This study (E/ESCWA/ICTD/2005/1, English) is a contribution towards fulfilling the goals of the Partnership on Measuring ICT for Development. It discusses the necessity of indicators in terms of facilitating evidence-based policy-making aimed at building an information society in the ESCWA region, and provides definitions and background information. It tackles the issues of defining and using indicators, and provides several examples of ICT-based indicator development exercises. It also reviews suggested indicators for the ESCWA region, focusing on readiness/enabling environment indicators, for example, infrastructure and policies, and intensity of use of indicators in various sectors, including business, government and education. The lists of core ICT indicators proposed by ESCWA and ECA are illustrated; and the results of a questionnaire that was sent to National Statistics Offices in the ESCWA member countries are presented and analysed.
