Digital Divide: Challenge of
Leadership?
Presentation by
Dr. Gillian M Marcelle,
Principal Consultant, Technology for Development and
Bureau Member UN ICT TASK FORCE
“Opportunities for All: Bridging the Digital Gap"
ITU High Level Dialogue, World Summit on the Information Society
Tuesday December 9, 2003
Outline
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This presentation discusses the challenges of
closing the digital gap
It takes the view that the existing “digital gap” in
levels of access and usage mirrors economic, social
and political global realities and is not a
phenomenon that can be explained in isolation
From this perspective, my recommendations suggest
that leadership at all levels is required ….
to ensure that ICTs serve development needs.
Gillian Marcelle © TfDev
Development Challenges
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Poverty
Unequal wealth distribution
Unequal power relations
Unfair international trading system
Health pandemics and access to social
services
Illiteracy and access to education
Environmental sustainability
Gillian Marcelle © TfDev
What are ICTs?
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ICTs are a range of information and
communication technologies and
applications used for information sharing,
networking and communication.
ICTs include telephones, mobile phones,
computers, radio, TV, the Internet and other
new digital media
ICTs are used as end products and as
intermediates
Gillian Marcelle © TfDev
ICTs and Development
Access and control of ICTs can provide people with
 Increased access to markets and information about
market opportunities
 More flexible access to employment and incomes
 Reduced social isolation
 Increased confidence
 Easier access to information about legal protection
and human rights
 Mechanisms for political organisation across social
and national boundaries
 Improved access to government services including
social welfare grants
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Gillian Marcelle © TfDev
Equitable Access to ICTs
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What is the main challenge in providing
equitable access to ICTs for the poor?
What is the main challenge in closing the
digital gap?
Why are we failing?
What needs to be done?
An agenda for change
Gillian Marcelle © TfDev
North – South Divides
Distribution of wealth, knowledge, power and
opportunity are mirrored in the ICT sector
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Concentration on research and development
Intellectual property regime that limits public flow of
information
Fundamental principles in the ICT sector are not propoor and pro-development
Gillian Marcelle © TfDev
Income Divides
Rural and urban poor are not well serviced
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Majority of people in developing countries live in
rural settings ( for sub Saharan Africa 70.5%)
women make up the majority of rural populations
rural population not well served by access to ICTs
even when they can afford
Persons in shantytowns and informal settlements
who do not have access to basic amenities
Gillian Marcelle © TfDev
Gender Divides
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rural women’s
communications needs not
well understood
female poverty
exacerbates affordability
issues
lack of relevant information
content in ICT applications
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English language
dominance
problems in accessing
communications
facilities
problems in accessing
training necessary to
use ICT services
Gillian Marcelle © TfDev
Why are we failing to align ICTs with
development?
This is a classic case of market failure
social benefits >>>private benefits
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Gillian Marcelle © TfDev
What Can Be Done?
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Widespread use of ICT applications
Design relevant applications
Globalise production of ICT equipment and
services
Provide cost-effective ICT enabled social
services (health, education, political
participation, community management)
Ensure greater participation in decision
making
Make public investment in the public interest
Balance diverse interests
Gillian Marcelle © TfDev
What Should Be Avoided?
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The latest fads of ICT policy
Over-reliance on outside perspectives, home
grown strategies and needed
ICT enclaves
ICT equipment and services only for the elite
Gillian Marcelle © TfDev
Who takes the lead?
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Public interest requires public leadership
Leadership of the ICT and development
agenda is too important to be left to a single
stakeholder
Governments are accountable to and require
the involvement of private sector, NGOs,
academic and research institutions and
international agencies
Gillian Marcelle © TfDev
What can we do?
Design and implementation solutions with
creative
public sector leadership
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Gillian Marcelle © TfDev
Who makes decisions on equitable access?
 Public
decision makers
 Technology suppliers
 Financiers and donors
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Gillian Marcelle © TfDev
Public Sector
Public sector actors should
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Provide incentives for private and public increased provision of rural
access and to urban poor through licensing, universal service
funds, and other mechanisms
Provide public access ICT facilities (community radio, telecentres
etc.)
Facilitate development of community owned and run ICT facilities
Assess the social benefits of increased access and control of ICTs
and disseminate these findings and best practice
Avoid the traps of short-term maximisation of license fee revenues &
tax payments
Work in partnership with civil society and other stakeholders
Gillian Marcelle © TfDev
Private Sector
Technology and service providers should
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Look beyond short term profit maximising
Undertake investment in learning & innovation in
rural applications
Investigate the specific needs of the urban poor
and design solutions to target these communities
Promote technology adaptation, for the specific
needs of rural women and the urban poor
Gillian Marcelle © TfDev
Financial Sector and International
Financiers & donors should
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Reduce the fragmentation and poor allocation of
funds
Avoid duplication and move beyond small scale
pilots
Set requirements for targeting rural women and
the urban poor when providing funding to national
governments and NGOs
Evaluate and measure the social benefits of ICTs
projects over a sufficiently long time horizon
Gillian Marcelle © TfDev
Global flagships
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ICT research centres and training institutes
Good global links to knowledge and
production networks
Provide an excellent human resource base
Involve civil society
Demonstrate benefits of active public sector
Encourage private sector participation
Stimulate and promote innovation
Gillian Marcelle © TfDev
Leadership Agenda for WSIS
Take explicit account of burden of
structural inequality in access and
control of ICTs
 Use access to ICTs to promote
development
 Support regional co-operation and
multilateralism including in problem
solving
 Align ICTs to the MDGs
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Gillian Marcelle © TfDev