International

February 1st "marked the beginning of a new era for charities in New Zealand" with the launch of the Charities Register under the Charities Act 2005. From then, the NZ Charities Commission will begin to receive voluntary applications for registration.

News item at http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0702/S00005.htm (note - we have had some problems with links disappearing on Scoop before).

A code of conduct to protect freedom of expression online is being created by Human Rights Watch and other social organisations and academics working with big technology names such as Google, Microsoft, Yahoo! and Vodafone.

Out-law.com news item at http://www.out-law.com/page-7682.

The United Nation's Non-Government Liaison Service has produced 'Debating NGO Accountability'. In pdf format, 341 kb, at http://www.un-ngls.org/site/article.php3?id_article=202.

(Via Aid Workers Network)

The 'VoIP-4D Primer' is available in four major languages, aimed at disseminating the use of telephony over the Internet (Voice over internet) in developing regions. Likely to be of use here too.

http://www.it46.se/voip4d/voip4d.php.

(Source: Nonprofit Online News)

Macdonald Youth Services, based in Winnipeg, Canada, has been using the low cost broadband telephony (VOIP) service Skype in working with online volunteers.

Chief executives' body acevo has been asked to increase the engagement of third sector leaders in influencing the G8 agenda. According to their press release, the 'Civil G8 international advisory committee' consisting of third sector leaders from the G8 countries was formed at the final session of the Civil G8 in Moscow on 2nd December.

The Canadian 'Values Added' initiative is, according to a recent Charity Village cover story, the culmination of much discourse and debate and the end result of the Voluntary Sector Awareness Project which has involved a large number of sector representatives.

These items came into the VolResource inbox in quick succession:

-- From Jakob Nielsen's weekly Alertbox on the Ditigal Divide: "The economic divide is a non-issue, but the usability and empowerment divides alienate huge population groups who miss out on the Internet's potential." We'd add that too many tech-savvy folks in the voluntary sector don't appreciate this 'understanding the web' digital divide - http://www.useit.com/alertbox/digital-divide.html.