Development of ICTs or ICTs for Development? Can Local Sightedness Solve this Dilemma? Using E-Governance as a Case-S

1. Vikas Nath Founder, Digital Governance Initiative www.DigitalGovernance.org Special Advisor to the Executive Director, South Centre, Geneva Development of ICTs or ICTs for Development? Can Local Sightedness Solve this Dilemma? Using E-Governance as a Case-Study EPFL Executive Master in e-Governance Lausanne, Switzerland 13 October 2006

2. To understand this session better let us get out of this classroom and transport ourselves back into our countries…

3. Development of ICTs: What do we mean? ICTs can be visualized as: Infrastructure: Roads, Electricity Grid, Railway Lines … Communication Tool: Post, Newspapers … Capital: Finance, Ideas, Human Resources … As in the case of Infrastructure, Communication Tools and Capital, development of ICTs leads to economic growth, greater opportunities and human development. And yet, similar to Infrastructure, Communication Tools and Capital developing ICTs itself cannot ensure that lives of all people, including those belonging to the marginalized sections, will improve automatically. Millions of people still lie in poverty next to roads and highways!

4. ICTs for Development: What do we mean? ICTs can be visualized as: Access to Education :online classes, libraries, course material Access to Employment : job notices, outsourced jobs Access to Information: market price, weather and floods information, government schemes Access to Advice: agricultural, business, health advice Access to Services: shopping, banking, government services High access-cost & equipment fees, limited bandwidth, expensive ICT solutions, software & business models, lack of technical know-how means many developing countries are unable to deliver benefits of ICTs to their population (inspite of good intentions).

5. Which Path should countries follow?

6. The Way Forward is: • Prioritization of Development Benefits • Localization: Targeting of Desired Constituencies • Being Indigenous in “Development of ICTs” • Being Innovative in setting up « ICT for Development models » LET US TAKE THE EXAMPLE OF E-GOVERNANCE ….

7. E-Government at a Glance Source: UNPAN http://unpan1.un.org/intradoc/groups/public/documents/un/unpan006268.pdf

8. E-Participation Index (top 10)willingness to provide information and communication tools (6 Areas: Health, Educ, Finance, Employment, Social welfare & General E-Gov Readiness Index (top 10)capacity of public sector to use ICT Source: UNPAN E-Gov Global Survey 2005 http://www.unpan.org/egovernment5.asp

9. Ranking of Municipalities Online(84 Cities) 1 Seoul 2 Hong Kong 3 Singapore 4 Rome 5 Shanghai 6 New York 7 Auckland 8 Stockholm 9 Sao Paulo 10 Sofia CRITERIA: Citizen Service Delivery Among the top 25 cities: 8 cities are from developing or transition countries: Shanghai Dubai, Macao, Jakarta, Sao Paulo, Kyiv, Sofia, Bucharest. Source: Survey done by Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey- Newark, USA http://newark.rutgers.edu/~egovinst/Website/summary.htm

10. Who is theGovernment for Citizens ?Who are theCitizens for Government ? CITIZENS GOVERNMENT Women Central Government Home Ministry Farmers Taxpayer Courts Agriculture Department Rural Population National Banks Senior Citizens Municipality Un- Employed State Government Customs Entrepreneur Media Excise Department Police

11. Localization and Prioritization of Development Benefits (Who are the users and what services do they need?)

12. TARGETING: E-Governance is Match- Making between Citizens and Service Providers E- GOVERNANCE SERVICE PROVIDERS USER GROUPS Un- Employed Transport Ministry Farmers Department of Youth Employment NGO Workers CITIZENS Home Ministry Women Senior Citizens Local Municipalities Children Local Media Health Department Local Businesses Agriculture Department

13. 5 Innovative E-Governance Models being used in Several Developing Countries • Wider Dissemination Model • Critical Flow Model • Comparative Analysis Model • E-advocacy/ Pressure group model • Selective-Service Model

14. Wider Disseminating Model Information: Public Domain Wider Public Domain CITIZENS • Govt. Laws, Legislations, Notices • Local Govt. Offices and Officials Information • Government Budget, Plans and Expenditures • Key Judicial Decisions: state vs. citizen decisions • Government Tenders, Procurement Notice • Government Employment Wider Public Domain CITIZENS Public Domain Information CITIZENS

15. Examples Mongolia: Open Government http://open-government.mn Malaysia: E-Flood Information http://jps.selangor.gov.my Philippines: Government Online (but not yet!) http://www.gov.ph/directory Uzbekistan: Portal of the State of Authority http://www.gov.uz

16. MONGOLIA

17. MALAYSIA:E-Flood Information DID (JPS) Selangor State http://jps.selangor.gov.my • The system integrates all hydrology data from District DID (JPS) to the Shah Alam Hydrology Unit automatically and in real time. • It then provides real-time river monitoring to safequard life and property, and offers flood warnings through SMS. • The project simplifies government agency flood rescue operations.

