1. BACKGROUND

Three quarters of the population of developing Asia live in rural areas. Access to communication networks is much more limited than in the urban areas. In the majority of the developing countries, tele-density (expressed as the number of telephone lines per 100 inhabitants) is low or very low in remote rural areas. Although, the advantages of better communication are proven regarding better integration of the rural population into national economic, social, political life and improved effectiveness of government programmes, progress in expanding these services has often been painfully slow.

One of the reasons for the disappointingly low spread of rural tele-density is the absence of a framework of policies and guidelines and a clear definition of tasks and responsibilities for different “players”. Country studies conducted by ESCAP in India, Malaysia and Thailand indicated that government intervention was critical for creating an enabling environment for ICT expansion to rural areas. It is widely recognized that in addition to private sector initiative and support, government leadership and a firm national ICT policy putting poverty reduction at its centre is a pre-condition for successful expansion of ICT in poor areas. The lack of specific guidelines for governments to develop national ICT strategies for the rural poor was mentioned by government representatives participating in pertinent ESCAP meetings, e.g., the Fourth Session of the Committee on Socio-economic Measures to Alleviate Poverty in Rural and Urban Areas, held in Bangkok, in December 2001.

Development of national ICT strategies for rural poverty alleviation is complex, as there is no single solution or best ICT practice to fit all rural situations. A variety of approaches and wide participation from all groups concerned is needed, particularly in the early stages of ICT expansion in rural areas.

ESCAP in its new programme structure has given increased importance to the use of ICT in poverty reduction. In January 2003 an Expert Group Meeting on “Information and Communication Technology for Rural Poverty Alleviation: Developing National ICT Policies” was requested to develop guidelines that would facilitate the formulation of national ICT policies and strategies for rural poverty alleviation. The meeting arrived at a number of conclusions and recommendations, which will now be presented to ICT “practitioners”, i.e., to those implementing ITC policies from government, non-governmental (NGO) and community-based organizations (CBO).

2. DATE AND VENUE

The Expert Group Meeting on Government Policies and Strategies on Information and Communication Technology (ICT) for Rural Poverty Reduction in Asia and the Pacific Region will be convened in Bangkok, Thailand on 27 and 28 November 2003.

3. OBJECTIVES OF THE EXPERT GROUP MEETING

The overall objective of the meeting is to arrive at recommended policy guidelines for the expansion and use of ICTs in rural poverty reduction. Specific objectives are:

1. Presenting national experiences with ICTs in rural development and poverty reduction;

2. Presenting conclusions and recommendations of the Expert Group Meeting on “Information and Communication Technology for Rural Poverty Alleviation: Developing National ICT Policies”, held in Bangkok in January 2003 to a group of ICT “practitioners” for an evaluation or “reality-check” with regard to their implementability in realistic rural development situations;

3. Arriving at a set of policy guidelines for instrumentlizing ICTs in rural poverty reduction;

4. Formulating recommendations for the role of international organizations, especially ESCAP, in promoting the use of ICTs in rural poverty reduction.

4. PARTICIPATION

A selected number of “practitioners” on policy formulation and implementation of ICT in rural areas will be invited to attend the meeting. They will be from central and local government agencies, NGOs, community based rural organizations with practical experience of ICT application and the private sector with involvement in rural communications and with experience in local content development for effective programming of ICT uses in rural income generation.

In addition representatives from other organizations involved in ICT policy development and application for poverty reduction in the region will be invited to attend at their own expense.

5. PROVISIONAL AGENDA

1. Opening session

2. Review of government policies and potential of ICT (best practice cases) in rural development

3. Experiences with ICTs in rural poverty reduction

4. Review of conclusions and recommendations of meeting on “Information and Communication Technology for Rural Poverty Alleviation: Developing National ICT Policies”, Bangkok, January 2003

5. Formulation of policy guidelines for ICT development favouring rural areas

6. ESCAP’s role in supporting implementation of national guidelines for rural ICT policy development

7. Adoption of guidelines

6. DOCUMENTATION TO BE PREPARED BY INVITED EXPERTS

Detailed terms of reference will be provided to the invited experts for items to be addressed in they respective papers, including existing government and other practices and experiences at central and local level. The experts will be selected from government offices, but also from NGO and CBO backgrounds, provided they have experience in the practical application of ICTs in rural areas. The private communication sector will also be invited to contribute experience from its angle.

