Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs)
In the developed world,
information and communication technologies are influencing revolutionary changes
in the workplace and in society in general. In the developing world, many
places have not been reached by the information revolution. The potential
for these systems to promote and give impetus to the sustainable development of
these countries is unquestionable. However, in isolation, without a
careful strategy or agenda of development, ICTs will have little or no influence,
or might even result in negative impacts.
The United Nations
Commission on Sustainable Development (UNCSD) decided to address the ICT and
development topic at its third session in May 1997. Its Working Group's
review of the evidence regarding the implications of ICTs for developing
countries and countries in transition led it to conclude that there are
substantial indicators that the new technologies are transforming some sectors
of society. The Working Group concluded that governments and other stakeholders
must be called upon to design new roles for the public and business sectors to
enable ICTs to be harnessed to economic, social, and environmental development
goals.
To contribute to sustainable
development, therefore, besides supplying connectivity, ICT implementation must
be accompanied by public policy changes, improved evaluation, sharing of
knowledge generation and information, and more equitable access and use by
different social groups. The experience of Latin America and the Caribbean in
this regard can be reviewed in the report Paths Beyond Connectivity.
Focusing on the practical
aspects of implementation of ICTs in developing countries, the report Solving
the Connectivity Problem: Toward Digital Dividends in the Developing World
reviews strategies for providing access to rural and disadvantaged populations.
Examples of these include telecenters for community access; prepaid phonecards
and other strategies that have made mobile phones the only phones for many
subscribers in Africa and Asia; and the experience with targeted subsidies, such
as the "e-rate" for discounted Internet access for schools, libraries, and rural
clinics.
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LINKS TO
SITES RELEVANT TO ICTs AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
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The Academy for
Educational Development (AED)
Website provides links to documents describing comprehensive strategies or
approaches for applying ICTs in development, concept papers discussing the
theoretical and applied aspects of ICTs in development, and other links relevant
to ICTs in development.
http://learnlink.aed.org/Publications/home.htm
The Association for
Progressive Communications (APC)
Monthly e-bulletin on strategic uses of the Internet to promote social justice
and equality.
http://lists.apc.org/mailman/listinfo/apcnews
British Council
Monthly e-bulletin on Information Society developments within the United Kingdom
and around the world compiled by the
Information Management Research Institute (IMRI), University of Northumbria
on behalf of the British Council. The bulletin provides details of initiatives
and developments in the Information Society in the UK, along with relevant new
appointments and publications. There are also short summaries of European and
world developments in this area.
http://www.britishcouncil.org/infoexch/info@uk/info@uk.htm
InterAmerican Development
Bank (IDB) Information Technology for Development Unit
Webpage contains links to documents, agreements, and information on different IT
fields applied to development in Latin America and the Caribbean such as
telecommunications, telecenters, internet economy, e-governance, multimedia,
etc. The ITD Unit is also promoting the "creative community initiative", to
encourage local communities and citizens to actively get involved and
participate in creating their own communities by using information and
communication technologies that reflect their true needs.
http://www.iadb.org/ict4dev/ictdev.htm
International Institute
for Communication and Development (IICD)
Virtual space designed to share information about ways in which ICTs contribute
to sustainable development. Also allows subscription to a monthly e-mail digest
or and access to the quarterly paper issue of
http://www.iconnect-online.org
Information for
Development Program (InfoDev) - World Bank
InfoDev began in September 1995 with the objective of
addressing the obstacles facing developing countries in an increasingly
information-driven world economy. It is a global grant program managed by the
World Bank to promote innovative projects on the use of information and
communication technologies (ICTs) for economic and social development, with a
special emphasis on the needs of the poor in developing countries.
http://www.infodev.org/exchange/
ProPoor Infotech Centre
ProPoor is committed to the dissemination of information and promotion of
sustainable development initiatives, in response to the needs of under
represented and marginalized sectors of society in the South Asia. ProPoor has
developed a comprehensive Internet portal containing information about South
Asian non-governmental organizations, funding agencies, events, projects, jobs
opportunities in social development, success stories of individuals as well as
organizations, and other relevant links.
