ICTs making a difference
There are more poor people in the Asia Pacific than in all other regions combined. At the same time, some Asian countries have achieved the most advanced economies in the world. Their prosperity is partly due to how they have developed or adopted information and communication technologies -- or ICTs.
How can the developing countries of Asia use these digital tools to help generate wealth, create more jobs and improve living conditions of people? Governments, private sector, civil society and researchers have been trying out various approaches for years. The World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) in 2003 – 2005 took stock of what has been accomplished, and what remains to be done.
In 2005, TVE Asia Pacific – a regional leader in using audio-visual media to cover development issues – embarked on documenting examples where ICTs have made a change in people’s lives in the world’s largest region. We investigated stories on distance learning, business process outsourcing, tele-health and rural connectivity.
The result is a new video series: Digits4Change.
Useful links:
IDRC Pan Asia Networking Programme
IDRC's Asia ICT indicators and comparisons map
UNDP Asia Pacific Development Information Programme
Global Knowledge Partnership
Digital Review of Asia Pacific
Bytes4All – Computing and Internet for the Majority World
World Summit on the Information Society
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