The papers should not exceed ten standard typed pages, single spacing, and contain a half-page summary of salient points. The invited experts are requested to submit their papers to the organizers by 15 November 2003, either on floppy disk or as e-mail attachment. In addition they should bring 10 copies of the paper for distribution to other participants at the meeting.

Participants are encouraged to use computers, transparencies or slides for their presentations and are requested to inform ESCAP in advance of their requirements.

The outcome of the meeting will largely be measured by the results achieved in discussions and the recommendations made for ICT development guidelines aiming at rural poverty reduction. Active interaction with other experts, secretariat staff and representatives of other organizations will be essential for the success of the meeting.

7.  WORKING LANGUAGE

The official working language of the meeting will be English. As all documents will be available only in English, participants must have a good working knowledge of the English language.

8. TRAVEL ARRANGEMENT, VISA AND ACCOMMODATION

Participants to be funded by ESCAP will be provided with round trip air transportation following the most direct and economical route between the airport of departure in the participant’s home country to Bangkok, Thailand. Tickets will be issued through local UNDP offices. ESCAP will assist self-financing participants with hotel reservations at preferential United Nations rates.

Participants of the workshop are expected to arrive one day in advance of the meeting, on 26 November 2003 and shall leave not later than one day after its conclusion. Accommodation for participants, can be reserved in two locations, depending on preference, for three nights, subject to confirmation by the participants at least one week in advance:

1. Thai Hotel (78 Prachatipatai Road, Bangkok 10200, Tel: 662-2822831-3, Fax: 662-2801299). The current daily rate for single accommodation in the hotel is Thai Baht 900 (approximately US$ 22) for bed and breakfast. The hotel is located in walking distance, about one kilometre from the UNCC.

2. Royal Princess Hotel (Larn Luang Road, Pom Prab, Bangkok 10100, Tel: 662-2813088, Fax: 662-2801314) The current daily rate for single accommodation in the hotel is Thai Baht 1,750 (approximately US$ 43) for bed and breakfast. The hotel is located in walking distance, about 15 minutes, from the UNCC.

Both hotels are also providing transport services to and from ESCAP at regular hours.

Participants should obtain appropriate entry visas to Thailand from a Thai diplomatic or consular mission at their point of origin or en route to Thailand.

ESCAP will meet the cost of participation of invited experts, comprising, apart from the air ticket, a daily subsistence allowance (DSA), covering boarding, lodging and incidentals in local currency at UN standard rates (currently the DSA rate for Bangkok is US$117) for the period of attendance of the meeting. One extra day of DSA will be paid as a contribution towards incidental expenses when travelling abroad, such as expenditure for passport, visa, medical examination, inoculations, and other such miscellaneous items as well as travel to and from airports.

9. FINANCIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE ARRANGEMENTS

The ESCAP secretariat will not assume responsibility of the following expenditures:

1. All expenses in the home country incidental to travel abroad, including expenditure for visas, medical examination, inoculations and other such miscellaneous items and internal travel to and from the airport of departure and arrival in the home country;

2. Salary and related allowances for the participants during the period of the Workshop;

3. Costs incurred by participants in respect of travel insurance, accident insurance, medical bills or hospitalisation fees in connection with attending the Workshop;

4. Compensation in the event of death and disability of participants in connection with attending the Workshop;

5. Any loss of damage to personal property of participants while attending the Workshop or losses or damages claimed by third parties as a result of any negligence on the part of the participants;

6. Any other expenses of personal nature, not related to the purpose of the Workshop.

10. ENQUIRIES

For further information on the Expert Group Meeting, kindly contact:

Mr Yap Kioe Sheng
Chief
Poverty Reduction Section
Poverty and Development Division
Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific
Rajdamnern Nok Avenue, Bangkok 10200, Thailand
Telephone: (662)288-1394
Fax: (662)288-1056, (662)288-1000
E-mail: yap.unescap@un.org, hegenbarth.unescap@un.org, perezludena@un.org