Towards Inclusive Development:

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Vikas Nath Founder KnowNet.org DigitalGovernance.
org

• Towards Inclusive Development
• ICTs and Changing Geometry of Information Flows
  within Communities

Transforming and Sustaining Inclusive Development
Communities 19 September 2003 Amsterdam
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ICT, Information Access and Flows
Information Access Opportunities / avenues
available to individuals to seek information from
different sources. For instance from other
individuals, institutions, and public domains and
databases. Information Flow The supply /
availability of information within a society.
Information flows may be 'restricted' in some
societies and 'open' in others.
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Impact of ICT on Information Access
Changes in "Information Access" can be analyzed
along 3 dimensions Sources of
information Intensity of interactions, and
Information types The impact is Positive/
Increasing in each of the cases.
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Impact of ICT on Information Flow
Changes in "Information Flow" can be analyzed
along 2 dimensions Information Production
Information Broadcast The impact is Positive/
Increasing in each of the cases.
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Schematic Representation of Impact of ICT on
Information Access and Flow
Pre-ICT Society
Post-ICT Society
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Geometry of Information Flows The Missing
Element
ICT has paved way for more number of
inter-linkages, increase in intensity of
interactions, and greater opportunity to
broadcast content to distant and transnational
public domains It is evident that ICT enhances
Information Access and Flows and almost
automatically in the project designs. But if the
benefits of ICT for Development projects are to
provide benefits to the disadvantaged communities
and difficult to reach communities, then there is
something critical missing in the project
designs. And the missing element is the "Geometry
of Information Flows."
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What do we mean by Geometry of Information Flows
A detailed human-centric picture of information
flows in a society. Focuses on "Who are the
people" getting connected and are benefiting when
there is an increase in information access and
flow. AIM is to understand the distribution of
"information" and "information flows" in the
society, instead of focusing solely on enhanced
communication. Which new constituencies/ target
groups have been brought under the ICT networks?
Has any relevant content started to flow to
communities newly brought under the ICT
networks? Does information flow to the
disadvantaged communities increase, when there is
a total increase in information access and flow?
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Guidelines for Shaping Geometry of Information
Flows

• Who are our Target groups that we want to reach
  out to, through ICT for Development projects?
• What are the key information needs of the
  disadvantaged community?
• What are the existing channels by which
  information reaches to thedisadvantaged
  community?
• What is the weakest link in the chain of
  information flows from source to the
  disadvantaged communities?

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Geometrically Sensitive ICTD Models for
Developing Countries

• Wider Dissemination Model
• Critical Flow Model
• Comparative Analysis Model
• E-advocacy/ Lobbying and Pressure
  group model
• Interactive-Service Model

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Wider Disseminating Model Information Public
Domain Wider Public Domain
Wider Domain

• Laws and Legislations
• Local Govt. Offices and Officials Information
• Government Budget, Plans and Expenditures
• Key Judicial Decisions state vs. citizen
  decisions

Public Domain Information
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Examples
Brazil Official Government Website www.brazil.gov
.br South Africa Idasas Political Information
and Monitoring Service (PIMS) www.pims.org.za/moni
tor India Directory of Government
Ministries www.goidirectory.nic.in Armenia
Online forum for Democratic Participation www.foru
m.am
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Critical Flow Model Critical Information Private
Domain Wider Public Domain

• Corruption Information
• Enquiry reports, scientific research, impact
  studies commissioned by the Government
• Companys Green Ratings
• Human Rights Violations Records

Wider Domain
Private Domain Information
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Examples
Bangladesh Human Rights Portal
www.banglarights.net Mexico Declarenet
www.declaranet.gob.mx El Salvador Probidad
www.probidad.org India Central Vigilance
Committee www.cvc.nic.in Colombia Transparent
Municipalities www.paipa.gov.co www.transparencia.
buga.gov.co
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Comparative Analysis Model Information Private /
Public Domain Public / Private Domain
Wider Public Domain
Public/Private Domain
Wider Domain
Public Domain Information
Public/Private Domain
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Comparative Analysis Model

• Court Rulings / Historical Archive
• Tracking Performance Records / Financial Assets
  Growth of Ministers
• Electoral Candidates Information

• Based on Precedence Information
• (time line)
• With and Without Information

• Bringing out Best / Worst Practices
• Disaster Response
• Comparative policies- Bt Cotton Trademark
  Potatoes Campaign

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Examples
Argentina Cristal (Budget comparisons and use of
public funds) www.cristal.gov.ar Sri Lanka
Kothmale Project (Comparison of Education
Indicators) India Green Ratings of Chief
Ministers www.cseindia.org India Comparative
Learning from Disasters www.nic.in
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Mobilisation and Lobbying Model Building Allies
/ Networking Networks for Concerted Action
Virtual Community
Communities
Individuals
Real Community
Common Goal
Networks
Interest Groups
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Examples

• Planned, Directed, Strategic flow of Information
  to build strong issue-based Allies / solidarity
  to complement action in Real World.
• (often through combination of other models)
• e-Signature Campaigns
• e-Groups on Agriculture
• Zimbabwe Kubatana.net (using emails for lobbying)

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Service Delivery Model USER
SERVICE PROVIDER
E-Government E- debates E-ballots E-procurement
of services E-administration taxes, parking
tickets, licenses
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Examples
Brazil Citizen Services Centre Mongolia
Citizens Information Centre Nepal Municipal
Services Online www.bharatpurmun.org.np India
Bhoomi Project (Karnataka) www.revdept-01.kar.nic.
in Namibia Parliamentary website for bill
discussions www.parliament.gov.na
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Basic Requirements

• Removal of Mind Barriers!
• Little recognition to peoples Knowledge
• and their ability to make Informed decisions.
• Creation and focusing on Intermediary
  Organisations
• Provide people access to ICT and impart skills
  and training on its use Schools, NGOs, Post
  Offices.
• Education Levels
• Low literacy in developing countries implies
  lower capacity to learn and interact.
• Government as a Model
• Needs to have information-sharing culture
• INNOVATIONS

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End Note

• Strength of any ICT for Development Model is
  based on the strengths of Human Networks within
  which they operate, including a robust, active
  and questioning / inquisitive civil society.

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For more information

• Vikas Nath
• founder
• KnowNet.org Initiative
• DigitalGovernance.org
• A network of over 1800 individuals
• KnowNet_at_Knowetweaver.org or
• v.nath-alumni_at_lse.ac.uk