ICTs for Development
Subtitle: Improving Policy Coherence
By: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
Series: Development dimension; Development Dimension
Publisher: OECD Publishing
Published: 2010
Place of publication: Paris
Language: eng
Format: [electronic resource]:
Number of pages: 204
ISBN-13: 9789264077409
Subjects: Science and Technology; Development
Description: Information communication technologies (ICTs) are crucial to reducing poverty, improving access to health and education services and creating new sources of income and employment for the poor. Being able to access and use ICTs has become a major factor in driving competitiveness, economic growth and social development. In the last decade, ICTs, particularly mobile phones, have also opened up new channels for the free flow of ideas and opinions, thereby promoting democracy and human rights.  The OECD and infoDev joined forces at a workshop on 10-11 September 2009 to examine some of the main challenges in reducing the discrepancies in access to ICTs and use of ICTs between developing countries.The workshop discussed best practices for more coherent and collaborative approaches in support of poverty reduction and meeting the Millennium Development Goals.  There is much work to be done on improving policy coherence and there is a need to engage more actively with partner countries. Making the most of ICTs requires that they are seen as part of innovation for development, rather than just another development tool.  This publication examines access to ICTs, as a precondition to their use; broadband Internet access and governments' role in making it available; developments in mobile payments; ICT security issues; ICTs for improving environmental performance; and the relative priority of ICTs in education.   For more information The OECD/infoDev workshop on ICTs for Development: www.oecd.org/ICT/4D OECD work on Policy Coherence for Development: www.oecd.org/development/policycoherence infoDev: www.infoDev.org
Table of contents: title: Acronyms and Abbreviations; title: Executive Summary; title: Why ICTS Matter for Development; title: Where Next for ICTs and International Development?; title: How the Developing World may Participate in the Global Internet Economy; title: What Role Should Governments Play in Broadband Development?; title: Regulatory Issues around Mobile Banking; title: ICTs and the Environment in Developing Countries; title: Policy Coherence in ICTs for Education.