[Irl-dean] CSTD Recommendations re ICT

[Mark Magennis]

Thanks for sending these ongoing accounts of what is happening at the  
UN level around inclusion Frank. They are very interesting. I'm  
wondering what the effect of all this is though. I can see, for  
example, how decisions and actions on eInclusion at an EU level  
directly affect us here in Ireland. I see them being translated into  
laws and public policies that are then followed (to some extent) in  
the practice of procuring, building and implementing technologies  
that are accessible to a wider range of people within society. So I  
know that all that EU work and EU-speak is relevant and effective.  
But what of the UN and the World Summit on the Information Society  
and the programme of work that is described here? Can you tell us  
something about how that will come to have an effect here on the ground?

Is it perhaps the case that the effect will be felt more in  
developing nations which are not part of a political federation  
(probably an incorrect erm to use) like the EU with its advanced  
social and technological agenda? If so, how will this multiyear  
programme of actions actually work to change things in their  
countries? And what of us here in Ireland? Will these actions come to  
have an effect in our space too?

Anything you can do to explain why this is important and how it works  
would be welcome.

Thanks,
Mark

P.S. If, like me, anyone finds all the acronyms a bit difficult to  
manage, there's a useful acronym database at www.acronymfinder.com.  
It'll tell you, for example, that ECOSOC stands for Economic and  
Social Council. It does fall over a bit with shorter ones mind. Like  
GA, which has 104 registered meanings, including German Army (I don't  
think so) and Guardian Angel (cute).

On 1 Feb 2007, at 10:11, Frank Mulcahy wrote:

> See mail below.  It may be of interest to some.
>
> Frank Mulcahy
> 'Franmar'
> 2 Castle Village Court
> Celbridge
> Co. Kildare
> Ireland
>
> Tel.: +353 1627 1314
> Mobile/Cell Phone: +353 8723 44934
> E-mail 1: fmulcahy at iol.ie
> E-mail 2: frankmulcahy2005 at yahoo.co.uk
>
> The United Nations Commission on Science and Technology for  
> Development Panel on promoting the building of a people-centred,  
> development-oriented and inclusive information society
> 6-8 November 2006
> UNESCO Headquarters
>
> RECOMMENDATIONS
>
> Bearing in mind that the comprehensive review by the GA of WSIS  
> will take place in 2015, and that ECOSOC requested that at its next  
> session the Commission shall develop a multiyear work programme,  
> the Panel took note of the issues paper presented by the  
> secretariat, and after considering this matter requested the  
> secretariat to undertake consultations with relevant stakeholders  
> and to present to the Commission a draft programme of work that  
> should be flexible and inclusive.
>
> In order for ECOSOC, through CSTD, to carry out its mandate of  
> overseeing system-wide follow up of the WSIS effectively, it would  
> require that the Commission has an effective interface with all  
> agencies and mechanisms that are tasked with implementation of WSIS  
> outcomes and other post WSIS activities.  In this regard, the Panel  
> proposed the following:
>
> Multi-year work programme and methods of work
>
> The Panel requests the UNCTAD Secretariat to prepare a Note for  
> consideration at the Tenth session, which contains proposals for a  
> multi-year work programme of the Commission and new methods of work.
> This Note should take into account the time frame for the  
> comprehensive review, as well as the clustering and sequencing of  
> thematic issues from WSIS outcome documents. The work programme  
> should adequately address the thematic concerns of WSIS, but also  
> be flexible enough to accommodate any future need for adjustment,  
> in view of the fast pace of technological development. To gather  
> inputs on the work programme, the Secretariat will carry out  
> informal, open-ended consultations, before February 2007, with a  
> wide range of stakeholders. These consultations could be scheduled  
> back to back with meetings of Action Line facilitators and moderators.
>
> The Note should also elaborate on new methods of work of the  
> Commission, including through interactive dialogues during its  
> annual session, with the active participation of Action Line  
> facilitators, and other agencies and mechanisms involved with  
> implementation of WSIS outcomes. Additionally, the Note should  
> propose concrete ways to explore development-friendly and  
> innovative use of electronic media, drawing upon existing on-line  
> databases on best practices, partnership projects and initiatives,  
> as well as other collaborative electronic platforms, which would  
> allow all stakeholders to contribute to the follow-up efforts,  
> share information, learning from the experience of others and  
> explore opportunities for partnerships.
>
> Since WSIS implementation constitutes ongoing activities over a  
> wide area, which will be fast evolving, the Commission may consider  
> a wide range of topics to examine every year. The panel suggests  
> that the Commission invite the facilitators of Action Lines, and  
> other agencies and mechanisms involved in implementation of WSIS,  
> as well as members of other stakeholder groups, to participate in  
> its annual sessions.
>
> The Panel also proposes that the Commission at its tenth session in  
> May 2007 request the United Nations system entities, including the  
> regional commissions, engaged in the implementation of the Geneva  
> and Tunis outcomes of WSIS to collaborate closely with the  
> Commission on Science and Technology for Development by providing  
> it with periodic reports on the progress made in the implementation  
> of the main themes and Action Lines of the World Summit for the  
> Information Society, with a view to enabling the Commission to  
> monitor, review and appraise progress achieved and problems  
> encountered in the implementation, and to advise the Council thereon.
>
> http://www.unctad.org/sections/dite_dir/docs/ 
> dite_pcbb_stdev0045_en.pdf
> __,_._,___
>

Dr. Mark Magennis
Director of the Centre for Inclusive Technology (CFIT)
National Council for the Blind of Ireland
Whitworth Road, Dublin 9, Republic of Ireland
www.cfit.ie

mark.magennis at ncbi.ie   tel: +353 (0)71 914 7464



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