Information and communications technology for development. A sourcebook for parliamentarians

This Sourcebook on Information and Communications Technology for Development, intended for parliamentarians and policy-makers, acknowledges the varying needs of both groups in different geographic, social, economic and political environments. It thus seeks to provide a broad overview of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) and their use as powerful toals? for accelerating social and economic development. The Sourcebook highlights the key and fundamental ICT fo Development (ICT4D) issues by emphasising the importance ICT4D policies, the development of national ICT agendas, the application of ICTs in specific sectors, and the role of government and members of parliament in the process of implementing ICT4D in their respective countries. Examples from the Asia-Pacific region are provided to demonstrate how different stakeholders have successfully applied ICTs to bridge the digital divide with concrete socio-economic benefits. The Sourcebook also seeks to provide and equip parliamentarians and other decision-makers in government with key skills required to evaluate and monitor ICT initiatives within their respective nations with emphasis on the importance of analysing the objectives of ICT4D programmes, determining appropriate ICT components, empowering and encouraging stakeholder participation, and evaluating the eventual outcome of ICT4D initiatives.