NetHope, USAID and DNA Foundation Launch Mobile Trafficking App Contest in Russia and the Region
NetHope, USAID and DNA Foundation launch mobile trafficking app contest in Russia and the Region. Grand Prize winner wins $15,000, a trip to Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meeting and implementation of his or her application in Russia to combat human trafficking.
Washington, DC, June 16, 2011 --(PR.com)-- NetHope, USAID and the Demi & Ashton Foundation (DNA) are calling on technology developers in Russia and the region to design mobile applications for their Stop Human Trafficking App Challenge (http://www.nethope.org/appchallenge), which aims to raise public awareness of trafficking and deliver prevention messages and services to vulnerable populations and victims via Information and Communication Technology (ICT).
This contest draws upon the thriving culture of innovation in Russia to respond to one of today’s most pressing development challenges – sex and labor trafficking. Only those from Russia, Eastern Europe, and the Commonwealth of Independent States are eligible to submit apps for the competition.
“Traffickers in the region are increasingly using mobile technology to lure vulnerable people into modern-day slavery. The Stop Human Trafficking App Challenge makes mobile technology part of the solution,” says Alison Padget, program manager for the NetHope anti-trafficking project. This program is part of NetHope and USAID’s Global Broadband and Innovations Alliance (GBI).
Contest entrants will have until mid-day Moscow time on August 8, 2011 to upload videos of their apps to the contest site. Stakeholders including Russian anti-trafficking organizations, international non-governmental organizations, technology companies and the public will be invited to view the videos and vote on their favorites.
The top 10 applications from the online voting round will advance to the final round, where apps will be evaluated by a panel of judges selected by NetHope, USAID and DNA.
The apps will be evaluated on usefulness to prevent trafficking, raise awareness, or provide services to victims; innovativeness; functionality; ease of use; potential for taking to scale (widespread use across several countries); linkages to existing or realistic anti-trafficking activities; and capability to support multiple languages.
The Grand Prize winner will receive $15,000 and travel expenses to the 2011 Annual Meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) in New York, New York. First Prize winner will receive $10,000 and travel expenses to the meeting.
The winning Grand Prize application will be implemented by an organization working to combat human trafficking in Russia. The purpose of the pilot will be to test the usefulness of the application in combating trafficking in Russia. If the pilot is successful, the application will be made available more broadly across the region.
The winners will be announced by early September 2011.
About NetHope
NetHope, Inc., which started in 2001, is a new-generation collaboration of the international community’s leading nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) representing over $40 billion (USD) of emergency relief, human development and conservation programs in more than 180 countries. Through member collaboration and by facilitating public-private partnerships with major technology companies, NetHope enables members to leverage their technology investments to better serve their end beneficiaries. For more information, visit www.nethope.org.
About DNA Foundation
Believing that freedom is a basic human right, Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher founded The Demi and Ashton Foundation (DNA) to raise awareness about child sex slavery, change the cultural stereotypes that facilitate this horrific problem, and rehabilitate innocent victims. DNA is a U.S.-based nonprofit organization. For more information please visit http://www.demiandashton.org.
About Global Broadband and Innovations Alliance
The Global Broadband and Innovations Alliance (GBI) is a collaborative initiative between NetHope and USAID that focuses on solving today’s most pressing global development challenges through the expansion of broadband and mobile connectivity. Through the GBI Alliance, NetHope and USAID will continue to encourage innovation and drive connectivity through a host of programs. For more information, visit http://gbiportal.net.
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This contest draws upon the thriving culture of innovation in Russia to respond to one of today’s most pressing development challenges – sex and labor trafficking. Only those from Russia, Eastern Europe, and the Commonwealth of Independent States are eligible to submit apps for the competition.
“Traffickers in the region are increasingly using mobile technology to lure vulnerable people into modern-day slavery. The Stop Human Trafficking App Challenge makes mobile technology part of the solution,” says Alison Padget, program manager for the NetHope anti-trafficking project. This program is part of NetHope and USAID’s Global Broadband and Innovations Alliance (GBI).
Contest entrants will have until mid-day Moscow time on August 8, 2011 to upload videos of their apps to the contest site. Stakeholders including Russian anti-trafficking organizations, international non-governmental organizations, technology companies and the public will be invited to view the videos and vote on their favorites.
The top 10 applications from the online voting round will advance to the final round, where apps will be evaluated by a panel of judges selected by NetHope, USAID and DNA.
The apps will be evaluated on usefulness to prevent trafficking, raise awareness, or provide services to victims; innovativeness; functionality; ease of use; potential for taking to scale (widespread use across several countries); linkages to existing or realistic anti-trafficking activities; and capability to support multiple languages.
The Grand Prize winner will receive $15,000 and travel expenses to the 2011 Annual Meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) in New York, New York. First Prize winner will receive $10,000 and travel expenses to the meeting.
The winning Grand Prize application will be implemented by an organization working to combat human trafficking in Russia. The purpose of the pilot will be to test the usefulness of the application in combating trafficking in Russia. If the pilot is successful, the application will be made available more broadly across the region.
The winners will be announced by early September 2011.
About NetHope
NetHope, Inc., which started in 2001, is a new-generation collaboration of the international community’s leading nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) representing over $40 billion (USD) of emergency relief, human development and conservation programs in more than 180 countries. Through member collaboration and by facilitating public-private partnerships with major technology companies, NetHope enables members to leverage their technology investments to better serve their end beneficiaries. For more information, visit www.nethope.org.
About DNA Foundation
Believing that freedom is a basic human right, Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher founded The Demi and Ashton Foundation (DNA) to raise awareness about child sex slavery, change the cultural stereotypes that facilitate this horrific problem, and rehabilitate innocent victims. DNA is a U.S.-based nonprofit organization. For more information please visit http://www.demiandashton.org.
About Global Broadband and Innovations Alliance
The Global Broadband and Innovations Alliance (GBI) is a collaborative initiative between NetHope and USAID that focuses on solving today’s most pressing global development challenges through the expansion of broadband and mobile connectivity. Through the GBI Alliance, NetHope and USAID will continue to encourage innovation and drive connectivity through a host of programs. For more information, visit http://gbiportal.net.
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NetHope
Paige Dearing
703 388 2845
www.NetHope.org
Paige Dearing
703 388 2845
www.NetHope.org
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