The Digital Revolution - Information and Communication Technologies

Information and communication technologies (ICTs) are increasingly becoming fundamental to our societies and economies. Access to the internet and telephones is expanding rapidly, knitting together markets, people and communities as it grows, facilitating the worldwide exchange of knowledge and services, and the movement of people and goods. (Source: Tomorrow's Markets)

Communication technology can revolutionise economies, providing vital access to information, markets and connecting the poor and marginalised to the world's business and education opportunities.  However, there is a growing 'digital divide', a term used to describe the inequality in the opportunities presented by ICT and digital revolution both between countries and within different groups within countries: those that have access and those who do not.

The digital divide means that the 'information have-nots' are denied the option of participating in new ICT jobs, in e-government, in ICT improved healthcare, and in ICT enhanced education. More often than not, the have-nots are in developing countries, and in disadvantaged groups within countries.
(Source: Bridge.org)

In his Millennium Report, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan stressed the importance for developing countries of benefiting from the opportunities emerging from the digital revolution, recognising the need for timely and relevant information as a fundamental element of human development, calling for universal access to information and communication services as a basic development need.

In reality:

• More than half of the world's citizens have never used a telephone, only 7 per cent have access to a personal computer and only 4 per cent have access to the internet.
• Today over 400 million people use the internet, having grown from less than 20 millions only five years ago. By 2005, there are forecast to be one billion internet users.
• In 2000 there were 214 countries connected to the internet – up from 60 in 1993 and just eight in 1988.

(Source: Tomorrow's Markets)

Scarce access to ICTs, however, makes it difficult for many in the developing world to have proper access to this information or, worse, to process and manage it. The expanding digital divide is making a new dimension of poverty - information poverty. Even when the poor can access ICTs, low levels of literacy make it difficult to use, although it can also act as an incentive to learn to read and write.

Roger Harris identified 13 critical aspects of the dimensions of the digital divide.

Service availability	The services made available through the use of ICTs should be freely available to all who might wish to make use of them.
Awareness	Everyone is aware of how they might be able to use ICTs for their own benefit.
Opportunity to learn and use new media	Everyone has the opportunity to attain computer literacy.
Mastery of technologies	Everyone understands which tools are best suited for which tasks.
Experience	Everyone is able to accumulate sufficient experience with the use of ICTs to enable them to fully exploit their potential.
Skills	Everyone has the right skills for performing ICT related tasks.
Support	Everyone has access to appropriate assistance when they need it to help them make good use of ICTs.
Attitudes (motivation)	Everyone is encouraged to participate in the sharing of benefits available from equal access to ICTs.
Content	Sufficient content is available to enable everyone to gain benefit from ICTs
Cultural	The other dimensions are adapted as required to the cultures of all potential users.
Disability	The other dimensions are adapted as required so that disability is not a barrier to equal enjoyment of the benefits of ICTs.
Linguistic	The other dimensions are adapted as required so that language is not a barrier to equal enjoyment of the benefits of ICTs.
Gender	The other dimensions are adapted as required so that gender is not a barrier to equal enjoyment of the benefits of ICTs.
Empowerment of civil society	Structural, political, and governance factors do not impede equal enjoyment of the benefits of ICTs.

(Source: ICT for Poverty Alleviation Framework, Roger Harris Associates)

Providing access to technology is critical, but it must be about more than just physical access. Computers and connections are insufficient if the technology is not used effectively because it is not affordable; if people do not understand how to put it to use or if they are discouraged from using it; or if the local economy cannot sustain its use. The following issues are the determining factors in whether or not people have real access to ICT - access that goes beyond just physical access and makes it possible for people to use the technology effectively to improve their lives.

"The issue of ICTs and the digital divide is ultimately about greater choices, as is human development.  Human development is the set of processes which leads to greater choice by people and, implicitly, to a better quality of life".
(Source: UNDP)

ICTs offer an unprecedented chance to connect the poor to people and business all over the world. Communicating Change demonstrates that this does not have to be the case, that technology can work and is working for the poor, bringing benefits to wider sectors of society.

Bridges.org is an international non-profit organisation working to span the digital divide through policy initiatives and ground-level projects. Their mission is to help people in developing countries use information and communication technology to improve their lives.
Excellent website giving overview on ICTs, policy, digital divides, etc.
South Africa:
P.O. Box 715
Cape Town 8000
Tel: +27 21 465 9313
Fax: +27 21 465 5917
United States:
P.O. Box 53099
Washington
DC 20009-9099
Tel: +1 202 518 2419
Fax: +1 202 986 0799
General information
E-mail: info@bridges.org
http://www.bridges.org/

Tomorrow's Markets: Global Trends and Their Implications for Business
World Resources Institute, UN Environment Programmes, World Business Council for Sustainable Development
ISBN 1-56973-497-6

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/3223388.stm
Article on the effects of ICT in the developing nations

Worldspace Corporation Headquartered in Washington DC, the WorldSpace business was founded in 1990 to provide direct satellite delivery of digital audio and multimedia services to the emerging markets of the world, including Africa, the Middle East, Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean.
Address:
2400 N Street, NW, Washington, DC 20037 USA
Telephone: +1-202-969-6000 Facsimile: +1-202-969-6001
E-mail: customerservice@worldspace.com
http://www.worldspace.com/

Roger Harris Associates ICT for Poverty Alleviation Framework Prepared for the Workshop for UNDP Country Office ICT Programme
Officers/Focal Points in Asia-Pacific
http://rogharris.org/
ICTforPovertyAlleviationFramework.pdf
Extremely comprehensive analysis on using ICTs as a means to alleviate poverty with multiple world-wide case studies

The International Institute for Communication and Development (IICD) assists developing countries to realise locally owned sustainable development by harnessing the potential of information and communication technologies (ICTs)
http://www.iicd.org/
Publication can be ordered from
Earthprint Ltd
P.O. Box 119
Stevenage SG1 4TP
Hertfordshire
UK
Tel: +44 (0)1438 748 111
Fax: +44 (0)1438 748 844
E-mail: wbcsd@earthprint.com
www.earthprint.com

TVE/ Practical Action gratefully acknowledge support for the HANDS ON programmes from the UK's Department for International Development (DFID), the European Commission (EC), the UN Foundation and UNDP/The Equator Initiative in collaboration with the Government of Canada, IDRC, IUCN, BrasilConnects and the Nature Conservancy.