Stories about Development from September, 2009
Bangladesh: The State Of Women
“What is keeping Bangladeshi women from emancipation when their country is ruled by one of their own? How is their situation now? What are their most urgent needs; which rights are they fighting for? And how does society perceive them?” these are some of the queries of a project of...
Madagascar Delegation Barred from UN General Assembly Stage
In an attempt to legitimize the military-backed government, Madagascar's acting leader was scheduled to speak at the UN General Assembly on Thursday, only to be barred. Malagasy bloggers and twitterers react.
People with disabilities and the promise of ICTs
More than 600 million people in the world live with disabilities. Oftentimes, poverty and disabilities go hand-in-hand. Can the promise of ICTs help disabled people better integrate socially and economically?
Brazil: Socio-digital Inclusion through the Lan House Revolution
The poorest and most excluded population of Brazil have increasingly more access to the Internet through Local Area Networks. But, has the digital inclusion promoted by lan houses across the country affected human development in Brazil?
World: Tweeting Gaddafi's Address to the United Nations
In his first address to the United Nations General Assembly, Libyan leader Muammer Gaddafi more than made up for lost time. His speech trailed on for six times the allotted slot, as world leaders laughed and yawned. On Twitter, users had a ball reacting to the speech.
Harvard Forum – Faith and focus
Ethan's final live-blog post from the Harvard Forum about internet and communications technology ICT for development with concluding thoughts from several participants.
Africa: Volunteer for BikeTown Africa
BikeTown Africa is heading to Tanzania and South Africa: “Over the next two months, BikeTown Africa will be delivering 640 Kona AfricaBikes to South Africa and Tanzania and Kona needs your help.”
British Virgin Islands: conservation victory
Repeating Islands reports on a legal victory for environmentalists in the British Virgin Islands, who oppose the construction of a hotel and golf course in a protected area.
Barbados, Guyana: forest outpost?
Living in Barbados examines an audacious 16-year-old proposal to establish a Barbadian outpost in the interior of Guyana, thus addressing the problems of overpopulation in one country and underdevelopment in the other.
Harvard Forum – What do we need to know?
Today's conversation starts with discussions of “knowledge gaps”, open questions we need to answer through research so we can understand what's succeeding and failing in our field.
Harvard Forum: Are we satisfied with what we've got?
The live-blogging continues, as Michael Spence helps identify questions that are top research priorities for the ICT for development field with input from Yochai Benkler, Rohan Samarajiva, Hernan Galperin, Alison Gillwald, and Bill Melody.
Russia: 2010 Census Postponed
Window on Eurasia and Russia Blog comment on the Russian State Statistical Service's decision to postpone the 2010 census until 2013 – “on budgetary grounds.”
Harvard Forum: the complex world of ICT and gender
The live-blog continues with panel presentations on ICT for development by Clotilde Fonseca, Sabri Saidam, Ineke Buskens, Nancy Spence, and Ethan Zuckerman.
The Egyptians Tweet Farouk Hosny's Defeat
Bulgarian candidate, Irina Bokova, 57, was elected the head of the UNESCO, defeating Egyptian Culture Minister Farouk Hosny. Instead of mourning the loss, Egyptians celebrated his defeat on Twitter.
Harvard Forum: Markets, Mobiles and the ability to make culture
The live-blog continues with panel presentations on ICT for development by Ronaldo Lemos, Anita Gurumurthy, Ophelia Mascarenhas, and Lawrence Liang.
Cuba: gift packages
The Cuban Triangle analyses the US Commerce Department's new regulations on sending gift packages to Cuba. “These regulations are another good, humane move…. It recognizes that Americans in general might have something positive to contribute.”
Update from the Harvard Forum on ICT4D
Ethan Zuckerman and Jen Brea from Global Voices are live-blogging a conversation today and tomorrow at Harvard on the future of information and communication technology and development (ICT4D) hosted by Canada's International Development Research Center and Harvard's Berkman Center for Internet & Society.
Africa: Will technophobia crash the ICT party?
With the growing influence of ICT for development, can fear of technology and misunderstanding of its uses disproportionally affect the developing world? Here are a few examples of initiatives to combat technophobia in Africa.
Mobile-empowered to serve you better
The mobile phone has grown to be a tool that enables, farmers, small traders and service providers to take information-based decisions, thereby leading to their economic empowerment
MENA: Thanks “Khawater” from Japan
Television viewers across the Arab world were in for a treat this Ramadan, with the airing of a special programme on Japan. In its fifth season, Khawater (Thoughts) visited Japan, where a young Saudi preacher Ahmed Al Shugairy explained the Japanese success story to Arab and Muslim viewers. Here are some blogger reactions to the one month show.
Anguilla: abandoned hotel?
Corruption-free Anguilla stumbles upon an abandoned hotel construction site, and asks questions about development policy and the possibility of government involvement. “The buildings just sit there, enigmatic, clueless.”
