Strategies of ICT Use for Women&#39;s Economic Empowerment

Rural Areas ◽

Information Dissemination ◽

Great Majority ◽

Economic Empowerment ◽

Development Tools ◽

Major Development ◽

The Cost

Information and communication technologies (ICT) provide a great development opportunity by contributing to information dissemination, providing an array of communication capabilities, and increasing access to technology and knowledge, among others. Access to and the cost of ICT continue to be a major development obstacle, particularly in the developing world. Despite the growth in mobile telephony, peri-urban2 and rural areas—home to a great majority of women and poor populations—continue to lack infrastructure and ICT services in general. For ICT to become meaningful development tools, ICT policy and programs must address the needs of women and the poor in general. This article discusses the main challenges and obstacles faced by women, suggests practical strategies to address those challenges and provides recommendations on how to proceed to improve the conditions leading to women’s economic empowerment.

Advances in Electronic Government, Digital Divide, and Regional Development - E-Governance and Social Inclusion ◽

Strategies for Digital Inclusion

10.4018/978-1-4666-6106-6.ch015 ◽

2014 ◽

pp. 243-255 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Subhash Bhatnagar

Keyword(s):

Citizen Participation ◽

Rural Areas ◽

Information Dissemination ◽

Local Governance ◽

Full Potential ◽

Digital Inclusion ◽

Technology Innovations ◽

Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) can be used in diverse applications to accelerate information dissemination to improve efficiency of public services, to increase the transparency and accountability of government administration, to reduce corruption, and to facilitate citizen participation in local governance. Given the fact that few ICT projects in rural areas have scaled up, it seems that the full potential of ICT as an enabler of development is yet to be tapped. This chapter analyzes two projects from India that have overcome these challenges and have scaled up. In moving forward on digital inclusion so far, the focus has been on creating equitable access to Internet and other technologies. Adequate effort has not gone into understanding the context in which these technologies can deliver value by alleviating key problems of development in rural areas. A paradigm shift is needed. Instead of developing a technology and then looking for a context where it can be used, it would be more effective to understand the problems of the poor and identify what technology innovations can help solve any part of the problem. Invariably, technology will not be enough; other components will need to be put together to create a development. Mobile-based delivery, which can overcome some of these constraints, needs to be explored in a major way. In addition, new content useful for rural populations needs to be made available in the public domain.

Infrastructural and Social Aspects of ICT Dissemination in Rural Areas in Ukraine in Juxtaposition with Other Post-Transition Countries—State of Play and Prospects for Rural Development

Journal of Risk and Financial Management ◽

10.3390/jrfm14010016 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 14 (1) ◽

pp. 16

Author(s):

Aleksandra Synowiec

Keyword(s):

Rural Development ◽

Rural Areas ◽

Digital Literacy ◽

Transition Period ◽

Secondary Data ◽

Transition Countries ◽

Social Aspects ◽

The objective of this study is to identify the current state of, and the prospects for, information and communication technologies (ICT) dissemination in rural areas in Ukraine in juxtaposition with other post-transition countries. The spread of ICT is discussed within the frame of economic, infrastructural, and social factors affecting rural areas in Ukraine since the post-communist transition period. Information and communication technologies may support the socio-economic development of peripheral areas in many ways—including rural ones. Dissemination of ICT contributes to the emergence of sources of income, equalizes education opportunities, and increases the attractiveness of rural areas. However, the rural—urban divide in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe and other former USSR countries is still remarkable and, as a type of structural inequality, should be better recognized. The source material is based on secondary data, which consists of selected literature on the subject of rural development in Central and Eastern European Countries, strategic documents, available reports and studies of international institutions, research from agencies, state documents and statistics, and research conducted by international and domestic NGOs. In reference to the paper’s objective, the method of content analysis was employed. Dissemination of ICT in rural areas in Ukraine is influenced by two groups of factors. The infrastructural divide concerning Internet access between rural and urban populations in Ukraine has been diminishing, but the issue of structural exclusion due to place of residence has still not been solved. As far as the social aspects of ICT dissemination in rural areas in Ukraine are concerned, the level of digital literacy among rural dwellers is significantly lower in comparison to urban residents. Rural areas are more exposed to the consequences of various aspects of digital exclusion.