18. INDIA: (For Fishermen) Fish Shoal Movements in the Indian Ocean

19. Critical Flow Model Critical Information: Private Domain Wider Public Domain • Corruption Information • Enquiry reports, scientific research, impact studies commissioned • Company’s Green Ratings • Human Rights Violations Records • Whistle Blowing Wider Domain Private Domain Information

20. Examples Bangladesh: Human Rights Portal www.banglarights.net independent web portal which exposes and challenges discriminations and violations of human rights. India: Central Vigilance Committee www.cvc.nic.in Online filing of complaints against public officials and online exposing of names of Corrupted Government Officials. Mexico: Declarenet www.declaranet.gob.mx Declaranet" allows for on-line filing of income for federal employees. Bloggers

21. BANGLADESH: Human Rights Violations

22. INDIA: Central Vigilance Committee

23. Comparative Analysis Model Information in: Private / Public Domain + Public / Private Domain Wider Public Domain Public/Private Domain Wider Domain Public Domain Information Public/Private Domain

24. Comparative Analysis Model • Based on comparison • over Time • Based on comparison between 2 Services at a given time • Court Rulings / Historical Archive • Tracking Performance Records / Background of Electoral Candidates • Bringing out Best / Worst Practices • Cases of Corruption, Budget Irregularities

25. Examples India: National Courts http://indiancourts.nic.in Sri Lanka: Comparison of Education Indicators (Kothmale Project) Philippines: Comparison of Electoral Candidates India: Green Ratings of Chief Ministers/ Comparing Environmental Records of Industries http://www.cseindia.org

26. INDIA: National Courts

27. INDIA: Green Rating of Industries / Paper Mills

28. Mobilisation and Lobbying Model Building Allies / Networking Networks for Concerted Action Real Community Virtual Community Communities Common Goal Individuals Strategic flow of Information to build strong issue-based Allies to complement action in Real World. Networks Interest Groups

29. Examples • SMS and Mobile Political Campaigns- Philippines, Belarus (ice-cream flash mobs) and Ukraine • SMS Protests: Lebanan (organise massive anti-Syrian protests after the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri) • Anti-Corruption Signature Campaigns: India (Petition OnlineCorruption) • Email Groups for Lobbying: Zimbabwe Kubatana.net

30. Service Delivery Model USER SERVICE PROVIDER E-Procurement E- Shopping E-ballots E-taxes, parking tickets, licenses E-Government

31. Examples Philippines: Online Marriage, Birth Certificates (City of Manila) http://www.cityofmanila.com.ph/service.htm China: Shanghai Investment Promotion Agency http://www.investment.gov.cn/english/index.html Indonesia: LIVE E-Commerce India: Delhi Government Online Complaint Form complaints.mcdonline.gov.in

32. PHILIPPINES

33. CHINA: Shanghai Investment Promotion Agency

34. Price Terms: Company Name: ADDRESS: 6th Floor, Suite 18, IOI Business Park, Bandar Puchong Jaya, Puchong, Malaysia, Puchong, Selangor, Malaysia, Malaysia PHONE: 60 3 80762836 Medanova Commodities Sdn Bhd  FOB Contact Person: Mr Rajalingam Theva Raj Indonesia: Want to buy a LIVE SHEEP? Leave me a message Specifications:For sale jamnapari goats ex Indonesia. Quality breeders between 6 and 9 months old. Able to supply up to 450 goats per month. Berat LahirBerat Dewasa Jantan 3 - 4 kg   Jantan 68 - 91 kg Betina 3-4 kg   Betina 36-63 skg

35. COMING BACKThe Way Forward is: • Prioritization of Development Benefits • Localization: Targeting of Desired Constituencies • Being Indigenous in “Development of ICTs” • Being Innovative in setting up « ICT for Development models » THUS THE GUIDING PRINCIPLE BEHIND ICT PROJECTS SHOULD BE ……

36. THE GUIDING PRINCIPLE Increasing the« Public Value of Services »being offered by Information Technology to local community? What do you mean by PUBLIC VALUE of Services? Okay, let me explain what that means? O O i

37. Case A: pre-ICT Situation V= Value of Service being derived by the User: U V1B A B V1A U1 V2C C U2 U4 V4D U3 V3D D V5D U5 SERVICES (A, B, C, D) USERS (5) Total Public Value of Services derived = U1V1 + U2V2 + U3V3 + U4V4 + U5V5

38. 3 WAYS to increase PUBLIC VALUE OF SERVICES: • Bring NEW USERS under the reach of the Information Technology • Provide NEW SERVICES to Existing Users • Enhance the QUALITY OF EXISTING SERVICES being offered so that users derive greater Value from the same service. THE SITUATION WILL THEN CHANGE…..

39. Case B: Desired post- ICT situation G U6 U8 A B U1 U7 C E U2 U4 U3 F D U5 USERS (8) SERVICES (A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H) New Public Value = U1V1 + U2V2 + U3V3 + U4V4 + U5V5 +….. + UiVj

40. ICT Projects Guideline • Who are the Target groups that we want to reach out to, through Internet? • What are the local information needs of the disadvantaged community? • What are the existing channels by which information reaches to the disadvantaged community? • What is the weakest link in the chain of information flows: from source to the disadvantaged communities?

41. QUESTIONS? Vikas Nath Inlaks Scholar, London School of Economics, UK Founder, Digital Governance Initiative Founder, DevNetJobs.org Initiative Special Advisor, South Centre Vikas.Nath@gmail.com http://www.VikasNath.org