Knowledge and Development

Paper presented at the

2nd International ICT Conference

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Abu Dhabi Summit on Information and Communication Technology

” Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates : 19 March 2006 Abdul Waheed Khan Assistant Director-General for Communication and Information UNESCO

“Development is about advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life.

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UNDP 2

Importance of change

Educational Knowledge change

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Millennium Development Goals

Goal 8 Developing a global partnership for development Goal 1 Eradication of extreme poverty and hunger Goal 2 Achieving universal primary education Goal 7 Ensuring environmental sustainability Knowledge Goal 3 Promoting gender equality Goal 6 Combating HIV/AIDS, malaria etc.

Goal 5 Improving maternal health Goal 4 Reducing child mortality

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The eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) commit the international community to a vision of development that vigorously promotes human development as the key to sustaining social and economic progress in all countries, and recognizes the importance of creating a global partnership for development.

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“Today, the search for knowledge continues to produce an ongoing revolution in the health and wealth of humankind.”

Fareed Zakaria, Newsweek editor 6

What is Knowledge?

Data Information Knowledge Wisdom

Information such as lists (e.g. phone list) or records in a database or spreadsheet Organized data that can be communicated Information (i.e. organized data) that can be used to achieve some result Selection of appropriate knowledge for a specific task 7

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Knowledge is like light.

Weightless and tangible, it can easily travel the World, enlightening the lives of people everywhere.“

World Bank World Development Report 8

Central Role of Knowledge for Development

Economic Growth Social Development Knowledge Cultural Enrichment Political Empowerment

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“ The ability to create and maintain knowledge infrastructure, develop knowledge workers and enhance their productivity will be the key factors in deciding the prosperity of the knowledge society.”

Abdul Kalam, President of India 10

A World of Contrast

Knowledge Prosperity Globalization Inclusion Ignorance Knowledge Divide or Digital Divide Poverty Marginalization Exclusion

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Knowledge Societies

Knowledge Creation Knowledge Knowledge Preservation Dissemination Knowledge Utilization

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Knowledge Creation

“Half a hectare of land and one year of labour were required to feed one person in 1900 whereas that same half-hectare now feeds 10 persons on the basis of just one and a half days of labour”.

UNESCO Science Report 13

Knowledge Creation

• Central role of science for knowledge creation • Unique opportunities of Science to: – meet basic human needs – – – – reduce poverty protect the environment improve the quality of life enhance sustainable development 14

Knowledge creation: Gaps in investment in R&D

GERD/GDP in Arab States (2000)

(UNESCO World Science Report 2005)

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Knowledge Preservation

• Preservation of indigenous knowledge • Preservation of digital knowledge 16

Knowledge Dissemination: Role of technology

• To reach 50 million people: - Radio: 38 years, - Television: 13 years - Internet: 4 years • Countries connected to Internet: – 1990: 20 – 2000: All 17

The Multi-Platform World

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Knowledge dissemination: ICT for Development Source: ICT4D-Connecting People for a Better World, Editors: G. Weigel and D. Waldburger (2004)

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Linkage of Education to Poverty Reduction & Development Education Human Capitals and Productivity Family Health and Nutrition Personal Development Societal Development Reduced Poverty Macro Economic Growth and Development

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Knowledge Dissemination: Major Challenges

• • • Increasing access Providing educational inputs of good quality Making educational opportunities available at affordable cost • Enhancing the relevance of educational provision to societal and individual need • Providing opportunities for lifelong learning 21

Knowledge Dissemination: Meeting the Challenges

• • • • Business unusual Using mix approaches (new and traditional technologies) Developing enabling environments Creating public/private partnerships 22

Knowledge Utilization

Knowledge, once created and disseminated, needs to be used wisely in order to enhance economic and social well-being.

• Essential factors for knowledge utilization: – Universal access – Skills and capacity (Basic literacy, Computer literacy, information literacy, e learning…..) – – Cultural and linguistic diversity Relevant content 23

Guiding Principles of Knowledge Societies

• • • • Freedom Inclusiveness Diversity Empowerment 24

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