those who don't really mean business.
   
  I'm not sure how it's going to be done but I believe strengthening regional structures is one possible solution. That way selection of participants for global CS/ IG related events will come from the regions themselves but not from a panel who may not have an idea who those they are selecting are and their motives for participation. Participants will then be made accountable to their respective regions.
   
  Kwasi

Suresh Ramasubramanian <suresh at hserus.net> wrote:
  kwasi boakye-akyeampong [10/12/07 12:30 +0000]:
> Good point Milton. What is the point in giving fellowships to people
> from a certain part of the world x times a year to attend meetings,
> conferences, workshops, etc., when things remain largely the same. Is
> anybody taking stock?

As the fellowships chair for the APRICOT network operators conference -
http://www.apricot.net - what I do is give fellowships for the annual
apricot meeting to 20 people from developing economies, who work in the
network operator community, and would benefit from APRICOT.

I can say that the fellowships program is a mixed bag. Occasionally you get
some really good people who actually contribute to the program, and are
doing quite a lot of good work in their countries .. work which can be
supplemented (with resources, expertise, some funding) by others they meet
at such events. Quite often you get people you hope will do good, but
actually treat the fellowship as an expenses paid holiday to somewhere nice

One possible solution is doing events at cities that don't really have much
to recommend them (aka not "tourist destinations" like Rio). Doing the next
IGF at a polluted, expensive place like New Delhi would be a great idea -
or do it in Manila, Minneapolis, somewhere like that.

Or find some way to actually mentor fellows from the start to finish - so
that they can be drawn into the process. And improve fellowship selection
so that finding quality people from a particular location takes priority
over the usual CS catchphrases like "inclusive".

Ideally both of these.

srs
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