CIDA's Strategy on Knowledge for Development through Information and Communication Technologies

Abstract

This paper details the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)'s new approach to using ICTs to empower people with the knowledge needed to foster their own development. The hallmark of this approach is a sustained attention to the digital divide, that is, to the fact that not everyone enjoys equal access to these technologies. For example, a central thrust is ensuring that women have access to opportunities presented by ICTs. The paper details this new approach, according to which "ICTs will help develop the education, health, and HIV/AIDS sectors, build local capacity, and support knowledge sharing and networking. Moreover, CIDA will support international activities and partnerships among government, the private sector, and civil society that promote knowledge sharing and other uses of ICTs in development."

Executive Summary

• "Poverty reduction is a central component of this strategy. Increasing equal access to, control of, and ability to derive benefits from socio-political and economic information can contribute to the reduction of poverty by providing individuals and communities with the opportunity to expand their choices and improve their livelihoods. This information may range from financially viable markets and incomegenerating opportunities to the availability of government services and issues of governance to information on health care and delivery, HIV/AIDS care/prevention, education, and skills-development programs.
• "For the purposes of this strategy, Knowledge for Development (KD) is defined as integrating into development programs the ability of beneficiaries to access, utilize, and disseminate information and knowledge. This is done with a view to promoting socio-economic development using appropriate information and communication technologies (ICTs), coupled with the development of required associated skills. ICTs include a wide range of essential tools for sharing information such as radio, television, telephony, and the Internet.Compared with developed countries, there is a lack of access to and availability of ICTs in many developing/transition countries. This has resulted in what is commonly referred to as the "digital divide," which is an element of the broader development disparity between rich and poor, men and women, urban and rural, etc., within all societies.
• "The international community has responded by launching concerted initiatives to bridge the digital divide. These activities include global initiatives to strengthen policy development, address gender inequalities, create public-private partnerships to leverage private sector investors, build electronic gateways to link information and resources and create networks to bring stakeholders together to share knowledge on promoting ICTs for development. Increasing co-ordination among these initiatives remains a critical element...
• "CIDA is participating in many of these international efforts, and continues to make policy and program investments in ICTs and knowledge initiatives within the broader context of developing country programming priorities.
• "Based on the principle of country ownership, CIDA's strategy is guided first and foremost by the needs and priorities of developing/transition countries. This strategy is intended to guide and inform CIDA's work in the ICT sector, and its involvement in international initiatives over the next three to five years.
• "The strategy recommends that CIDA's approach be at two levels - programming and strategic institutional partnerships.
  1. "Programming should focus on, but not be limited to:
     
     • "using ICTs as tools for development of the education and health sectors, in particular, the control and prevention of HIV/AIDS and other communicable diseases;
     • "building enabling environments through support for policy and regulatory framework advice and development and promoting local capacity development; and
     • "supporting knowledge sharing and networking with the help of ICTs.
  2. "Strategic institutional partnerships support international initiatives and partnerships between the government, private sector, and civil society focused on activities related to knowledge sharing and bridging the digital divide through the Knowledge for Development Fund.