Using ICTs to Achieve MDGs

25 April 2008

Role of ICT for sustainable socio-economic development and in achieving the Millennium Development Goals
I.Introduction

�If the world is serious about achieving the Millennium Development Goal of halving the number of people living in extreme poverty by the year 2015, ICT must figure prominently in the effort. Everyone � governments, civil society and private sector businesses � has a vital stake in fostering digital opportunity and putting ICT at the service of development.�

Kofi Annan, Former Secretary-General, United Nations (from the foreword of the UNCTAD e-Commerce and Development Report 2002)

World-class ICT infrastructure is the key to rapid economic and social development of a country. It is critical not only for the development of the telecommunication and information technology industries, but also has widespread ramifications for the entire socio-economic development of the country. A number of ITU1 studies over the past several decades have analysed the relationship between the growth of ICT, particularly telecommunication services, and the economic growth. It has been and found that a direct link exists between a country�s telecommunication penetration and the GDP. Although the link does not explain the correlation or cause and effect relation, it does establish its vital importance for accelerating the economic growth.

There has been a phenomenal growth in ICT during the past decade in the wake of liberalization of economies. Globalization, World Trade Organization (WTO) negotiations on liberalization of basic telecommunication services, ensuing privatization, competition and independent regulators have paved the way for rapid growth of the ICT sector, so much so that it is also anticipated while going forward that a major part of the GDP of the country would be contributed by the ICT sector.

However, not all countries have progressed at a rate that would eliminate the �digital divide�, which may be defined as inequality in the ICT network infrastructure and distribution of the IT knowledge, skills and resources necessary to access online services and information among different sections of a modern society. The access to ICT services, infrastructure, usage, applications, data security, etc., and in general, the level of development varies widely among the countries. Accordingly, it is of vital importance to every country that there be a comprehensive and forward-looking IT and telecommunications or ICT policy, which is consistent and predictable and creates an enabling framework for development of this sector, contributing thereby to the overall socio-economic development of the country on a sustainable basis.

Since the majority (two thirds) of the world population living in the developing countries at the turn of the century has remained untouched by the IT revolution, it is a matter of great concern that the huge potential of ICT for advancing development of the developing economies has not been fully captured, thus manifesting the �digital divide�. For bridging the digital divide, it is imperative to put ICT firmly in the service of development, for which urgent and concerted action at the national, regional and international levels is required. Communication infrastructure, computer availability, Internet access and availability of alternative access, e.g. through cable, satellite and digital televisions and availability of content in the local language, are basic issues at the national level. The digital divide among households appears to depend mainly on two factors, viz. income and education. The higher the income and the level of education, it is more likely that the greater number of individuals will establish access to ICTs. This fact also establishes a direct relationship between ICTs and Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) that move us forward in reducing poverty or conversely increasing income and increasing education.

In fact, ICTs may be applied to all fields of human endeavour and management, to enrich society through enhancement of capacities at all levels: individuals, organizations, governments and global partnerships.
A. Millennium Declaration

The United Nations General Assembly at its fifty-fifth session in September 2000 adopted the Millennium Declaration, which set certain time-bound goals and resolutions concerning poverty alleviation, education, health, gender equality, partnerships with the private sector and with civil society organizations, and other issues, which form part of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals:

1. Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger (50 per cent of 1995 by 2015);
2. Achieve universal primary education (all complete primary education);
3. Promote gender equality and empower women (up to secondary education level by 2005 and all levels by 2015);
4. Reduce child mortality (by two thirds among children up to five years age);
5. Improve maternal health (reduce the mortality rate by three fourths);
6. Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases (halt and reverse);
7. Ensure environmental sustainability (integrate in policy);
8. Develop a global partnership for development (in cooperation with private sector, make available the benefits of new technologies, particularly ICTs).

B. Role of New Technologies

Recognizing the important role of new technologies, the Millennium Declaration also resolved to ensure that, in conformity with recommendations contained in the Ministerial Declaration of the United Nations Economic and Social Council at ECOSOC 2000+, the benefits of new technologies, especially information and communication technologies, are available to all. The meeting had held that information and communication technologies are central to the creation of the emerging global knowledge-based economy and can play an important role in accelerating economic growth to promote sustainable development. The Declaration mentioned that the United Nations system and, in particular, the regional economic and social commissions, can play a key role in promoting synergies and coherence of all efforts directed to expand the development of ICTs.
C.World Summit on the InformationSociety - Objectives and Plan of Action

The World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Geneva vision, objectives and action plan themes envisaged building an inclusive information society, by putting the potential of knowledge and ICTs in the service of development; promote the use of information and knowledge for achieving (internationally) agreed development goals including MDGs; address new challenges of the information society at the national, regional and international levels. The roadmap for converting the vision and plan into reality would require the establishment of policies, fixing of specific targets as appropriate at the national level, and accordingly, the development of e-strategies. Taking into account the national priorities, such targets would serve as useful benchmarks for actions and evaluation of progress made on internationally agreed development goals, as follows:

(a) At the national level:

* Provide access to ICT network infrastructure at the following locations and organizations:
o Villages and community access points;
o Universities, colleges, secondary schools and primary schools;
o Scientific and research centres;
o Public libraries, cultural centres, museums, post offices and archives;
o Health centres and hospitals;
o All local and central government departments;
o All local and central government departments to establish web sites and email addresses.
* To adapt school curricula to meet the challenges of the information society.

