ICT for Good SIB Council (SIB-ICT4G)

Keywords:

Quality of life, development, ICT, societal impact, Peace building; Understanding; People-to-People; Culture of Peace; Long Distance Communication; Market Place; Capacity building; Networking; Mass Media; partnerships.

Scope:

As the most powerful tool for sharing information and improving efficiency, technology is critical to the process of building a more balanced and peaceful world.

Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) are crucial to improving the quality of life in context characterized by low resources, scarce infrastructure and conflicts. ICT not only ensures regular communication channels regardless of mobility restrictions as well as low-intensity exchanges, but it also promotes socio-economic cooperation, people-to-people interaction and professional empowerment.

ICT4Good will consolidate and help spearhead the importance of establishing development and a culture of Peace with concrete, hands on technical and economic proposals.

Key Challenges:

-       Efficient and effective delivery of services to citizens in territories with low penetration of ICT, scarce infrastructure or physical barriers
-       Creating environments and conditions to foster innovation and drive development: business models, living labs, open source.
-       Reducing digital divide through the deployment of low-cost infrastructures, low-cost hardware, service delivery through economically viable services, and definition of novel approaches to service delivery
-       Efficient integration of ICT services in context characterized by fast development
-       Security of mobile devices and secure delivery of services in environments in which devices and resources are shared.
-       Usability and user interfaces for low-cost devices and for people with low ICT culture
-       Promote a Culture of Peace through the ICT tools therefore also facing challenges related to public attitudes
-       Support and facilitate economical investments in difficult areas

Mission:

Materializing novel ways of using ICT to improve people’s quality of life and addressing critical problems of societies where ICT penetration is low in a way that life is impacted for the better and the impacts are tangible. To help foster development, peace and stability through socio-economic investment, cooperation and people-to-people interaction.
SIB 4 Good will address key-challenges as viewed from the different perspectives; including:
- analysis of ITC projects which have bridged the gaps between communities and between peoples in conflicts
- exploring ways to assimilate characteristics of self-sustainability into ICT projects
- share best practices, challenges and solutions
- propose a list of key element that will help in turning an ITC project into a significant empowerment force for the communities in which it is implemented

Description:

The goal of the SIB is looking at novel ways of using technology to preserve and improve people’s life. More specifically, the focus is how to use ICT for addressing critical problems of societies with low ICT penetration or that are undergoing a conflict, in a way that life is impacted for the better. Notice that by low ICT penetration, we not only refer to developing countries (where the penetration is remarkably low) but also to societies with significant and tangible gaps that could be effectively addressed by the usage of new technologies. A particular effort should be made to achieve an even distribution of ICT and its benefits throughout communities, benefiting both rich and poor sectors of societies and societies in conflicts

Effective delivery of services when resources and infrastructure is low, reducing digital divide through the deployment of cost-effective infrastructures, the definition of novel ways to deliver services, low-cost hardware, usability and shared work are some of the key issues addressed in the SIB. Another important aspect the SIB looks at is security, especially with respect to contexts in which resources are shared (e.g. Sharing of mobile devices) and used for delivery of business critical services (e.g. Micro-payments). The SIB will also aim to find ways to implement ICT solution for global cross-border workplaces and marketplaces.
When we look at the impact ICT might have in developing countries we need not forget also the role that innovation in ICT can play. Quoting Kofi Annan: “While ICT cannot address all of [Africa's] problems, they can do much to place Africa on a firmer industrial footing… and strengthen the continent’s human resources, with training that leads to sustainable livelihoods.” Leveraging this idea, the goal of the SIB is also that of looking at business models and novel approaches to foster innovation in ICT in other contexts and territories characterized by scarce resources.

ICT, on the other hand, is increasingly been recognized as a key catalyst for economic development, especially in countries that are poor in natural resources and growth, having the potential – under determined conditions – to accelerate development processes. It also provides effective tools and opportunities to foster income generation and the reduction of poverty, to raise levels of education and professional knowledge, empower people personally and economically, improve standards of health and protect environmental resources. ICT is considered key to development sustainability, because of its unique characteristics of creating – through exchanges, information sharing and communication – new social and economic networks that help citizens participate in the democratic process, be a part of the global community, bridge between conflicts and shape their own development solutions.