Requirements Engineering in the ICT4D Domain

Computer Engineering ◽

10.4018/978-1-61350-456-7.ch201 ◽

2012 ◽

pp. 187-200

Author(s):

Kristina Pitula ◽

Daniel Sinnig ◽

Thiruvengadam Radhakrishnan

Keyword(s):

Rural Communities ◽

Software Development ◽

Requirements Engineering ◽

Rural Areas ◽

Local Population ◽

Social Contexts ◽

The People ◽

Requirements engineering is an important stage in any software development. It is more so in the case of software development for social development projects in rural areas of the developing countries. ICT4D which stands for “Information and Communication Technologies for Development” is gaining more and more attention as computing is more widely affordable. This article is concerned with requirements engineering in the ICT4D domain. In many developing counties, a significant effort is being put into providing people in rural areas with access to digital content and services by using Information and Communication Technologies. Unfortunately most ICT4D projects pursue a top-down development model which is driven by the technology available and not by the very needs and social problems of the people living in rural communities (Frohlich et al., 2009). Existing technologies are often applied in a non-inclusive manner with respect to the local population, without sufficient adaptation or re-invention, and often without regard for user’s needs and their social contexts.

Healthcare and the Effect of Technology - Advances in Healthcare Information Systems and Administration ◽

Closing the Gap

10.4018/978-1-61520-733-6.ch003 ◽

2010 ◽

pp. 38-59 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Malina Jordanova

Keyword(s):

Health Sector ◽

Cost Effective ◽

Healthcare Services ◽

World Health ◽

World Health Assembly Resolution ◽

Health Related ◽

The Cost

Brought to life by contemporary changes of our world, e-health offers enormous possibilities. In the World Health Organization’s World Health Assembly resolution on e-health, WHO has defined e-health as the cost-effective and secure use of information and communication technologies in support of health and health-related fields, including healthcare services, health surveillance, health literature, and health education (WHO, 2005). It is impossible to have a detailed view of its potential as e-health affects the entire health sector and is a viable tool to provide routine, as well as specialized, health services. It is able to improve both the access to, and the standard of, health care. The aim of the chapter is to focus on how e-health can help in closing one gap - optimizing patient care. The examples included and references provided are ready to be introduced in practice immediately. Special attention is dedicated to cost effectiveness of e-health applications.

ICT Solutions for Improving Smart Communities in Asia - Advances in Human and Social Aspects of Technology ◽

Telemedicine for Healthier Community Development in Pakistan

10.4018/978-1-7998-7114-9.ch015 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 295-315

Author(s):

Bushra Hamid ◽

N. Z. Jhanjhi ◽

Mamoona Humayun ◽

Farkhanda Qamar ◽

Vasaki Ponnusamy

Keyword(s):

Developing Countries ◽

Community Development ◽

Rural Areas ◽

Health Research ◽

The Other ◽

Quality Healthcare ◽

Healthcare Facilities ◽

Providing affordable and quality healthcare is the most burning demand for humanity. It is a fact that more or less half of the world's population resides in rural areas, and a majority of these people are left without the most basic amenities, such as healthcare and education. It is considered difficult to open and manage healthcare facilities in any community using traditional healthcare models for the states with limited resources particularly for developing countries. One of the most popular substitute tools is telemedicine to improve healthcare for underprivileged groups. In telemedicine, information and communication technologies (ICTs) are employed to ensure healthcare at a distance. On the other hand, one of the main problems in developing countries is the quality and cost of healthcare. In health research, telemedicine has become a new hope for eliminating bottlenecks. In this study, the authors have examined what challenges and issues developing countries are facing in implementation of telemedicine; particularly, they examine Pakistan as a case.

A Reconstruction of Rural Teachers' Technology Integration Experiences

Teacher Education ◽

10.4018/978-1-5225-0164-0.ch041 ◽

2016 ◽

pp. 834-860

Author(s):

Laura Helena Porras-Hernández ◽

Bertha Salinas-Amescua

Keyword(s):

Rural Areas ◽

Phenomenological Research ◽

Lessons Learned ◽

Research Approach ◽

Rural Teachers ◽

Teachers Experiences ◽

Rural Teacher

Teachers who integrate information and communication technologies (ICT) to their practice in rural areas face important challenges that differ from those where contextual conditions are most favorable. The purpose of this chapter is to describe how and why a phenomenological research approach applied to the reconstruction of rural teachers' experiences in incorporating ICT's to their practice can be helpful for both, for research purposes as well as for inspiring the avenues that rural teacher education in the digital age should follow. Based on the narratives of eight teachers working in poor rural schools of Mexico, this chapter describes how, as part of a construction of their own rural pedagogies, these teachers integrate ICT to their practice in response to three levels of contextual demands. Lessons learned and recommendations for research of this kind are provided.

