The ALFM C3 will provide an opportunity to report, discuss and debate on issues concerning “Access Persons with Disabilities”

Outline of the session “Access to Information and Knowledge for Persons with Disabilities”

This interactive debate will explore existing and potential usage of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) to improve access by persons with disabilities to information and knowledge and encourage their participation in social, economic and political life. ICTs are effective tools to reach out to persons with disabilities which can improve their quality of life by providing new educational and employment opportunities as well as promote their social inclusion and participation.

More specifically, access to ICT and existing online systems is no longer an option, but increasingly the primary means to engage in education, employment, civic participation, arts, culture, social connection and leisure. The social and economic costs of digital exclusion are very high, not only for the excluded, but for society as a whole.

The accessible Internet can facilitate diverse key players in disability and development and promote the implementation of the UN Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), with specific attention to Article 32, and the inclusion of disability in international aid.

During the session, particular attention will be given to the issues related to:

CRPD mandates and progress of countries in implementing;

Platforms for international cooperation.

Examples of government and civil society technology programmes for persons with disabilities.

Key barriers to access information and knowledge for persons with disabilities:

Communications, Internet, computing, electronic contents and other digital interfaces with practical examples.

Bridging learning divide – ICTs in education and life-long learning for persons with disabilities.

Challenges and opportunities of mobile systems to provide access to education and employment.

Solutions available to eliminate barriers and discrimination:

Information infrastructure, assistive technologies, content and specific implementation roadblocks as well as examples.

Development of accessible content on the Internet - a presentation of the consolidated and publicly-reviewed guidance on the creation of accessible office documents.

Emerging new leapfrogging technologies such as mobile and cloud based solution for personalized digital inclusion.

Promise of social networks and crowd-sourcing to address the diversity of access needs.

Impact in relation to installed bases of ICTs worldwide on education, employment and cultural opportunities:

Importance of the assistive technology eco-system to support persons with disabilities effectively.

Key questions of the session include:

• How can local governmental institutions improve the quality of life of persons with disabilities through ICTs?
• How are stakeholders working together to ensure the digital inclusion of persons with disabilities for social and economic development?
• How have available ICT tools and applications proven to be useful for persons with disabilities?
• How do technologies and practices designed for persons with disabilities benefit everyone?
• What are the main areas of policy interventions for promoting wider access to education for disabled persons through ICTs?
• What are the possibilities of increasing access of disabled persons to education and life-long learning by means of ICTs? National approaches and best practices.
• How can effective inter-disciplinary working between professionals working in the different sectors involved in ICTs in education for lifelong learning be effectively co-ordinated?
• What are the implications for quantitative and qualitative data collection and what could be the key indicators that will act as signposts for tracking progress in the use of ICT in education for people with disabilities?
• What are the major challenges and requirements to make the Internet accessible for persons with disabilities?
• How can digital office documents (which continue to be one of most common forms of digital communication) be made accessible for persons with disabilities?
• How can emerging cloud-based infrastructures and the ability to personalize applications and content be used to enable digital inclusion and address barriers of physical, sensory and cognitive access to online systems?

14:45 – 14:55

Welcoming remarks and introduction of the interaction session by Mr Janis Karklinš Assistant Director-General for Communication and Information, UNESCO

14:55–15:30

Interactive debate among panelist participants and audience.

Moderator: Mr Janis Karklinš, Assistant Director-General for Communication and Information, UNESCO

Panelist of participants:

1. Ms Maria Reina
   Executive Director,
   The Global Partnership for Disability Development (GPDD)
2. Mr Reinhard Scholl
   Deputy to the Director
   Telecommunication Standardization Bureau, ITU
3. Mr Axel Leblois
   President and Executive Director,
   G3ict, the Global Initiative for Inclusive Information and Communication Technologies, is a flagship advocacy initiative of UN-GAID,
   the United Nations Global Alliance for ICT and Development
4. Ms Natalia Tokareva
   Policy and Research Team leader,
   UNESCO Institute for Information Technologies in Education
5. Ms Amanda Watkins
   Assistant Director,
   European Agency for Development in Special Needs Education
6. Ms Jutta Treviranus
   Director,
   Inclusive Design Research Centre and Inclusive Design Institute OCAD University
7. Mr Gregg Vanderheiden
   Director,
   Trace R&D Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison
   Raising the Floor - Switzerland

15:30-16:10

Discussion with audience

16 :10-16:15

Wrap-up by the moderator

Useful weblinks:

