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The GNU operating system

FREE SOFTWARE FOUNDATION
December 2005

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GNU Project has been developing a number of high quality free software programs, and they are distributed under OSI-approved license called GNU General Public License (GPL), which is the most widely used license for free / open source software. This webpage provides basic information on GNU, including the history and philosophy

ICTs for poverty alleviation : basic tool and enabling sector

GREENBERG, Alan
November 2005

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This report acknowledges the crucial role that information and communication technologies play in the fight to reduce poverty. It focuses in particular on the impact that "older" technologies such as radio and telephone can have in addressing poor communities' problems. The study investigates the linkages between ICTs and four key areas: education, livelihoods, healthcare and government. It reports on pilot studies which have shown that use of technologies can help reduce child mortality and maternal mortality by nearly 50 per cent. It suggests that ICTs can enable people's empowerment and ultimately strengthen human rights

Technological convergence and regulation : challenges facing developing countries [whole issue]

BEZZINA, J
SANCHEZ, B
Eds
November 2005

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This special issue, produced with the support of InfoDev, marked the World Summit for the Information Society (WSIS) meeting in Tunis (16-18 November 2005). It focuses on technological advances and their implications for regulatory systems, particularly in developing countries. Topics include: new technologies and regulatory regimes; telecommunication reforms in developing countries; structural change in African mobile telecommunications; Internet; broadband technologies and services in sub-Saharan Africa; local software and content production in developing countries; outsourcing in developing countries. Articles are aimed at telecommunications specialists and researchers

ICTs : information and communication technologies for the poor

TORERO, Maximo
VON BRAUN, Joachim
November 2005

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This 'issue brief' describes the proliferation of electronically communicated information, which has accelerated economic and social change across all areas of human activity worldwide. It observes that the rapid growth of ICTs in developing countries is partly a result of very low initial access, and therefore in absolute terms developing countries are still well behind the developed world in access to ICTs. It concludes that ICTs offer an opportunity for development, but not a panacea. For the potential benefits of ICTs to be realized in developing countries, many prerequisites need to be put in place: prompt deregulation, effective competition among service providers, free movement and adoption of technologies, targeted and competitive subsidies to reduce the access gap, and institutional arrangements to increase the use of ICTs in the provision of public goods. The paper advocates for the importance of all three "Cs": connectivity, capability to use the new tools, and relevant content provided in accessible and useful forms

Handhelds for health : SATELLIFE’S experiences in Africa and Asia

SATELLIFE
July 2005

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This report describes the SATELLIFE experience in implementing handheld computer projects to support health-care providers and institutions in a dozen countries in Asia and Africa. It captures SATELLIFE's experience and lessons learned as a 16-year veteran of using ICTs for health and an early adopter of handheld computers in low-resource environments. It also provide some pointers to other organisations that may benefit from their knowledge and experience, to optimize their own use of ICT in general or handhelds in particular

The other side of the river : cyberspace comes to the Amazon

RÊGO, Fausto
June 2005

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This report describes the 'Saúde e Alegria' (Health and Happiness) project (http://www.saudeealegria.org.br/ ) developed by RITS (Red de Información para el Tercer Sector), a member of APC in Brazil, with the support of the Avina Foundation and the Institute for Connectivity in the Americas. It shows the impact of the project on the community, including a case where the internet provided access to snake bite information after a local girl was bitten

The social implications of free software

NORONHA, Frederick
May 2005

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This article focuses on the prevalence and utilisation of free software in South Asia. The article discusses the effectiveness and merits of introduction of free / open source software in less-affluent countries, and how they contribute to business and education

Estrategias nacionales para la Sociedad de la Información en América Latina y el Caribe

HILBERT, Martin
BUSTOS, Sebastián
FERRAZ, João Carlos
March 2005

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In order to take advantage of the benefits and opportunities offered by ICTs, the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean have established and implemented projects, policies and strategies to make an efficient transition towards the Information Society. The objective of this work is to review these efforts developed within the public agenda of 13 selected countries: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Dominican Republic, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela

The contributions of ICTs to pro-poor growth

BATCHELOR, Simon
SCOTT, Nigel
TAYLOR, Nigel
March 2005

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A background paper prepared for the DAC Network on Poverty Reduction. It provides a useful overview of definitions of ICT, pro-poor growth thinking and impacts on poverty

Themed sessions on ICTs for disaster relief

WORLD SUMMIT FOR THE INFORMATION SOCIETY
February 2005

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This webpage provides background information on a special themed meeting on the use of information and communication technologies for disaster relief. It includes links to relevant international conventions, useful documents and organisations working in this area

Up-scaling pro-poor ICT policies and practices

GERSTER, Richard
ZIMMERMANN, Sonja
February 2005

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This paper is the result of a literature review and discussions during a two-day workshop. It examines how ICT can make a difference in reducing poverty and reaching the MDGs. This potential contrasts, however, with the relatively modest pro-poor ICT implementation level. It asks what key barriers impede the implementation of declarations, and how can we multiply, upscale and replicate successful pilot projects. This study idenfies four "basic requirements" for successful up-scaling of poverty reduction through ICTs: an enabling ICT policy environment; a high priority assigned to ICT for poverty reduction; appropriate technology choices; and mobilisation of additional public and private resources

ICTs and MDGs : on the wrong track?

HEEKS, Richard
February 2005

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This article proposes a revision of the relevance of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), as well as the incidence of ICT use in the achievement of those goals, and argues that some different priorities should be considered to make most effective use of the opportunities that new technology affords. It examines the potential for ICTs in achieving the MDGs and provides a background for a later article on the possibilities for a multi-sectoral approach

Financing ICTs for development : efforts of DAC members. Review of recent trends of ODA and its contribution

DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE COMMITTEE (DAC). OECD.
2005

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This report provides policy-oriented analysis of donor support for information and communication technologies for development, with particular attention to recent trends in bilateral ODA commitments for ICT infrastructure as well as other ICT assistance. This analysis is illustrated with an abundance of statistical charts, highlights and annexes. The study furthermore seeks to analyse the rationale of the donors and other stakeholders to withdraw from the ICT infrastructure support in the 1990s and shift to integrating ICT components into development assistance projects and programmes. New forms of multi-donor partnerships are appearing not only as a joint financing mechanism but also as a platform for exchange of experiences and learning among donor institutions

Good practice paper on ICTs for economic growth and poverty reduction

BATCHELOR, Simon
SCOTT, Nigel
et al
2005

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This report aims to give an overview of what DAC members currently know about how information and communication technology (ICT) use in developing economies can stimulate economic growth and poverty reduction. It draws attention to the cross-cutting applications of ICTs, to their role as tools, not goals, and links their use to development co-operation

Chennai statement on up-scaling pro-poor ICT policies and practices

ARUNACHALAM, Subbiah
et al
January 2005

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The Chennai Statement is intended to serve as an input into the on-going global debate on the role of ICTs for development, particularly in view of the poverty reduction oriented agenda for the implementation of the WSIS Principles and Action Plan in the context of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)

Direct line to the doctor

2005

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In a joint project known as T@lemed, European and Latin American scientists in Colombia and Brazil are testing telemedicine services in practice. Going by the name of TOPCARE, the service also enables patients suffering from chronic ailments in Europe to benefit from an online link to the doctor

T@lemed : a telehealth case study project based on ultrasound images

DELAZARI BINOTTO, Alécio Pedro
SACHPAZIDIS, Ilias
SOARES TORRES, Márcio
et al
2005

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The growth of wired and wireless Internet (including communication via satellite) in Brazil and the recent advance of image compression methods allows rapid tele-consultation based on medical images. One of the most challenging problems in telemedicine is the real-time tele-consultation in case of emergency. In this brief paper, the ongoing T@lemed Project in the Brazilian State of Rio Grande do Sul is described and preliminary results from the first month of operation are presented

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