Digital Innovation Library

Launched in 2016, the Digital Innovation Library is an interactive platform designed to showcase the wide range of digital activities that are taking place across the Global South to explore some of the issues prominent in media development, such as supporting participation and inclusion, or holding those in power to account. In a media development context, DW Akademie sees digital innovation as something that improves, that is, adds value to freedom of expression and access to information within a specific context. The idea for the Digital Innovation Library came from DW Akademie's "Advancing Freedom of Expression" study, which examined digital innovation in 16 initiatives from Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East. These 16 initiatives are the first to be showcased in the library, but others will follow.

DW Akademie has identified 4 functions that media development projects need to address in order to achieve freedom of expression and access to information: access to information, creating a public sphere, supporting participation and inclusion, and holding to account. You can learn more about each of these functions by clicking on them in the thematic search section of the library. There are 6 topics that are relevant to a number of the initial 16 projects, namely: accountability, community empowerment, environment, healthcare, violence, and transparency.

Digital Innovation Library is an interactive experience where users can learn about the different aspects of digital innovation within the realms of media development and can explore different methodologies and technologies currently being utilised by projects in the Global South. The user is able to browse the site in 2 ways: he or she can use the "Discover" section, using an interactive feature, to get an overview of what approaches, technologies, topics, or functions of media development are being used by different projects; the "Thematic Search" section provides background information on each of the categories above and identify what projects are doing in these different areas. Each project featured in the library has an accompanying factsheet, photogallery, and "Behind the Scene" interview with the project founder(s).

DW Akademie is looking out for new projects to showcase that are pushing the boundaries within their respective countries to ensure freedom of expression and access to information using digital technologies. Visit the website to propose a project. It does not need to be a media project as such, but it does need to contribute in some way to advancing Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: "Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers". According to DW Akademie, advancing Article 19 is not just about supporting a free and uncensored media; it is also about helping create the conditions for everyone, regardless of circumstances such as their gender, age, education, technical ability, financial circumstances, or mother tongue, to express their ideas and access information. "Article 19 is vital in supporting other human rights because people need to be able to freely access and share ideas and information in order to make informed decisions, know their rights and hold those in power to account."