• United Nations Enable website
  www.un.org/disabilities/
• United Nations Inter-Agency Support Group for the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
  www.un.org/disabilities/default.asp?navid=44&pid=323
• UNESCO’s website dedicated to the ICTs and Persons with Disabilities
  www.unesco.org/webworld/icts/disabilities
• UNESCO Institute for Information Technologies in Education
  http://iite.unesco.org/
• Guidance on the creation of accessible office documents
  http://adod.idrc.ocad.ca/overview
• ITU website on Accessibility
  http://www.itu.int/themes/accessibility/
• ITU-G3ict e-Accessibility Policy Toolkit for Persons with Disabilities
  www.e-accessibilitytoolkit.org/
• Global Partnership for Disability and Development
  http://www.gpdd-online.org/
• G3ict, the Global Initiative for Inclusive Information and Communication Technologies, a flagship advocacy initiative of UN-GAID
  http://g3ict.com
• An international effort to create a Global Public Inclusive Infrastructure to address digital inclusion:
  http://gpii.org
• International Guidelines on Web Accessibility:
  http://w3c.org/WAI
• European Agency for Development in Special Needs Education
  http://www.european-agency.org
  http://www.european-agency.org/news/information-and-communication-technology-ict-in-education-for-people-with-disabilities-new-agency-collaboration
• Tools to create accessible Web applications:
  http://fluidproject.org
• Free tool to check whether your Web site is accessible:
  http://achecker.ca

The ALFM C2 will provide an opportunity to report, discuss and debate on issues concerning “ICT Infrastructure”

“Broadband Infrastructure for connecting the unconnected“

WSIS Forum Action Line C2 Interactive Facilitation Meeting, which will be held on 16 May 2011 at 14:45-16:15, will be organized as panel discussion by the theme “Broadband Infrastructure for connecting the unconnected“. High level people, from administration, private sectors and civil society, will be invited as speakers and role/perspective of broadband network in rural and remote areas will be discussed from broad viewpoints such as evolution of technologies, standards and interoperability, cost-effectiveness, countries’ best practices, role of administrations and private sectors, and social impacts.

14:45-14:50

Opening Speech (5mins)

Mr. Brahima Sanou, Director of the Telecommunication Development Bureau, ITU

14:50-15:15

Keynote Speech (25mins)

S.E. Mme Concilie Nibigira, Ministère des Télécommunications, de l'Information, de la Communication et des Relations avec le Parlement, Repúbrica de Burundi

H.E. Ms. Jasna Matic, State Secretary for Digital Agenda of the Republic of Serbia

H.E. Mr. Elmir Velizadeh, Deputy Minister of Communications and Information Technologies (MCIT), Republic of Azerbaijan

15:15-15:20

Moderator’s Briefing (5mins)

Mr. Riccardo Passerini, BDT, ITU

15:20-16:00

Panel Discussion (40mins) (3-5mins max for each panelist)

(Moderator) Mr. Riccardo Passerini, BDT, ITU

(1) Evolving broadband infrastructure

“Evolution of infrastructure for supporting evolving broadband services”
Mr. Christoph Legutko, Global Public Policy CEE Director, Intel Corporation

“Customer requirement and related operator’s duty and success story of wireless broadband infrastructure deployment”
Mr. Salvator Nizigiyimana, CEO, Office national des télécommunications du Burundi (ONATEL)

“Standards development for Broadband Wireless Access”
Mr. Colin Langtry, Chief, Study Group Department, BR, ITU

“Will the smartphone mean the end of the ‘digital divide’?”
Dr. Rolando Hess, Public Affairs Director, Alcatel-Lucent

(2) Broadband for rural and remote areas

“Bridging the Broadband Infrastructure Gaps”
Mr. Désiré Karyabwite, IP Coordinator, BDT, ITU

(3) Success story of wireless broadband infrastructure deployment

“Success of mobile broadband deployments”
Mr. Lasse Wieweg, UMTS Forum

“Success story of wireless broadband infrastructure deployment”
Dr. Wei Feng, Director of Europe Standards, Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.

(4) Cost effective infrastructure and simplicity of the network

“Providing low cost, safe and efficient electrical supply for rural infrastructure through standardized solutions”
Mr. Jonathan Buck, Secretary of the Conformity Assessment Board, IEC

(5) Social impact of broadband

“Social impact of broadband”
Mr. Chris Locke, Managing Director, GSMA Development Fund, GSMA

16:00-16:10

Q&A (10mins)

Questions from participants

16:10-16:15

Wrap-up & Closing (5mins)

Mr. Riccardo Passerini, BDT, ITU

The ALFM C7 will provide an opportunity to report, discuss and debate on issues concerning “teachers Count”

Within the framework of Action Line C7 e-learning, this year’s facilitation meeting will focus on the impact of ICTs on teaching and on the role of teachers in applying ICTs in their work. Special consideration will be given to the UNESCO ICT Competency Framework for Teachers (ICT CFT). The implications for governmental policy makers, teachers, and teacher training providers will be discussed, with particular reference to the interaction among the international and national competency standard setters and standards implementers, by probing the following interrelated questions:

• Are teachers assuming their appropriate roles in enabling effective e-learning?
• How and to what extent can teachers be groomed to be a qualified e-learning enablers?

