[Fsf-india] [OFFTOPIC] Putting ICTs in the Hands of the Poor (fwd)

[Frederick Noronha]

Hi guys! We were talking about software and money. Here's some money on
offer... maybe it would help some to undertake the projects of their
dream? If anything works, all I ask is that you let me know of the story
first, please! --FN
PS: Sorry for sending across a non-GNU/Linux posting. But this would work
for GNU/Linux too. One of my dreams is to bring together the
IT-for-development and the GNU/Linux camps. There's lot that can be done
together. FN

---------- Forwarded message ----------

Putting ICTs in the Hands of the Poor

April 09, 2002 - Information, knowledge and communication needs of 
the poor are equal to those of all other people, yet poor are often 
unable to address these needs. UNESCO is launching a new project in 
South Asia to test and demonstrate different models that effectively 
put ICTs and relevant content into the hands of people living in 
poverty in order to empower them to address their own information, 
knowledge and communication requirements.

The main goal of the project is to find ways in which people living 
in poverty can use ICTs as tools to empower themselves, be it through 
access to productive information, the creation of content that is 
relevant to them or through opportunities to communicate and better 
organise themselves. The focus is not on technology itself, but on 
how to use technologies for a specific purpose: to empower and enable 
people living in poverty to change their circumstances.

UNESCO is now seeking inputs from different parties that will 
contribute to this project. UNESCO is ready to support the 
development of innovative ideas to put ICTs to work in reducing 
poverty. Innovations will be implemented through pilot projects in at 
least five different locations in South Asia.

UNESCO invites interested parties to submit a short concept paper 
(maximum 2 pages) outlining concrete inputs to the project.

Concept papers should clearly present a technical and/or social 
innovation that facilitates ICT usage by people living in poverty and 
contributes to a strategy for poverty reduction.

1. Innovations may use some combination of traditional and new 
technologies, use ICT hardware in novel ways, adapt software or 
create specialised templates that suit the situations and needs of 
people living in poverty, in isolated areas, etc. 

2. Innovations may also work with grassroots systems, for example to 
identify local needs and disseminate appropriate information or to 
develop 'human interfaces' between technology and people. 

3. Specific areas of application may be education, health, local 
governance, micro-finance or other aspects of social and economic 
development, for instance ways to support entrepreneurship and 
livelihoods. 

4. Attention should be given to the provision of combined electronic 
services by various agencies at the grassroots level to support local 
poverty reduction efforts. 

5. The target beneficiaries are the marginalised and disadvantaged, 
people living in poverty, especially extreme poverty, and in 
particular women and youth. 

UNESCO is also interested in suggestions for work areas and/or 
communities of target beneficiaries in which models can be piloted.

Collaborative implementation:

Proponents of the most suitable ideas will be invited to join a 
collaborative process in which different innovations will be adapted 
and implemented as pilots by project teams in at least five different 
work areas in South Asia.

The most convincing concepts and most appropriate work areas will be 
discussed at a consultation with proponents, experts and stakeholders 
to be held in June 2002. Following the consultation, project teams 
and detailed work plans will be finalised. UNESCO will collaborate 
with proponents and relevant stakeholders to establish specific pilot 
projects to test the effectiveness and sustainability of these new 
models for ICT access in South Asia.

In an effort to give maximum coverage to lessons learned and 
successful models, pilot projects will be well documented and the 
lessons learned widely shared. UNESCO will support networking through 
additional consultations, evaluations and publication of results.

ICTs as a tool to fight poverty:

The main thrust of UNESCO's project is to identify specific tools and 
ways of using them that empower people by increasing access to 
information and communications. The project seeks to demonstrate 
concrete applications of ICTs as a contributing force in strategies 
to reduce poverty.

Information and communications are closely linked to power and the 
ability to affect change. By expanding information flows and by 
making communications more accessible, people living in poverty can 
make better choices, voice their opinions, demand their rights and 
have more power over their own lives.

ICTs can create new opportunities. They can be used by the poor to 
get information, organise themselves, and to communicate their 
interests. ICTs can also improve the efficiency and responsiveness of 
groups that work with the poor. On a broad level, ICTs can help to 
break down isolation and structures of discrimination, and to support 
new forms of economic and social innovation that benefit the poor.

Poor people's own view of poverty focuses in large part on the lack 
of power, voice and independence that subjects them to exploitation 
and reinforces their inability to affect changes to their situation. 
Based in the realities of poor people, strategies to reduce poverty 
must build grassroots capacity to organise, work towards changing 
social norms and support social movements, innovation and leadership.

Information and communication technologies, such as radio or 
internet, can clearly play a positive role in reducing poverty; 
however a great deal of work remains to figure out how to practically 
and sustainable put these tools to work in the hands of poor people.

Technical and social innovations are critical in overcoming A) lack 
of awareness of and motivation to use ICTs, B) the absence of 
facilities to access ICTs, and C) the lack of locally relevant 
content and appropriately packaged information products, especially 
in terms of the languages used.

Other considerations:

Of particular importance to UNESCO are the integrated training and 
action research components of the project. As the purpose is to 
demonstrate new models and methods, action research and reporting - 
from monitoring and analysis to widespread dissemination - will be 
built into each pilot initiative. The goal is to test not so much the 
technologies, but the methodologies for applying them.

Selection of pilots will be determined in large part by the degree of 
self-reliance and prospects for sustainability, both in human and 
financial terms.

Basic guidelines:

1. Include full contact information and a short description of the 
proponent 

2. Total costs for each pilot should not exceed USD 35 000; 

3. Duration of the pilot phase should not exceed one year; 

4. Concept papers should be received by UNESCO by April 30; 

5. Concept papers should clearly present one or both of the  
following; 

- A technological or social innovation to be tested; 

- A location and group of target beneficiaries in which to apply 
innovations. 

Please address the following questions:

A) Innovations to be tested:

1. What is the main innovation or idea-? 

2. How do you envision the innovation being applied to meet the needs 
of the poorest people-? 

3. How would the innovation fit together with other components, both 
technical and social, into a larger scenario and strategy for poverty 
reduction-? 

4. What sort of human and organizational resources would this 
scenario/strategy require-? 

5. What training requirements are associated with the project-? 

6. What relevant means are there for grassroots 'ownership' and 
sustainability-? 

7. How will you ensure quality, diversity and relevance of 
information provided-? 

8. What costs, both for set-up and operation, can be anticipated-? 

9. What barriers or challenges do you anticipate-? 


B) Potential areas and communities to work with:

1. Provide a descriptive picture of the proposed work area and the 
socioeconomic situation of the target community. 

2. What specific work or planning has already been done in terms of 
using technology to address poverty? 

3. How do you envision ICTs being used by the poorest in this 
area/community-? 

4. What training requirements are associated with the project-? 

5. What is the anticipated role of local stakeholders (i.e. community 
groups, local government, NGOs, etc)-? 

6. What relevant strategies are there for grassroots 'ownership' and 
sustainability-? 

7. What costs can be anticipated-? 

8. What barriers or challenges do you anticipate-? 

Some additional information to assist in submitting a concept paper 
is available:

- ICTs for Poverty Alleviation Project - Background and Objectives

- Examples of innovations to address issues of access and content

- Kothmale Community Radio and Internet - Background and Lessons 
Learned

 

Related Links

UNESCO New Delhi Office 
http://unescodelhi.nic.in/

UNESCO's International Initiative for Community Multimedia Centres 
(CMCs) 
http://www.unesco.org/webworld/com/broadcasting/broad04.shtml


source:
http://www.unesco.org/webworld/news/2002/020409_ict.shtml