Title: Draft Open Access and Licensing Framework released
Author: Keitha Booth
Source: In Development
Publisher: State Services Commission
Date (published): 27/08/2009
Date (accessed): 28/08/2009
Type of information: blog post
Language: English
On-line access: yes (HTML)
Abstract:
"Today the State Services Commission is releasing the draft New Zealand Government Open Access and Licensing framework (NZGOAL)... This document provides guidance for State Services agencies on:

* open access to non-copyright information; and
* open licensing of copyright works,

in both cases with a view to allowing their re-use by others. (It does not apply to information or works containing personal or other sensitive information).

The draft NZGOAL sets out a series of policy principles which embrace, among other things, the notions of open access, open licensing, creativity, authenticity, non-discrimination and open formats. It describes the drivers behind this work, the departmental consultation process that has taken place, the Creative Commons New Zealand law licences and sets out a review and release process which agencies can use to determine the basis on which information and copyright works may be released."

See also:
NZ Government Open Access and Licensing (NZGOAL) framework

Title: Open Data: It's About Interoperability, Not Property
Author: John Wilbanks
Source: Common Knowledge, ScienceBlogs
Publisher: Seed Media Group
Date (published): 20/08/2009
Date (accessed): 27/08/2009
Type of information: blog post
Language: English
On-line access: yes (HTML)
Abstract:
"Moving from a Web of documents to a Web of data (or of Linked Open Data) is an oft-cited goal in the sciences. The Web of data would allow us to link together disparate information from unrelated disciplines, run powerful queries, and get precise answers to complex, data-driven questions. It's an undoubtedly desirable extension of the way that the existing networks increase the value of documents and computers through connectivity - Metcalfe's Law applied to more complex information and systems.

However, making the Web of data turns out to be a deeply complex endeavor. Data - here, a catchall word covering databases and datasets and generally meaning here information that is gathered in the sciences as a result of either experimental work or environmental observation - require a much more robust and complete set of standards to achieve the same "web" capabilities we take for granted in commerce and culture.
...
The connectability quotient creates significant pressures to build interoperability deep into the Web of data.
...
There are three interlocking dimensions to interoperability in data: legal, technical, and semantic."

Title: The Gender Digital Divide in Rural Pakistan - To Measure and to Bridge it
Source: Sustainable Development Policy Institute, Islamabad
Date (accessed): 27/08/2009
Type of information: series of research papers
Language: English
On-line access: yes (HTML, PDF)
Abstract:
The importance of information and communication technologies (ICTs) to economic development has been recognized widely during the last decade. The development promises made by the significant growth of ICTs are challenged by the so-called digital divide. The ‘digital divide’ refers to the drastic differences in levels of ICT access between different population groups. While in Pakistan during the past years, the number of mobile phone users and computer applications has been tremendously increased, rural areas are significantly underserved. A significant but largely invisible aspect of the digital divide is the gap in access to and use of ICTs between women and men, girls and boys. For Pakistan, the assessment for gender-specific ICT use and its impact on development has yet to be made.The specific objectives of the project are to measure the extent of the gender digital divide in rural Pakistan, to raise awareness about the issue and to draw lessons for appropriate technology and governance conducive for improved access of women and girls to ICTs. The research techniques include gender specific FGD’s, structured questionnaires and key informant interviews. Dissemination of the research is an important focus and will be done through a seminar series, academic presentations, trainings, policy briefs, newspaper articles etc.

Title: Economic Development and Inclusion through Local Broadband Access Networks
Editor: Jaime García Alba
Authors: Stefano Migliorisi, Alessandra Balletti, Karl Edwards, Roberto Donà, David Mendoza, Ugo Silva Dias, Miguel Collado di Franco, Luis Deza
Pages: 145 pp.
Publisher: Multilateral Investment Fund, Inter-American Development Bank
Date (published): August 2009
Date (accessed): 28/08/2009
Type of information: research paper
Language: English
On-line access: yes (HTML, PDF)
Abstract:
The theme of the study is the recent experience of community-based initiatives driven by municipal governments, community organizations, local entrepreneurs associations, NGOs that have deployed sustainable local broadband connectivity services. This report provides a detailed mapping of best practice for the implementation of sustainable local broadband access networks and an analysis of the situation in Brazil, Dominican Republic, Guatemala and Peru.

Title: Websites that use the spoken word will empower the illiterate
Source: FARA Secretariat
Publisher: Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa
Date (published): 24/08/2009
Date (accessed): 27/08/2009
Type of information: blog post
Language: English
On-line access: yes (HTML)
Abstract:
"The internet, wonderful though it is, reinforces one of life’s fundamental divisions: that between the literate and the illiterate. Most websites, even those heavy with video content, rely on their users being able to read and—if interactive—write. Building your own site certainly does.

Guruduth Banavar, the director of IBM’s India Research Laboratory, wanted to allow people who struggle with literacy to create websites. So he and his colleagues have devised a system based on what is known as “voice extensible markup language”, a cousin of the hypertext markup language used on conventional websites, that allows a website to be built and operated more or less by voice alone."

