[WSIS CS-Plenary] Solving the IS and SD Puzzle: Exploring InformationSociety and Sustainable Development Policy Links

[Maja Andjelkovic]

Dear Colleagues,

Apologies if you have already seen the announcement below. I thought that some of you would be interested in participating in the discussion.  The online forum is part of a larger research project, through which eight young researchers are taking different approaches in answering the question ""What national information society policy changes in [country X] would help to better achieve the country's sustainable development goals and strategies?" 
 
The discussion opens on Monday, June 13. More details follow, but if you have any further questions, I would be very happy to answer them.  I would also greatly appreciate your help in disseminating the announcement.
 
With thanks and best wishes,
Maja
 
Maja Andjelkovic
Associate, Knowledge Communications
International Institute for Sustainable Development
Tel. +1-204-958-7700 | Email: mandjelkovic at iisd.ca
http://www.iisd.org



***Solving the IS and SD Puzzle: A Forum to Explore Links Between
Information Society and Sustainable Development Policy Development***

How can we harmonize the visions of the emerging information society
with the priorities articulated by the Millennium Development Goals and
the World Summit on Sustainable Development?

>From June 13-24, 2005, join eight researchers working at the national
level to identify the key convergence areas between the Information
Society and Sustainable Development policy making in the Global South.

*Solving the IS and SD Puzzle* will gather practitioners, students,
academics, policy-makers and the general public in an e-forum to examine
local policy questions in the following areas:

1) ICT for Natural Resources and Environmental Protection
* What is the real, tangible impact of mobile connectivity to
environmental sustainability and pollution abatement? - Led by Robert
Sagun, Philippine Resources for Sustainable Development, the Philippines
* What are some examples of effective use of geographic information
systems for coastal resource development? - Led by Amira Sobeih,
Sustainable Development Association, Egypt
* What economic and other incentives for innovation can be used in the
area of ICTs for environmental protection? - Led by Wainaina Mungai,
OneWorld International, Kenya

2) Participatory Frameworks: the Importance of Local Content and
Knowledge and Grassroots Voices in the IS and SD Debate
* How are linkages between IS and SD expressed by grassroots voices? -
Led by Anusha Lall and Atanu Garai, OneWorld South Asia, India
* What are the key issues surrounding SD, ICTs and Local Content in
South Africa? - Led by Steve Vosloo, Empowerment for African Sustainable
Development, South Africa

3) Equity and Equality: Reducing Regional Disequilibria and Prioritizing
Equality as a Foundation Principle of the Information Society
* Why are women a minority in many national IT sectors? - Led by
Margarita Salas Guzman, BELLANET LAC/Fundacion Acceso, Costa Rica
* How can the information society help to balance development and reduce
the regional disequilibria? - Led by Diogo Andre de Assumpcao, Grupo
Interagir, Brazil

The topics are varied, but our primary intention is to gather those
working around the issues through an interesting exchange, not to find
all of the answers to these questions.  If in the meantime, we do find
some of the answers, then all the better. The results of this research
effort will be published in a book, which will be launched at the Third
Preparatory Committee Meeting to the World Summit on the Information
Society, in September 2005.

Whether your country is already represented in the research, or you are
bringing a new regional perspective, please join us as we work to meet
the need for harmonizing the work of policy-makers in the areas of the
Information Society and Sustainable Development.

To sign up to participate in the e-forum, just send a blank email to
join-issd at lists.iisd.ca or visit
http://lists.iisd.ca:81/read/all_forums/subscribe?name=issd.

To read messages online, please visit the forum archives at
http://lists.iisd.ca:81/read/?forum=issd.

For more information about the e-forum, or the wider Information Society
and Sustainable Development work undertaken by the International
Institute for Sustainable Development, please visit the Next Generations
Policy Research page at http://www.iisd.org/networks/issd.asp or contact
Maja Andjelkovic at mandjelkovic at iisd.ca