Purpose: The NDC and Masader provide technologies and tools to facilitate exchanges of credible and broadly based information on development. The site serves a diverse audience of development professionals, civic and cultural communities, international aid agencies, aid recipients, academics, professional groups, product and service providers, the media and others. It seeks to optimize local, national and international initiatives by providing internet-based systems to coordinate efforts and foster learning. If you have questions about this policy, please e-mail us.
Content Management: The NDC and Masader have established a "guided" system of development information based on the editorial judgment of selected individuals and organizations that have demonstrated a public record for both objectivity and openness. Guides are responsive to direction from advisors who are also experts in the subject area, and who themselves are drawn from a wide range of institutions and stakeholders. The overriding goal is to ensure an open and pluralistic content system dedicated to quality and diversity. The NDC and Masader users must be able to trust that the selection of resources, issues, discussion topics, news and technical data on the site is unbiased, and is based solely on fact, careful analysis and the perceived needs of the NDC and Masader audiences. This challenge of coupling Internet technologies with sound human judgment - in a manner that is both open and professionally sound - is at the core of the editorial policy of the NDC and Masader. Individuals and organizations with special development expertise or concerns are encouraged to become involved in the NDC and Masader. The NDC and Masader teams envision strong involvement from both users and partner organizations in developing content.
Support: The NDC and Masader will receive financial support from a variety of grants, in-kind services and project contracts from international development agencies, foundations, individuals and private concerns. All such relationships will be listed on the site, and the NDC and Masader accept support only on the condition that editorial independence is maintained. Where logos of such supporters appear on the site, they will be labeled "partner" or "sponsor."
Links: The NDC and Masader guides or editors are under no obligation to link to any site. Their sole criterion is usefulness for the intended audience. Links and resources are periodically checked for suitability. The NDC and Masader nevertheless cannot guarantee the accuracy or reliability of the information drawn from the links or resource communities, and assumes no responsibility for the timeliness or validity of the information derived from them.
Errata: The NDC and Masader are committed to correcting quickly any errors of fact or interpretation that stem from decisions or actions of the editorial staff. Where a question of interpretation is in dispute, the NDC and Masader staff will make all reasonable efforts to arbitrate the issue before making a final decision.
Paid Advertising: The NDC and Masader may in the future accept paid advertising in the form of banners, sponsorships, company listings and special advertising sections. Because this relationship must be transparent and clear to the user, the line between content and commerce must remain clear. All financial support is contingent on allowing the NDC and Masader to maintain complete freedom in selecting the information it presents to users. Advertisements or links to sponsors are clearly delineated.
Gifts: The NDC and Masader employees are required to refuse offers that could be misconstrued by the giver or give the impression to users that the NDC and Masader are beholden to any specific donors or companies. This includes the acceptance of gifts of more than nominal value, non-business travel, or other inducements.
- It is prohibited to knowingly publish content containing false, defamatory or classified information as well as links and any other referrals to such materials. Any such messages will be immediately removed and violators may be disconnected from Masader.
- It is permissible to only publish content that is either public or that the publisher has legal right or permission to publish. By posting any message the publisher agrees to hold Masader developers harmless from any and all liability arising from your posting.
- Users may NOT post any messages or materials that are obscene, violent, abusive, threatening or designed to harass or intimidate other person.
- Participants are assumed to be speaking in their own capacity, unless they explicitly states otherwise.
- Any information on Masader is open for personal use only. Any commercial use such as reprinting in mass media is allowed only after specific permission from Masader is obtained.
- By posting a message on Masader the publisher authorizes the Masader team and other readers to personally use that information with proper citing of Masader as the source. Masader also reserves full rights to publish any of the messages in full or partially.
- Masader reserves the right to modify or add rules in this "Code of Ethics"