The Committee for Democracy in Information Technology (CDI) is a non-profit, non-governmental organization that, since 1995, has been pioneering an initiative to promote social inclusion by using information and communication technologies as tools to encourage active citizenship.

CDI implements educational programs in Brazil as well as in 10 other nations on 3 continents through its Information Technology and Citizens Rights Schools, mobilizing excluded segments of society and helping to transform their reality. They work in partnership with low-income community centers and special needs individuals including the visually impaired, mentally disabled, homeless children, prisoners, and indigenous populations. Learning new technologies not only expands job possibilities, but also gives access to knowledge and encourages social interchange. CDI believes this initiative contributes to changing the lives of individuals and has a profound impact on community development.

At the schools students learn how to use computers and software through a socio-educational approach developed by CDI - classes discuss issues of particular interest to their community, such as human rights, environment, sexual education, health and non-violence. Furthermore, the model is based on the concept of helping people help themselves. CDI trains the future teachers of the schools, who, in turn, will train others back in their communities. Each school is an autonomous unit, self-managed and self-sustainable through a symbolic contribution collected from its students. This fund covers the maintenance costs and the payment of instructors in an authentic social enterprise. Presently, there are 833 autonomous and self-sustaining Information Technology and Citizens Rights Schools using CDIs methodology and model concept. As a result of the organization's work, more than 536,900 children and young people have been trained in information technology and introduced to citizens rights.