Useful ICT References and Project Links

Similar to ITU's ICT Success Factor website, the links below provide information related innovative ways that ICTs are being deployed throughout the world to aid economic and social development.  From international organizations specializing in ICT-based development to non-profit organizations and academic institutions, the links below offer visitors additional resources to learn more about the increasingly important role that ICTs are playing in bring marginalized societies towards the centre of the world community.   

BDT has selected some examples of initiatives showing the implementation and uses of ICTs in a community development project. We believe it is important to share field experience and lessons learnt in order to increase global understanding of how ICTs can be used to tackle poverty and inequalities in communities around the world. Send an e-card to a friend and share these ICT Stories Project!

For further information: see the BDT website

The extensive website of the Communication Initiative showcases summarized information - 17,000-plus pages - related to communication for development, including base line data from development and communication sectors, programme descriptions and experiences, Specific projects in support of development communication, evaluation data and many more.

For further information: see the Association for Progressive Communication website

This UNDP site provides visitors access to a variety of ICT-related development initiatives ranging from e-governance to gender issues and capacity building.  This comprehensive compilation of ICT-based development initiatives is a key resource for identifying creative ways that ICTs are being deployed at the grassroots level. 

For further information: see the UNDP website  

As a non-profit global think tank dedicated to improving people’ lives, the World Resources Institute (WRI) seeks to bring societies together through physical and digital linkages.  Working with governments, NGOs, international organizations and the business community, WRI has created a comprehensive, searchable online research tool to highlight some of the compelling uses of ICTs for social and economic development.  While the WRI is involved in a variety of development projects around the world, the Digital Dividend Clearinghouse and Market Research Center has become a reliable source for tracking innovative ICT experiments in less developed countries.  The Clearinghouse currently contains over 600 entries, with an additional 50 new projects being added each month.

For further information: see the WRI website http://www.digitaldividend.org/index.htm

Although USAID offers development support across a variety of sectors, the agency’s ICT division has been very active in helping developing countries move into the information age.  From Africa to South America and Asia, USAID sponsors many ICT-related development initiatives that have improved the lives of societies the world over.  The Leland Initiative is one such project that seeks to bring Internet connectivity to the African continent. 

For further information on USAID’s ICT-based initiatives see http://www.usaid.gov/info_technology/ and for further information on the success factors of the Leland Initiative see http://www.usaid.gov/leland/casestudies.htm 

As a civil society stakeholder the global knowledge partnership (GKP) is actively involved in the evolution of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS).  With a membership comprised of public and private sector actors from the developed and developing world, GKP seeks to bring information and the tools to use that information to all peoples of the world.   Through information and knowledge transfers, GKP has become the “network of networks” for global sustainable development initiatives.  The GKP currently has over 45 member and another 48 pending applications. 

For further information:  see the GKP website

In an effort to address the global digital divide, the leaders of the G8 member countries created the Digital Opportunity Task Force, known as the G8 DOT Force.  Despite being created by the eight largest industrialized countries, the G8 DOT Force membership includes stakeholders from the developing world, private and non-profit actors and representatives from international organizations.  To help narrow the growing gap between information rich and poor countries the DOT Force created teams dedicated to such areas as human capacity building, national e-strategies, and local content development.  Working with other ICT-focused international organizations, the DOT Force seeks to utilize the power of modern technologies to help bring marginalized groups into the information age. 

                                                                                                                                                       
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