Subject: Digital Divide
I think that you will find a recent BBC report on the "digital divide"
quite worth reading. It has some useful data and a few case studies.
I've excerpted and included below some information that I think you will
find particularly interesting. The full article can be found at:
<http://news2.thls.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/special_report/1999/10/99/information_
rich_information_poor/newsid_466000/466651.stm>
Alternatively you can search on the phrase "digital divide" from
<http://www.bbc.co.uk/hi/english>
Facts and Figures:
- 80% of people in the world have never even heard a dial tone, let
alone surfed the Web.
- Fewer than 2% of the world's people are connected.
- Less than 1% of the people in South Asia are on-line, although it is
home to 1/5 of the world's population.
- There are 1 million Internet users on the African continent (out of a
population of 759 million).
- There are 10.5 million Internet uses in the U.K.
- 80% of all Websites are in English; 10% of the world's population
speaks English.
Case studies presented:
Burkina Faso: Father Maurice Oudet uses the Internet to gather
information and publish a magazine for farmers in some of the countries
71 dialects. Sources come from as far away as Canada. Because he
publishes in local languages, Father Oudet makes some of the information
on the web available to the average Burkinabe.
Mongolia: The Asia-Pacific Development Information Programme (APDIP) has
launched Citizen Information Service Centers, where civilians can
connect to the central government, apply for grants on-line, receive
news, and obtain basic training in computing. The programme's long-term
aim is to encourage businesses and colleges to take up information
technology and to build a culture of open information.
Morocco: The World Bank Institute is running a project in Morocco,
Tunisia and Lebanon to help local artisans sell their works through
non-governmental organizations, avoiding the middleman. Virtual Souk
('market' in Arabic) also helps guarantee delivery: all transactions are
processed through a clearinghouse in Paris. The World Bank hopes to
expand the project for artisans in the Middle East, Asia and Latin
America.
East Palo Alto, USA: Plugged In is a community project aimed at
bridging the digital divide. They offer courses to help community
members build their literacy and computer skills, work on their CVs, or
earn money as Web designers.
One programme, Community Kids, hosts 55 children after school and
involves them in arts and crafts and computer projects. The Community
Technology Centre is a resource centre for teenagers and adults.
However the article also raises some good points about whether or not
this is the right way to spend development dollars, and if the money
wouldn't be better spent on improving existing African universities, or
improving hygiene and sanitation in rural areas.
Web references:
Plugged In
http://www.pluggedin.org
PeopLink
http://www.peoplink.org
NTIA report: Falling Through the Net
http://www.ntia.doc.gov/ntiahome/fttn99/contents.html
CIA World Factbook: Burkina Faso
http://www.odci.gov/cia/publications/factbook/uv.html
Africa Virtual University
http://www.avu.org/
Virtual Souk
http://www.elsouk.com
Information and Communication Technology, Mongolia
http://www.un-mongolia.mn/ict
Asia-Pacific Development Information Programme
http://www.apdip.net/
UN Mongolia
http://www.un-mongolia.mn
The Soros Foundation
http://www.soros.org/mongolia.html
Best,
Libby Levison
Llevison@theplateau.com