In depth

29.09.2005 At the present time, there is broad consensus on the impact Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) have at different levels of society. ICTs come into being as new instruments for which a wide variety of uses is thus generated, being one of the main conditions that they should operate as efficient tools for development. This correlation between ICTs and development has been thoroughly studied and researched and, in general, it is believed that a positive association exists between both variables, so that investment is considered as an important dimension for the successful achievement of development projects. In spite of this, there is still a long road ahead before such technologies are included in the development agendas, given the fact that Southern countries do not usually give priority to investment in these areas.

29.09.2005 This APDIP e-Note illustrates the benefits that ICTs can have for SMEs; discusses why countries should be proactive in embedding ICTs into SME policy; and gives examples of how Asian governments have encouraged and enabled SMEs to use ICTs.APDIP e-Notes are brief snapshots that present analyses of specific issues related to ICTs for sustainable human development in the Asia-Pacific region. This online series introduces readers to the who, what, where, why and how of a wide range of current issues related to ICTs such as Internet governance, ICTs and poverty alleviation, e-governance, free and open source software, and many others.

26.09.2005 A new project managed by AfriAfya and supported by Exchange is using information and communication technologies (ICTs) to communicate about health and development.This health communication project engages the knowledge of marginalised people in Kenya. The main emphasis is on analysing what information can be exchanged to improve the communities' situations.

21.09.2005 During November 17-19, 2004, MS Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) organised an expert meeting engaging development practitioners and policy makers in Chennai, India, to review experiences in Asia and Africa in the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) for poverty reduction.
The Workshop concluded that ICTs can make a difference in poverty reduction.Combinations of complementary technologies, such as radio and Internet, have often proved particularly appropriate.

19.09.2005 As the United Nations Millennium Development Goals Summit +5 coming up in September and the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) in November, this paper published by UNDP/ APDIP seeks to examine some of the key issues and developments that have taken place in the integration of information and communication technologies (ICT) within the larger scheme of national developmental policies.

19.09.2005 The case study entitled "Information and communication technologies for poverty alleviation" by Roger Harris elaborates how ICT can help in alleviating poverty. Harris elaborates the conceptual understanding of issues of ICT, digital divide while underpinning the relationship of information and development. A chapter is devoted on analysing the relationship between development strategies and ICTs.