Title: Information and Communication Technologies, Human Development, Growth and Poverty Reduction: A Background Paper. Draft.
Authors: Randy Spence with Matthew Smith
Pages: 325 pp.
Publisher: Canada's International Development Research Centre (IDRC)
Date (published): 28/04/2009
Date (accessed): 27/08/2009
Type of information: research paper
Language: English
On-line access: yes (HTML, PDF)
Abstract:
In September 2003, IDRC organized A Dialogue on ICTs and Poverty: The Harvard Forum. The current paper has been drafted as background for a second Harvard Forum - A Dialogue on ICTs, Human Development, Growth and Poverty Reduction, September 2009. Six years later, much has changed.

Title: Ict4d Twitter Users
Source: WeFollow
Publisher: WeFollow.com
Date (accessed): 26/08/2009
Type of information: directory listing
Language: English
On-line access: yes (HTML)
Abstract:
Directory listing of users in the Ict4d sector.

Title: Mapping the 400+ ICT4D Twitter members
Author: Christian Kreutz
Source: crisscrossed blog
Publisher: crisscrossed.net
Date (published): 25/08/2009
Date (accessed): 26/08/2009
Type of information: blog post
Language: English
On-line access: yes (HTML)
Abstract:
"Inspired by a post on ICTWorks, I have compiled a comprehensive list of 400 ICT4D twitter members. Almost a year ago, I started a second Twitter account for news around ICT4D. I had previously offered the ICT4D feed (subscribe) for a while and publish the best pieces of that feed on Twitter. Although the feed has around 30 resources each day, it also attracted already some 50 subscribers...Twitter offers new ways to find synergies and the people who are part of it might not otherwise get to know so much about their topics. More importantly, it becomes a fascinating community tool, which helps spread ideas around ICT4D and lessons learnt – something that is much needed. I have uploaded a list of 400 users in a Google Spreadsheet..."

Title: Information Technology for Health in Developing Countries
Authors: Frederick Bukachi, MBChB, PhD and Neil Pakenham-Walsh, MBBS
Pages: 9 pp.
ISSN: 0012-3692 (print)
ISSN 1931-3543 (online)
doi: 10.1378/chest.07-1760
Source: Chest November 1, 2007 132:1415-1416
Publisher: American College of Chest Physicians
Date (published): 01/11/2007
Date (accessed): 26/08/2009
Type of information: scholarly article
Language: English
On-line access: yes (HTML and PDF)
Abstract:
Poverty has deepened the crisis in health-care delivery in developing countries, particularly sub-Saharan Africa, which is a region facing a disease burden that is unmatched in the world. Whether access to proven and powerful information and communication technologies (ICTs) can improve health indicators is an ongoing debate. However, this brief review shows that in the last decade there has been significant growth in Internet access in urban areas; health-care workers now use it for communication, access to relevant health-care information, and international collaboration. The central message learned during this period about the application of ICTs is that infrastructural and cultural contexts vary and require different models and approaches. Thus, to harness the full potential of ICTs to the benefit of health systems, health workers, and patients will demand an intricate mix of old and new technologies.

Title: A practical ICT for development framework: The ICT Center of Excellence
Author: Khalid S. Rabayah
ISSN:
Source: International Journal of Education and Development using ICT, Vol. 4, No. 4 (2008)
Publisher: Open Campus, The University of the West Indies
Date (published): 28/12/2008
Date (accessed): 25/08/2009
Type of information: research article
Language: English
On-line access: yes (HTML)
Abstract:
This paper describes an initiative to implement a network of competency building centers that can assume a central role in shaping the Information Society in developing countries. The paper describes the business model of the centers and reports on the evaluation of their performance and their impact on national ICT initiatives for development. The main objective of the evaluation is to quantify the degree of success and effectiveness the initiative has contributed to the development of the Palestinian IT sector. In this paper we report on the evaluation of SKITCE Center of Excellence, as a model of the initiative’s five centers.

The initiative involves the establishment of ICT Centers of Excellence in close proximity to Palestinian universities which host academic institution in IT and related fields. The Initiative serves multiple purposes, in that it enables IT to act as a transformational agent for economic and social development of the Palestinian society. To that end, it works to generate highly qualified IT professionals, badly needed by the IT industry. The center further works to create strong links to the private, public, and to NGOs communities to enhance their roles in the development drive. Among the strategic goals of the initiative is to provide capacity building that help entrepreneurs build viable IT businesses, through providing facilities, resources, and tools to develop both a research and development culture and activities in a rich environment for innovation and creativity.

The assessment of the activities has exhibited mixed results. The training and capacity building endeavors have shown ample successes. The vast majority of the surveyed trainees felt that they gained valuable knowledge and experience in their field of specialization, and believed that the training was critical to their successful job search. On the side of business development and promotion of entrepreneurship, however, the center did not score tangible achievements, and it tended to show a lack of vision and clear route to make a breakthrough in that regards.