This report is part of a series of knowledge products initiated by the Poverty Group, Bureau of Development Policy, UNDP New York to facilitate evidence-based discussion of innovative and emerging policy options and implementation modalities in the context of its programme of support to “Make ICT work for the Poor”.

These reports will not only explore the issue at hand but also highlight how existing policies and financing mechanisms could be made more responsive to exploiting the emerging options. Further, even in focusing on access and connectivity issues, an attempt will be made to move away from pure connectivity oriented models to identify approaches where access and connectivity form part of the development agenda, so that there is a focus both on the how as well as the why ICT is important for development and for the community/stakeholders under consideration.

UNDP’s own work in this area focuses on advocacy, policy and programme support to foster progress along two-tracks: (i) Strengthening the development and empowerment dimensions of ICT policy and programming, or ensuring a focus on “ICT as if development mattered”; and (ii) Supporting a mainstreaming/integration agenda with a view to realizing the “full potential of development in the age of information and communication technologies”.  More specifically, in the context of making ICT work for the poor, it focuses on:

• Policy options and models to foster pro-poor and inclusive access to ICT;
• Policy support to facilitate the integration of ICT into poverty reduction strategies and MDG related strategies and development programmes;
• Programme and policy support to foster the use of ICT to facilitate the effective use of public resources and enhance the delivery of services, information and social support to the poor;
• Programme and policy support to foster the use of ICT to strengthen local development, livelihood opportunities and to catalyze local entrepreneurship.
• Support to programming to ensure that inequities in access, capacity and use are addressed and that ICT is used to strengthen gender equity and social inclusion;