http://www.propoor.org
Swiss Agency for
Development and Cooperation (SDC)
The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) is Switzerland’s
international cooperation agency within the Swiss Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Together with other federal offices, SDC is responsible for overall coordination
of development activities and cooperation with Eastern Europe, as well as
humanitarian aid. Their website has been designed as an interactive information
platform.
http://www.sdc.admin.ch/news.php?userhash=9f51fe09f2b88f7211db2f8c0a1dda57&l=e#2
http://www.sdc.admin.ch/news.php?userhash=9f51fe09f2b88f7211db2f8c0a1dda57&l=e
The Pacific Islands
Association of Non-Governmental Organizations (PIANGO)
PIANGO is a regional network of NGO focal points or coordinating bodies known as
National Liaison Units (NLUs) based in 22 Pacific Island countries and
territories. PIANGO's Mailing List includes e-mail versions of the PIANGO
Monthly and PIANGO's Pacific News, as well as occasional news of interest to
NGOs.
http://www.piango.org
United Nations Industrial
Development Organization (UNIDO)
UNIDO's mission is to improve the living conditions of people and promote global
prosperity through offering tailor-made solutions for the sustainable industrial
development of developing countries and countries with economies in transition.
http://www.unido.org/en/doc/9634
Eastern Michigan University's Information and Communications Technology (ICT)
website
This website is jointly produced with the US Department of Commerce's
Information and Communications Technology Team. You will find an index of
country specific sites prepared by ICT Industry specialists stationed at US
Embassies worldwide. You can choose specific countries or regions of the world.
http://www.emich.edu/ict_usa/INTERNATIONAL.htm
Eldis ICT for Development Resource Guide
ELDIS is a gateway to information on development issues, providing free and
easy access to wide range of online resources. ELDIS provides summaries and
links to online documents. It offers a directory of websites, databases, library
catalogues and email discussion lists.
http://www.eldis.org/ict/index.htm
Sustainable initiatives
Sustainable initiatives is an output of cooperation between
Gamos Ltd and
Big World (UK Charity)
for the distribution of practical research information. This website has
been generated as part of a research programme into Information and
Communication Technology (ICT) sustainability factors. The website and its
materials are outputs from a research project funded by the
Department of International
Development (DFID UK) for the benefit of developing countries.
http://www.sustainableicts.org/
ICT and Ensuring Environmental Sustainability
This is one of a series of essays on information and communication
technologies (ICT) and the
Millennium
Development Goals (MDG).
http://www.developmentgateway.org/node/133831/sdm/docview?docid=569545
International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development
The International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development (ICTSD) was
established to contribute to a better understanding of development and
environment concerns in the context of international trade. As an independent
non-profit and non-governmental organization, ICTSD engages a broad range of
actors in ongoing dialogue about trade and sustainable development. ICTSD
facilitates interaction between policy-makers and those outside the system to
help trade policy become more supportive of sustainable development.
http://www.ictsd.org/
International Communication Union
The Union was established as an impartial, international organization within
which governments and the private sector work together to coordinate the
operation of telecommunication networks and services and advance the development
of communications technology.
http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/projects/environment/
Road Maps Towards an Information Society in Latin America and the Caribbean
Document prepared by ECLAC for the Regional Preparatory Ministerial
Conference of Latin America and the Caribbean for the World Summit on the
Information Society. Bávaro, Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, 29-31 January 2003.
Reducing Telecom Costs in the Caribbean. OECS
Telecommunications Reform Project
In 1998, the World Bank helped the OECS countries set up a regional
telecommunications authority, which ultimately negotiated the terms for
liberalization of the eastern Caribbean’s telecom market.
http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/NEWS/0,,contentMDK:20052229~menuPK
:67443~pagePK:36694~piPK:36693~theSitePK:4607,00.html
The Commonwealth Network of Information
Technology for Development (COMNET-IT)
COMNET-IT was established as an independent international foundation in November,
1995, with the
Commonwealth Secretariat and the
Government of Malta
as its sponsors. A secretariat has been set up with the ongoing support of the
Government of Malta and the national agencies represented on the COMNET-IT Board.
COMNET-IT supports activities related to the policy-development and capability-building
in implementing, managing, and using new information and communications
technologies.
http://www.comnet-it.org/about/index.html
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