(b) At the international level:

* Ensure that all of the world�s population has access to television and radio services;
* Encourage content development and facilitate the presence and use of all world languages on the Internet;
* Ensure that more than half the world�s inhabitants have access to ICTs within their reach.

II. Role of information and communication technologies

Digital technology has brought about the convergence of the computer (IT) and communications (together referred as ICT), and permeated media (print and electronic media) and entertainment (games and Internet Protocol television [IPTV]), which has brought into vogue yet another term: ICE, or information, communication and entertainment. Another kind of convergence has also occurred, i.e. convergence of fixed and wireless communications: a wireless terminal device that serves several functions such as personal digital assistant (PDA), cell phone, television receiver, wireless access to Internet and so on is also commercially available. These factors and potential capabilities have also brought about convergence of the respective industries: mergers of communications, cable television and IT industries are common. The term �information and communication technology� reflects the seamless convergence of digital processing and telecommunication, including all hardware, software processes and systems for storing, managing, communicating and sharing of information. Access to ICT is the key to development and growth, because only those who are connected can benefit from information, while for those who are unconnected, it can not make a difference to their lives.

By their very nature, information and communication technologies serve society in a way no other industry does, firstly as fast-growing industries in themselves, generating employment and wealth, and secondly as enablers of social and economic activities. ICTs serve as tools for the planning, development, and operation of all sectors of the economy and can improve their efficiency, productivity and management.

ICTs are crucial to the creation of the emerging global knowledge-based economy and play an important role in accelerating the pace of economic growth and promote sustainable development. ICTs make a difference to the competitive and comparative advantage of nations, organizations, communities and people. According to a study, ICT diffusion accounts for up to 90 per cent of the increase in the Human Development Index2 as observed in some nations. Undoubtedly, ICTs play an important role in all sectors of the economy. From a strategic planning standpoint, importance of ICT lies in the improvement in development processes and its impact on the economy.

Liberalization of economies leading to accelerated development of ICT network infrastructure, and services enabled by government policies that encourage private sector participation and foreign investments have been the major factors in national development and globalization.3 On a wider scale, politics, economics, defence and media are not only becoming more global as individual systems, they are also rapidly integrating themselves. Advances in contemporary technologies, such as ICT, have also been termed as �quadruple use� for their impact on politics, economics, defence and communications.4 Broadband access is now widely available and Next Generation Network (NGN) and common IP platform for all services are operational;, and ubiquitous services that allow communication not only between anyone to anyone but also to anything, anytime, anywhere are not too distant from reality. Fixed and mobile convergence provides seamless services across networks and offers simplicity, ubiquity and flexibility. And such systems have not only arrived in the market place5 but are already in commercial operation.

The all-pervasive nature of ICT holds the potential to significantly boost the social development of emerging countries. Today, we have several examples demonstrating how ICT innovation may be applied not only to improve business efficiencies but also promote good governance, achieve key human development goals such as increased access to education and health services, and extend employment opportunities to the marginal sections of the society.

The rapid and broad-based adoption of ICT is an essential prerequisite for a nation to realize these goals. It is substantiated by the early signs of success in India, which has been steadfastly working on the promotion of ICT since the early seventies, and its national e-Governance Plan 2003-2007 currently under implementation, which forms the blueprint for a more e-enabled India. Building on the objectives of this mission are several mission mode projects that are already underway, a few of which are beginning to show their benefits in the respective areas of application.

Information opens up more possibilities and opportunities for people. Information and knowledge empower people to become more self-sufficient. ICTs make information acquisition and management easier and more efficient, and open up possibilities across all sectors for global access to information, knowledge and markets.

ICTs expand the range of choices and opportunities by facilitating greater access to economic, educational and development-related information, and it opens up equal opportunities to all individuals and businesses, as well as helps to level the playing field by increasing participation in economic and human development activities and in those applications that depend on information, such as commerce.

Below are some examples to illustrate the advantages of using ICTs in various sectors:

* Education: Distance learning offers students greater opportunity to learn when they can get education online from recognized universities;
* Health: e-Health and telemedicine overcome the constraints of distance and allow contact of health workers and patients from remote and rural areas with referral and specialty hospitals;
* Environment: There is greater environmental awareness, because information about the weather and the environment is more readily available. It can help to predict and prepare for environmental disturbances and catastrophes;
* Media: Greater awareness of factors affecting individual well-being, and information in real time on world events by electronic media;
* Decision support: Greater ability to simulate and consider all factors in decision-making;
* Online transaction processing: ICTs speed up and ease transactions of all types, and are especially important for business and government transactions;
* Commerce and industry: ICTs enhance, improve and facilitate trade. ICTs enable e-commerce and make markets more efficient and global. With ICTs, all markets have the potential of being international or of being selective, depending on their requirements.

However, widespread diffusion of ICT use as a matter of policy is imperative for these gains to be realized on a large scale. ICTs enhance all forms of information exchange. Observation, learning and decision-making are facilitated, and business transactions are expanded and speeded up with ICTs. Opportunities can be identified and acted on more easily. Markets operate more efficiently and are more accessible. These lead to business-related efficiencies, increased productivity, especially in the services sector, faster turnover and profitability.

ICTs allow the participation of all stakeholders: government, private sector, and civil society join programmes/projects regardless of their physical distance, as long as they have access to the ICT network infrastructure. The Internet, in any case, makes the distance redundant. ICTs can be applied in governance, business, education, health, agriculture, environment, science, etc. to provide benefits in all aspects of life.

Ends
UNESCAP