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| Friday, 13 August 2004 |
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Towards an equitable information society The high literacy rate which prevails in Sri Lankan society will help policy makers to reap the benefits of the principal outcome of the World Summit on Information Society (WSIS). The WSIS promulgates the importance of ICT for the development of an inclusive and more equitable information society among the 175 member countries of the United Nations. This new impetus for a new information society was first stressed during the first world summit held in Geneva in 2003. The Heads of State and Government, inter governmental organizations, non-government organizations, the private sector and civil society organizations participated in this first international forum of this nature and made commitments to build a people-centred inclusive and development-oriented information society. The first phase of this two phase summit adopted a Declaration of Principles on the World Summit and a Plan of Action. The second phase of the summit is scheduled to be held in Tunisia in November 2005. Fast growing demand In view of the fast growing demand for new technology around the globe, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has proposed a world summit to achieve the following objectives:- * To raise awareness among the political leaders, at the highest level of the implications of the Information Society and the new challenges that it presents. * To get their commitments to tackle the injustices of the digital divide; and * To develop new legal and policy frameworks, appropriate to the demands of cyberspace. The Geneva summit, with the adoption of the Declaration of Principles and the Plan of Action by over 175 member countries has recognized a new role to be played by member states. The summit has also achieved the goal of raising awareness among the global political leadership of the growing digital divide in the world and of the importance of ICT for the development of an inclusive and more equitable Information Society. Follow-up The follow-up and implementation of the Geneva "Declaration of Principles" and "Plan of Action" has been entrusted to sovereign states and other stakeholders at national, regional and international levels, with particular attention to the challenges facing the Least Developed Countries. The task of implementing this process at national level in Sri Lanka is bestowed on the Ministry of Information and Media. A two member delegation headed by the Ministry's Additional Secretary Ms Kanthi Wijetunge along with the Director Engineering of the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation Sanath Panawennage representing the Government of Sri Lanka participated in the recently concluded first preparatory committee meeting (Prep-Com 1) held in Tunis, from June 24-26 this year. Ms Wijetunge explaining the task ahead for the Government of Sri Lanka said that the Ministry of Information and Media along with other agencies in the field will spearhead a program of action to create awareness on the need to bridge the gap in the digital divide. The provisions of Internet Community Radio system and the proposed Internet call centres with access to market information by village producers through SLBC have been earmarked as two model systems which could be further expanded under this national program of ensuring the benefits of new technologies, specially information and communication technologies available for all. The Ministry also intends to make use of the electronic and print media to raise the awareness of public on the outcome of the world summit and action programs which will be implemented to provide services to communities through ICT. Internet governance The Tunis phase of the meeting also paid attention to Internet governance. The inconclusive issue of the forum was that Internet Governance proved to be one of the most delicate issues to find an agreement on. The question raised now is how much should we govern the Internet and who should do this? Infrastructure facilities The infrastructure facilities for information and technology were not the only subjects deliberated there. The meeting deliberated on the exchange of information itself. This phase of deliberation included the role of media in a free and pluralistic society to create an open, inclusive and also peaceful information society. Ms Wijetunge is highly concerned about the gender digital divide which has ben emerging due to various constraints faced by women due to traditional gender stereotypes. The preparation of the Tunis phase of WSIS, gave a good example of how all stakeholders, governments, international organizations, private sector and civil society could work in an open spirit and in a constructive manner that takes into account the concerns of all parties involved. In conclusion the two Sri Lankan delegates Kanthi Wijetunge and Sanath Panawennage expressed concern that the role to be played in the process of creating a World Summit on the Information Society by this Government of Sri Lanka as a member State of the United Nations, should be strengthened at the national level and a national level mechanism should be in place to ensure the continued commitment and consistency of the process. It has been recommended to establish a Task Force under the Ministry of Information and Media as the catalyst to coordinate all activities coming under the purview of WSIS process in Sri Lanka. (Compiled by M. Ali Hassen from an interview with director of government Information Kanthi Wijetunge) |
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