VOL. 2, NO. 6 (DECEMBER 1987)

Civil Rights Monitor

The CIVIL RIGHTS MONITOR is a quarterly publication that reports on civil rights issues pending before the three branches of government. The Monitor also provides a historical context within which to assess current civil rights issues. Back issues of the Monitor are available through this site. Browse or search the archives

Volume 2, Number 6

Digital Opportunity Partnership:

Baseline Needs Assessment Survey

A Baseline Needs Assessment Survey * Technology Leadership Forums * Circuit Rider Partnership * Civilrights.org * Technology Assistance Forums * Digital Opportunity Public Service Announcement (PSA) Campaign *Communications and Technology Policy Initiative

To ensure the national civil rights community has the needed information to design a program to address its technology needs in a coordinated manner, the first step in undertaking the Digital Opportunity Partnership was to develop and administer a baseline survey for national civil rights organizations.

The baseline survey served two primary purposes:

1) to provide an accurate picture of the level and depth of the national civil rights community's access to and utilization of advanced information technologies; and,

2) to gauge the national civil rights community's current understanding and involvement in various communication and information technology policies.

In 2000, the Leadership Conference sent surveys to approximately 130 of its member organizations. Sixty-eight organizations submitted completed or partically completed surveys. The results of the surveys were analyzed and summarized in a report, "From Digital Disconnect To Digital Empowerment."

The report found that:

1) national civil and human rights groups are struggling to join their for-profit counterparts in harnessing information technology to advance their missions; and

2) more importantly, national civil and human rights organizations are not at the table when decisions on public policies that set the fundamental rules of engagement for the digital age are being made.

The report concludes that the time for leadership, investment and collaboration to most effectively leverage new communications advances is now. Toward this end, the report includes a series of recommendations directed to the civil rights, foundation, and business communities that are designed to ensure that all segments of society are able to participate fully in the Digital Age.

The conclusions of the report call for a closer examination of how new information technologies affect traditional civil rights issues, including equality of educational opportunity, civic engagement, media diversity, equal and nondiscriminatory access to essential services, and equal employment opportunity and job training.

Read more. "From Digital Disconnect To Digital Empowerment." was made possible throught the generous support of the Markle Foundation, the Ford Foundation, and the AOL Time Warner Foundation.