Empowering Local Communities and Improving Local Government through ICT
JOIN THE ONLINE DISCUSSION
May 2 - May 27, 2005
"ICT can contribute to fostering empowerment and participation and
making government processes more efficient and transparent by
encouraging communication and information-sharing among people and
organizations, and within government." (Creating a Development Dynamic)
"ICTs can empower people and significantly improve local government" --
statements like this are often treated cynically. Yet some communities
have managed to use ICT to make their local governments more responsive,
transparent, and efficient. Widespread trends toward decentralization
make it crucial to learn from these communities.
This discussion focuses on the question: How can ICT empower local
communities and improve local governments, especially during a process
of decentralization?
Decentralization -- the transfer of power from central to local
government -- has a highly questionable record. Decentralization reforms
are often poorly designed and executed. As a result, local governments
fail to fulfill their new responsibilities -- fiscal management,
strategic planning, and very basic public services degenerate.
Yet many donors and citizens continue to believe that decentralization
provides new opportunities for active participation of an informed
citizenry that will create more responsive, transparent and effective
local government.
Can ICT help improve the poor record of decentralization and make the
goals of decentralization a reality? Can ICT empower citizens with the
information and means they need to make their governments work
effectively for them? What is needed to make ICT an effective tool for
good local governance? These questions are crucial to the well-being of
people throughout the developing world.
This discussion will seek to answer these questions with concrete
examples, specific cases, experience and recommendations that can guide
local communities, local governments, ICT practitioners and
decentralization experts. Join the discussion and share what you know
regarding:
* Cases of successful decentralization efforts that have utilized ICT
effectively
* Challenges to introducing ICT successfully into decentralization
efforts
* Technology options that work -- and those that don't
* Cases of local governments using ICT to improve transparency,
responsiveness and efficiency
* Cases of citizens/civil society groups using ICT to participate more
fully in local government decision-making
* Technologies that have proven particularly effective in improving
local government
AGENDA
Week 1: Can ICTs support successful decentralization and improve local
governance?
Week 2: How can local communities (e.g., businesses, NGOs, media,
schools, etc.) use ICT to participate more effectively in local
decision-making?
Week 3: How can local governments use ICT to improve the efficiency of
service delivery to local citizens and businesses?
Week 4: Where do we want local governments to be in three years, and
what should we be doing now, using ICT, to help realize that goal?
This discussion is sponsored by the USAID-funded DOT-COM Alliance and
hosted by GKD. It will focus on "Using ICT to Empower Local Communities
and Improve Local Government" for four weeks (May 2 to May 27, 2005).
However, GKD is a major forum for exchange of experience and knowledge
on all aspects of ICT for development, with thousands of members from
over 100 countries. The ongoing GKD forum will continue after this
discussion topic.
***THE DOT-COM ALLIANCE***
This discussion is sponsored by the DOT-COM Alliance. The DOT-COM
Alliance is funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development
(USAID): (GDG-A-00-01-00009-00, dot-GOV; GDG-A-00-01-00014-00, dot-ORG;
GDG-A-00-01-00011-00, dot-EDU).
***WORLD WIDE WEB SITES FOR THE DISCUSSION***
For those who would prefer to follow the discussion on the Web, the
DOT-COM Archive (as of May 2) is available at:
http://www.dot-com-alliance.org/archive.html
The DOT-COM Alliance website provides information about this discussion
and other projects using ICT to support development:
http://www.dot-com-alliance.org
http://www.dot-com-alliance.com/events/discussiongroup.htm
The GKD database provides an easy way to search messages of this and
other GKD discussions: http://www.GKDknowledge.org
***MODERATOR***
This discussion is hosted by GKD and moderated by EDC, a nonprofit
organization.
***FOR FURTHER INFORMATION***
For further information about the discussion, please contact:
Janice Brodman
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
For further information about the DOT-COM Alliance, please contact:
Barbara Fillip
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
------------
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