ICTD InfoBank: A Knowledge Sharing Portal on ICTD for the Asia-Pacific region

The ICTD InfoBank has been designed and developed by APCICT as a place for online convergence of like-minded individuals and organizations working to strengthen capacities in the use of information and communications technology for development (ICTD) in the Asia-Pacific region. The ICTD InfoBank does not attempt to duplicate the work of other ICTD portals, it aims to provide easy access to relevant resources on ICTD. The resources available in the ICTD InfoBank aims to support trainers and educators in building ICTD capacity, and assist policy makers in making informed decisions.

Resources on the ICTD InfoBank include: publications, reports, journal, articles, working papers, training manuals, guidelines, case studies, video and audio files, and multimedia materials, as well as web portals with links to relevant resources, and blog sites. Users can browse these different types of resources by various topics (e.g. e-commerce, e-governance), by country, or by organization that have published these resources.

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Digital Skills Insights (2020)

In the wake of the global pandemic, the importance of digital skills has never been so evident, nor so urgent. As those lucky enough to enjoy fast connectivity took refuge from the global health emergency by moving to a virtual environment to support economic continuity, education and interpersonal contact, those lacking access to digital networks and skills have been left even further behind.

Big Data For The SDGs - Country Examples In Compiling SDG Indicators Using Non-Traditional Data Sources (2021)

To support implementation at all levels, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development recognizes the need to exploit the contribution to be made by a wide range of data including Earth observations and geospatial information. Five years on, there are few examples of countries exploiting non-traditional data sources for the global SDG monitoring framework. Furthermore, where examples do exist, they are making use of only two types of non-traditional data: Earth observations and geospatial information, and citizen-generated data.

Inequality In Access To Information And Communication Technologies (ICTs) In East And North-East Asia And South-East Asia (2021)

This policy paper examines inequalities in the access to and use of ICTs in ESCAP member States of the East and North-East Asian and South-East Asian sub-regions. It uses the classification and regression tree analysis to explore the ICT gaps between population groups and determines the characteristics and circumstances of individuals most likely to be left behind.

The Economic contribution of broadband, digitization and ICT regulation: Econometric modelling for the Asia-Pacific region (2020)

By applying the same methodologies and econometric models used for assessing global effects, this study focuses on the impact of broadband, digital transformation and policy and regulatory frameworks on the growth of markets for digital services in the Asia-Pacific region. It also provides evidence of the importance of regulatory and institutional variables in driving digital growth, illustrating that broadband technologies and effective ICT regulation can have positive impacts on the development of national economies and prosperity.

How Many Children and Youth Have Internet Access at Home? (2020)

Co-produced by UNICEF and ITU, this report reveals that not only does the lack of connectivity limit children and young people’s ability to connect online, but it prevents them from competing in the modern economy and isolates them from the world. In addition, in the event of school closures, such as those currently experienced by millions due to COVID-19, it causes them to trail behind in education. In other words, the Lack of internet access is costing the next generation their futures.

Women, ICT and emergency telecommunications - opportunities and constraints (2020)

This report indicates that the digital gender divide is blocking women from becoming equal stakeholders in society, putting entire communities at greater risk during emergencies. It also highlights the importance of advancing gender equality in disaster risk management, and leveraging context-appropriate information and communication technologies (ICTs) which are critical to deliver essential information to the most vulnerable of communities in a timely manner, before, during and after disasters strike.

Fintech and Financial Inclusion: Opportunities and Pitfalls (2020)

Financial innovation in the form of new delivery channels, products, and providers has helped push out the frontier of access to finance and thus increase the bankable and banked population. Mobile money and crowdfunding platforms are prime examples for this. The same financial innovation has also blurred the regulatory boundaries of the financial system, with non-banks, including telecom companies and BigTechs such as Alibaba and Tencent, taking to offering financial services and increasingly moving into the financial inter-mediation business.

Leveraging Technology and Innovation for Disaster Risk Management and Financing (2020)

The report looks at three areas: i) access to data through earth observation technology, street-level imagery, connected devices and volunteered geographical information; (ii) capacity to process and analyze data through cloud computing and big data analytical techniques, such as artificial intelligence; and (iii) capacity to transmit risk and risk management information given the proliferation of internet and mobile access and improvements in broadband and data speeds.

Building Digital Competencies to Benefit from Frontier Technologies (2019)

Technological changes observed in recent years, particularly driven by the rapid development of information and communications technologies(ICTs), offer the potential to transform economies and improve the living standards of many people. Furthermore, they have strong potential to disrupt productive sectors and markets, including through technological convergence and recombination. This study explores ways in which digital skills can be developed and harnessed to support sustainable development.

Who Is Connected? Social Media And The Digital Divide (2019)

Social media applications have been the subject of much study and analysis, yet the scope and impact remain difficult to understand. As part of a fast growing and quickly changing Internet ecosystem, these applications have been used by billions of people across the globe. With such high use rates, the potential for beneficial impact on economic growth and social development is significant.