- News>
- ICE Economy
Poor countries must collect data on access to Information and Communication Technologies, says ITU
New York, Dec 06: Lack of data on access to Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in poorer countries is maintaining the digital divide between rich and poor, a new report by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) says.
New York, Dec 06: Lack of data on access to
Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in poorer
countries is maintaining the digital divide between rich and
poor, a new report by the International Telecommunication
Union (ITU) says.
It finds that 60 per cent of all Internet user surveys
are conducted in the wealthiest countries, while not a single
survey has been carried out in the 59 poorest economies.
The report written by Michael Minges, head of the ITU's market, economic and finance unit, says "a close link exists between the digital and statistical divide."
The report entitled 'ITU World Telecommunication Development Report 2003', notes that countries that best understand their population's access to ICTs have been able to formulate suitable policies, citing South Korea as an example.
ITU has developed a toolkit to help governments in poorer countries measure their public's access to ICTs, showing how 23 indicators - such as the percentage of households with a personal computer, or the number of main telephone lines per 100 inhabitants - can provide a detailed picture of the situation.
The report also demonstrates how ICTs can help countries work towards the UN's millennium development goals.
ITU has released the report ahead of the first World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), which is being held in Geneva, and aims to improve access to ICTs in poorer countries.
Bureau Report
The report written by Michael Minges, head of the ITU's market, economic and finance unit, says "a close link exists between the digital and statistical divide."
The report entitled 'ITU World Telecommunication Development Report 2003', notes that countries that best understand their population's access to ICTs have been able to formulate suitable policies, citing South Korea as an example.
ITU has developed a toolkit to help governments in poorer countries measure their public's access to ICTs, showing how 23 indicators - such as the percentage of households with a personal computer, or the number of main telephone lines per 100 inhabitants - can provide a detailed picture of the situation.
The report also demonstrates how ICTs can help countries work towards the UN's millennium development goals.
ITU has released the report ahead of the first World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), which is being held in Geneva, and aims to improve access to ICTs in poorer countries.
Bureau Report