Alumni
Fellows profiles
Asanga Babilakoon
“Cyber Security” is one of the most critical concerns of the information age as cyber threats have become one of the biggest global issues of our time. In order to address this issue international co-operation, sharing best practices among countries and capacity building is needed.
CTO has carried out projects to develop a Commonwealth Approach for Developing National Cyber Security Strategies based on the Commonwealth Cybergovernance Model and drawing on operational Cybersecurity Strategies. This fellowship gave an opportunity to the fellow to research Cyber Security strategies and models in OECD countries and best practices used by other countries to develop a Commonwealth Cybergovernance model that member countries could benefit.
- Research on existing Cyber Governance Models and their principles in OECD and selected countries.
- Identification of the key factors to be included in the Commonwealth Cybergovernance Model.
- Develop and disseminate the final report of the research on Cybergovernance models and their principles.
Rhoda Gavor
Cybersecurity and Cybergovernance are main fields of work for the CTO in view of its implications to member countries and to the entire ICT sector. It is currently engaged in a major project to develop a Commonwealth Model on Cybergovernance, which is expected to be adopted by Commonwealth ICT Ministers at their conference in March 2014. The Fellow will help the CTO assist member countries to implement the various elements of the Cybergovernance Model. This Fellowship will provide an opportunity to the Fellow to gain a comprehensive understanding of Cybergovernance and to link up with some key decision makers.
- Study and refine the Cybergovernance Model according to the needs of individual CTO member countries.
- Design implementation roadmaps for individual CTO member countries
- Work with the CTO to establish contact with key stakeholders necessary for the implementation of the Model and set-up/coordinate technical assistance schemes.
- Develop and disseminate Final report Individual Country Models and Implementation Roadmaps across the Commonwealth.
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Vincent Museminali
Mobile Broadband has had a proven impact on development, particularly in developing countries with limited fixed networks. The CTO has been actively promoting Broadband, including Mobile Broadband, and has been engaging with relevant organisations including the International Telecommunications Union and the Alliance for Affordable Internet. Along with partners, the CTO is due to start work on designing Broadband Strategies for those Commonwealth countries that lack such strategies. The Fellow will be a part of the CTO team that will work on developing Broadband Strategies for Commonwealth countries. Through the work, the Fellow will gain exposure to emerging trends in Broadband including novel applications.
- Examine selected Broadband Strategies to develop a customisable Broadband Strategy Template that can be used by countries to develop their individual Broadband Strategy.
- Survey Commonwealth countries and identify those without Broadband Strategies.
- Identify key stakeholders for Broadband Strategy Development within the identified countries and establish contact with them.
- Dissemination of the Broadband Strategy Template and building links between the key stakeholders and the CTO in view of assisting these countries develop their Broadband Strategy.
Siphiwo Christopher Ngeni
Though youths are early adaptors of ICTs, their use of ICTs often appears to be limited for social and entertainment purposes. In particular, youth engagement in governance agendas is widely considered to be limited. With the advent of e-Governance agendas and exponential growth of connectivity, ICTs provide a powerful channel for youth to engage in governance issues in a meaningful manner and become active partners of the democratic process. The Fellow will work with the CTO staff to examine the scope for youth to engage in governance and development through ICTs. In addition to gaining knowledge on a range of initiatives, the Fellow will also be able to broaden his/her network.
- Survey the Youth and ICT initiatives in the Commonwealth, including activities carried out by the Commonwealth Secretariat’s Youth Section which seek to promote youth engagement in governance and development and could potentially benefit from an ICT element. Prepare a compendium of initiatives, projects and practices that seek to promote youth engagement in governance and development.
- Identify successful and replicable initiatives, pre-requisites and implementation challenges, paying particular attention to those that could be implemented in South Africa, ideally as multi-stakeholder partnerships.
- Work with the CTO to disseminate the compendium of knowledge to key decision makers of CTO member countries. Establish contact with the principal actors of initiatives that have a high degree of adoption in South Africa with a view to obtaining implementation support. Work with the CTO staff in implementing selected initiatives in South Africa, through the Department of Education, where the Fellow is employed.
Joseph Nyiringabo
Though ICTs theoretically have the potential to empower people with physical and mental disabilities, thereby providing an opportunity for such people to lead more fulfilled lives, the reality has been disappointingly different. The CTO is championing the use of ICTs as means through which inclusion can be enhanced. The Fellow is expected to examine the compendium of global initiatives to identify their adoptability to his home country. The Fellow will have an opportunity to closely liaise with and learn from international organisations as well as disabilities associations and organisations.
- Examine global initiatives and develop a compendium of global initiatives that can be adoptable in his home country as well as other Commonwealth Countries.
- Identify challenges and constraints that influence the outcome of initiatives; Identify and establish contact with key stakeholders his home country with a view to obtaining implementation support.
- Prepare a catalogue of initiatives that can be adopted in his home country and leverage ICTs to assist people with disabilities practically, and develop Implementation Roadmaps for each initiative.
- Dissemination of the report and building links between the key experts in this field and the CTO.
Nirmala Ramjhuria
Capacity building is one of the key services the CTO offers to its members. It’s Programme for Development and Training has been operating for over 25 years, delivering more than 40 training courses every year on all aspects of ICTs. The Fellow will assist CTO staff in aligning the CTO’s capacity building programmes with the changing needs of the ICT sector. As a result of the Fellowship, while learning the range of capacity building offerings of the CTO, the Fellow will be able to develop a capacity building programme for her organisation.
- Undertake a capacity building need analysis of a sample of institutions in CTO member countries including the Fellow’s organisation.
- Undertake a gap analysis to identify needs gaps that the CTO’s programmes need to address. Identify needs gaps of her organisation.
- Working with the CTO, develop a CTO Capacity Building Programme that addresses the gaps identified. Using the Capacity Building programme as the blueprint, develop a Capacity Building Programme specifically for her organisation.
- Preparation and dissemination of the Final Reports across the Commonwealth.
Public Utilities Regulatory Authority of the Gambia
Work programme: Child On-line Protection
Solo Sima
The CTO and the International Telecommunication Union are implementing a project titled Child Online Protection (COP), an international collaborative network that promote the online protection of children by taking a holistic approach, across the Commonwealth starting with six African countries; Cameroon, Ghana, Gambia, Mauritius, Nigeria and Sierra Leone. The initiative was launched at the CTO Council meeting in October 2012 and the individual country plans were adopted at the Commonwealth Cybersecurity Forum in April 2013. The Fellow was the primary point of contact for Gambia for the COP project and has led the in-country team when developing the national plan which is currently being implemented.
The candidate will have an opportunity to work closely with the global organisations such as the ITU and experts in the field. Moreover the candidate will have an opportunity to engage with the Commonwealth Cybercrime Initiative which has been set up to assist Commonwealth countries to improve their Cybersecurity frameworks.
- Study and understand initiatives and projects (other than COP) aimed at protecting children online. Identify key stakeholders, organisations and experts. Identify the outcomes of the Commonwealth Cybercrime Initiative and identify ways in which that initiative could help protect children online.
- Monitor the implementation of COP country plans in the 6 countries, identify challenges and constraints, work with the CTO and ITU team to refine the implementation process.
- Establish contact with key stakeholders such as the Commonwealth Secretariat, Childnet etc and identify support the Fellow’s country could gain
- Evaluate and prepare a report on the potential adoption of COP across the Commonwealth.
