ICTs need to focus on marginalised groups

source: OneWorld South Asia

21.Nov.03 - The founder of Datamation Consultants, Chetan Sharma speaks to OneWorld South Asia about information society and its impact on the developing world. He says that traditional civil society organisations do not yet believe in the potential of information and communication technologies for development.

Are you satisfied with the response of the Indian government on the World Summit on Information Society (WSIS)?

I am absolutely dissatisfied with the government's response. I understand the IT Secretary has represented India at the PrepCom3. However it has been a keen-jerk reaction given the stakes and implications. It is a pity that the government has not understood the implications of the WSIS. As with earlier UN summits - Rio and Beijing - the outcome of WSIS will have a major influence on the policy and attitudes of governments, multi-lateral organisations and the civil society. The market can also be expected to pick up vital cues and thus be influenced substantially.

Is the Indian civil society playing a major role?

Unfortunately not. A few members from the civil society have participated in the deliberations at the PrepComs, but have neither created awareness nor sensitised the government about its responsibility regarding WSIS. We have been working on an awareness strategy as part of which we are in contact with the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology and the Department of Administrative Reforms & Personnel Grievances. We, along with a number of civil society members, government officials and the private sector have prepared a draft National Gender and ICT paper for WSIS. We hope our inputs shall constitute a vital constituent in the WSIS declaration in Geneva 2003.

What do you want the WSIS to achieve?

We want the information society to include the marginalised sections - youth, women, elderly and minority groups. We have also tried to draw the attention of the Planning Commission of India and members of the National Committee on E-Governance so that they understand the enormous impact of the WSIS for the country and become proactive.

What is the response of Asian countries to the summit?

Better than the Indian response. Most south Asian and Pacific governments along with CSOs have taken the summit seriously. One reason is that they have already established their development gateways, even as we struggle with ours. Had this development portal existed in the country earlier, we would not have been washed out in WSIS awareness, advocacy and sensitisation.

How will the summit outcome impact India?

WSIS will address the broad range of themes concerning the information society and adopt a Declaration of Principles and plan of action, addressing the whole range of issues related to the information society. India is a country of one billion people. To speak for the Indians is to almost speak for one-ninth of humanity. Surprisingly, there is a rather weak representation for this big section, as we prepare to lay down the vision and guiding principles of a new world. This large part of humanity is distinctive in many ways, generally, as well as in its position with respect to the emerging information age. India is a developing nation, and a strongly tradition-bound society. But it is progressing fast and its social and civil institutions are well developed. India is also a global IT powerhouse. Though most of this power is oriented to fuel growth and development on foreign shores, a positive drag effect on the Indian society is building steadily. Experimental initiatives in the area of Information and Communication Technologies for development are fairly advanced in India and would certainly have a faster impact than many nations similarly placed.

Will WSIS help the marginalised or increase existing inequities?

I am certain the WSIS will help the poor provided we succeed in re-orienting our decision-makers and then the international lobbies. Traditional civil society organisations have a good influence in policy formulation, apart from having a good impact in other areas of the society. But the problem is that much of the 'traditional' development sector still does not share the vision of an emerging information society or its relevance to ground level issues of development. Agencies which are so strong in representing and fighting for these issues do not believe that a new society is being built at all. And if it is, they find no reason to believe that this new society holds a promise for a better accomplishment of the very goals that they have set for themselves. And it is this disassociation that we have to bridge in India. ICTs will have to rely on community-centered strategies and ensure the inclusion of the marginalised sections. The right to equal opportunities, to information and to communicate freely may today have to be mediated by a right of equitable access to the new technologies.

Can the meet go the way of the World Trade Organisation, in that it benefits the rich only?

Certainly not. The African and Latin American civil society has been active for the past several years; consequently WSIS draft declarations are far more "inclusionary" and "realistic." I don't envision the summit to go the same way as the WTO.