IT for Change (ITfC) is a NGO located in Bangalore, India, that works for an innovative and effective use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) to promote socio-economic change in the global South. Current Information Society and ‘ICTs for development’ (ICTD) approaches predominantly represent Northern realities and perspectives, tending to favour market-fundamentalist thinking and valorising technology per se. They fail to integrate fundamental ethical cornerstones of development like participation, social justice and equity. Unfortunately, the development sector and, particularly, progressive groups, are mostly not equipped to deal with the challenge of influencing the direction of change being shaped by the emerging techno-social models and paradigms. We identify this as a major blind spot in the global struggle towards progressive ideals and addressing this is a task we have set for ourselves.
IT for Change works on research, advocacy and field work, organised in six thematic areas:
- Development and IS: Political Economy of the Information Society and ICTDs
- Community Informatics
- Technology Governance
- Gender
- Governance
- Education