capacity building

31.12.2007 In a recently held conference in India, participants from eleven countries deliberated upon the emerging trend in public service delivery system through mobiles. There is an immense potential to make government services more accessible to everyone with mobile networks covering 70% of world’s population.

28.12.2007 You can now get a return on your investment and also help fight global poverty. Online auction giant eBay’s new micro lending website lets people invest in entrepreneurs in poor communities around the world to help them build better lives for themselves while also earning modest returns.

27.12.2007 A new book, Communicating Disasters: An Asia Pacific Resource Book released during Third Global Knowledge Conference held in Kuala Lumpur in mid December takes a critical look at the communication lessons of the Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004, and explores the role of good communications before, during and after disasters.

26.12.2007 The Planning Commission of India has made a provision of Rs 100 crores for setting up 20 Indian Institute of Information Technology in various parts of the country. The government also promises to ensure broadband accessibility to almost every citizen in countryside, covering 97% of its geographical area by 2012.

26.12.2007 The Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO has signed an agreement with Inmarsat to further improve and enhance the Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning System. Once upgraded, there will be minute-by-minute transmission of sea level observation providing more time to sounding alert.

21.12.2007 Using video conferencing to procure quality seeds, fertiliser and access market-related information to sell their products is becoming popular among Indian farmers. In ten districts of northern state of Rajasthan, the state government has recently installed the facility.

19.12.2007 Countries in South Asia like Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal will receive ADB assistance of US$ 21.2 million to develop ICTs in their respective countries. It will promote inclusive growth and help reduce poverty.

18.12.2007 In launching an e-learning tool to spread awareness about HIV/AIDS pandemic in Nigeria, OneWorld UK and others had three main objectives: Using ICT to educate young people on reproductive health, improving information on sex education and gender equality.

13.12.2007 Government of India this year has included two more categories of awards, which are given for excellence in e-governance. Nominations for the awards can now be filed until December 25.

13.12.2007 The “Menu for Hope” is an on-line lottery conceived as a fund-raising campaign. The World Food Programme has welcomed the initiative, saying that it makes a unique connection between impoverished African farmers and people with fascination for food in the developed world.

11.12.2007 Kerala will soon become the first Indian state to achieve total IT literacy. ICT-based education has shown promising results. Now decision to equip 2,800 high schools with broadband internet connectivity by August next year would open up immense possibilities in the education sector.

08.12.2007 In India’s southern state of Tamil Nadu, Krishnagiri district administration has come out with a unique idea. To ensure that children attend school regularly, it is using a software known as ‘back2school’ that provides an eagle eye to district collector to keep track of all kids missing from classrooms.

08.12.2007 Indian government plans to bring e-Governance at the doorstep of every citizen in the country. Once implemented, it will be one of its kind with such a geographical spread. It is for the first time in the world that such a scheme is being implemented in a public private partnership framework.

04.12.2007 Women in Nepal villages who hitherto remained confined to the four walls of their houses are breaking the shackles and coming out to take up issues that affect them most. It is community radio, which is helping them in their endeavour to spread awareness about their rights.

04.12.2007 Village Resource Centres - to provide integrated services like tele-education, tele-medicine, etc. - have been established by the Indian Space Research Organisation in various Indian states.