The Accessibility and Problems Associated with the Use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) by Fish Farmers in Rural Areas of Ondo State, Nigeria

International Journal of ICT Research and Development in Africa ◽

10.4018/jictrda.2012070104 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 3 (2) ◽

pp. 45-52

Author(s):

J. B. Ogunremi ◽

P. Abraham

Keyword(s):

Rural Areas ◽

Local Governments ◽

Chi Square ◽

Electric Power Supply ◽

Wide Range ◽

Ondo State ◽

The Government

The study evaluated the accessibility and problems associated with the use of information and communication technologies in rural areas of Ondo State. Total sampling was used to select 92 rural fish farmers from three riverine Local Governments in the state between February and April. Questionnaire was used in data collection. Data were analyzed by the use of frequency, percentage, mean and Chi-square test. It was found that radio (96.7%), television (84.4%) and mobile phone (95.7%) were most accessible ICTs to fish farmers of which radio is the most effective (62.0%). Problems associated with the use of ICTs were electric power supply (96.7%), lack of access to ICTs (62.0%) and inadequate information on ICTs (59.8%). There were significant relationship (P<0.05) between problems associated with the use and accessibility of ICTs by fish farmers. It is recommended that the government should allow a wide range of radio broadcast options by giving opportunities for private competition provision of radio content which will allow for development input from relevant agencies.

Smart Villages: Where Can They Happen?

Land ◽

10.3390/land9050151 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 9 (5) ◽

pp. 151 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Łukasz Komorowski ◽

Monika Stanny

Keyword(s):

Rural Areas ◽

New Technology ◽

The Internet ◽

The European Union ◽

Economic Data ◽

Fine Grained ◽

Use Of The Internet

The European Union is actively promoting the idea of “smart villages”. The increased uptake of new technology and in particular, the use of the internet, is seen as a vital part of strategies to combat rural decline. It is evident that those areas most poorly connected to the internet are those confronted by the greatest decline. The analysis in this paper is based on Poland, which at the time of EU accession had many deeply disadvantaged rural areas. Using fine-grained socio-economic data, an association can be found between weak internet access and rural decline in Poland. The preliminary conclusions about the utility of the smart village concept as a revitalisation tool for rural Poland point to theoretical and methodological dilemmas. Barriers to the concept’s implementation are also observed, although there is a chance they may be overcome with the continued spread of information and communication technologies in rural areas.

China's Rural Internet Information Centers: A Project to Reduce Poverty through Access to Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in Rural Areas

The Electronic Journal of Information Systems in Developing Countries ◽

10.1002/j.1681-4835.2003.tb00078.x ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

pp. 1-17 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Paul Ulrich

Keyword(s):

Rural Areas ◽

Access To Information ◽

Internet Information ◽

Lighting up the Dark: Telecenter Adoption in a Caribbean Agricultural Community

The Journal of Community Informatics ◽

10.15353/joci.v6i3.2541 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 6 (3) ◽

Author(s):

Paola Prado

Keyword(s):

Rural Areas ◽

Well Being ◽

Western Hemisphere ◽

Agricultural Community ◽

Ict Adoption ◽

The Impact ◽

Continuous Running

This study surveyed the residents of El Limón de Ocoa, a remote mountaintop agricultural community in the Dominican Republic, to examine how the community has integrated the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) since the establishment of a local telecenter in 1997. As the longest continuous-running independent telecenter in the Caribbean nation, this site provides a rich testing ground for the study of the impact of community-driven ICT adoption in under-privileged rural areas of the Western hemisphere. Analysis of survey data found that this remote agricultural community was able to leverage ICTs available at the telecenter in ways that promote social change, foster community prosperity, solidarity, and well-being.