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DIGITAL DIVIDENDS FOR THE POOR
ICT for Poverty Reduction in Asia

by Stuart Mathison, The Foundation for Development Cooperation
Copyright: Global Knowledge Partnership (March 2003)

Acknowledgements:

The first draft of this study was based on research by Partha P. Sarker of Bytes for All, Bangladesh, for the Global Knowledge Partnership (GKP). The research was compiled together with an edited version of proceedings of the GKP workshop 'Reducing Poverty, Empowering People and Improving Lives' (Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia, 5 June 2002. The workshop was held in conjunction with Infosoc Malaysia 2002. Key workshop presentations on which the first draft is based, are by:

• Asian Development Bank (ADB), Philippines.
• Asia Pacific Development Information Programme (APDIP), Malaysia.
• P.Marker, K.McNamara and L.Wallace, Department for International Development, UK.
• M.Quibria and T.Tschang, Asian Development Bank Institute, Japan.
• S.C. Sia, Beautiful Gate, Malaysia.

The first draft was reviewed by a number of ICT and Poverty experts, including:

• Lim Teck Ghee (Regional Adviser on Poverty Alleviation and Social Integration, ESCAP)
• Miles Litvinoff (Governance Manager, OneWorld International)
• Stuart Mathison (Research Officer, Foundation for Development Cooperation)
• Mohsen Tawfik (Director, UNESCO Asia-Pacific Bureau for Communication & Information)
• Harry De Backer (ICT Adviser, DG Development, European Commission)
• Amos Tincani (ICT Adviser, DG Development, European Commission)
• Keith Yeomans (Department for International Development, UK)

Comments and suggestions made by the above panel were incorporated into the current draft of the study.

The author also wishes to acknowledge with gratitude the contribution of representatives of each of the case studies included in this report, as well as the many other initiatives that responded to a preliminary questionnaire.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements
List Of Acronyms
Executive Summary

Introduction

1. Poverty In Asia

• Distinguishing 'Poverty Reduction' From 'Development'

• Country And Sub-Regional Comparisons

• Poverty Projections to 2015

• The Threat Of HIV/AIDS

• The Millennium Development Goals

• Summary And Implications

2. ICT And Poverty Reduction

• Digital Dividend Or Digital Divide?

• Defining ICTs

• Information, Communication And Technology

• Access To ICTs In Asia

• Comparing ICTs

• Multi-Sector Partnerships

• Evaluating Impact

• Best Practices In ICT For Poverty Reduction

3. Case Studies

Conclusions
Bibliography

Appendix 1 - Useful Links

Appendix 2 - Poverty Reduction And The Tokyo Declaration (WSIS)

Appendix 3 - Case Study Details

1. Portfolio Manager
2. Taninet
3. China Central Radio And Tv University (CCRTVU)
4. Maximum Possible Impact Internet Learning Centres
5. E-Pek@K
6. Gender Evaluation Methodology (Gem)
7. Digital Broadcast Initiative (DBI)
8. The Electronic Helpline On HIV/AIDs
9. Kothmale Community Radio Internet Project
10. Drishtee And The Gyandoot Project