Provisional Programme

16:30-16:35

Introduction by moderator, Mr Janis Karklinš

16:35-16:50

Presentation of UNESCO ICT CFT: Main Outputs and Implementation plan

16:50-17:10

ICT Competency Standard Framework for Teachers: The Governmental Perspective and National Initiatives

17:10-17:25

Teachers’ Perspective: What ICT Competency and Professional Development Supports Do We Need? – Representative of Education International (The Global Teachers’ Union)

17:25-17:40

Teacher Training Providers’ Perspective: How Can We Groom Teachers and Motivate Talents? – Mr Bart Dewaele

17:25-18:00

Open debate

18:00

Closing

Moderator: Janis Karklins ADG/CI UNESCO j.karklins@unesco.org

The ALFM C6 will provide an opportunity to report, discuss and debate on issues concerning “Enabling Environment”

Cloud computing – new platform for innovation. Challenges and opportunities for policy-makers, regulators and all ICT stakeholders

This WSIS Forum Action Line C6 Interactive Facilitation Meeting will be organized as panel discussion by the theme “Cloud computing – new platform for innovation. Challenges and opportunities for policy-makers, regulators and all ICT stakeholders“.

This year’s facilitation meeting, more specifically, will explore the cloud computing theme as technology that can help companies especially SMEs to reduce their IT costs and governments to provide services to populations at lower costs. Discussion will focus on the advantages and challenges that governments, industry and other ICT stakeholders may enjoy from cloud computing. These benefits require a coherent regulatory framework that ensures transparency, data protection and respect for their integrity. Panel will therefore address the challenges linked to the legal and regulatory issues of cloud computing which are very specific in terms of sovereignty, privacy and security.

During the session, particular attention will be given to issues related to:

1. Enabling policies and regulations
   a) Role of the regulators at the national and international level: setting standards for security, rights of users regarding the data stored in the cloud, openness, portability, data roaming, sovereignty of services etc.
   b) Role of the government, regulators, industry, civil society entities and international organizations in building the standardized legal framework for cloud computing services considering efficiency in the data protection, liabilities of cloud host and responsibilities of cloud actors etc.
   
2. Data security concerns: data protection
   a) Security implications for Cloud companies/organizations and in particular of users in terms of privacy, data protection and access to remotely stored data.
   b) How to enhance the security and robust data protection at the same time avoiding the use of protectionists measures that may hold back the development of cloud computing and limit the market opportunity
   
3. Free competition on the Cloud market and technology neutrality: private sector experience and expectations on cloud computing,
   a) Business/product success stories,
   b) Promise and vision of cloud computing for private sector
   

Key questions of the session include:

• What are the major challenges and requirements to evolve broadband infrastructure for supporting evolving broadband services?
• How to enhance the international cooperation of the regulators on the cloud trans-borders market?
• How to enhance and foster the regulatory initiatives such as: binding codes of conduct and practice?
How to adapt the guidelines and legal rules to the technology rapid changes?
• How to harmonize the legal framework at the international level in order to give fair and equal rights for all cloud computing actors on cloud market, to avoid unfair advantages and monopoly?

16:30 – 16:40

Opening remarks of the interaction session by Mr. Brahima Sanou, Director of the Telecommunication Development Bureau, ITU

16:40 – 16:50

Key note speech: H.E. Kapil Sibbal, Minister for Communications and Information Technology, India (to be confirmed)

16:50 – 17:40

Interactive debate among panelist
Moderator: Mr. Mario Maniewicz, Chief, Policies & Strategies Department BDT/ITU

Panelist of participants:

1. Dr Yuri Hohlov, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Institute of the Information Society, Russian Federation
2. Mr. John Davis, Vice President, Sales and Marketing Group General Manager, Intel World Ahead Program, Intel Corporation
3. Dr Imad Hoballah, Acting Chairman & CEO, Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Lebanon
4. Mr. Rabevohitra Jean Marie, PICOM - Ministry of Telecommunications, Posts & ICT, Madagascar (To be confirmed)
5. Mr. Randy Ramusack, United Nations Technology Officer, Microsoft Corporation
6. ITU/IS department representation (To be confirmed)

17:40 – 17:55

General discussion – open to the floor: onsite and remote audience

The moderator opens the discussion addressing the questions to the panel and then to the floor:

• Asks speakers from the floor to give their name and organization before making an intervention.
• Invites the panel speakers to comment on interventions from the floor.

17:55 – 18:00

Wrap-up by the moderator

• Official Page of the WSIS Process as UN Process
  www.wsis.org
• Official Page of the ITU and WSIS related issues
  www.itu.int/wsis-itu
• Page of the Council Working Group on WSIS
  www.itu.int/wg-wsis
• WSIS Forum 2011
  www.wsis.org/forum
• ITU-D page for WSIS Action Line C6
  www.itu.int/ITU-D/treg/
• ITU-T Focus Group on Cloud Computing
  www.itu.int/en/ITU-T/focusgroups/cloud/Pages/default.aspx

The ALFM C8 will provide an opportunity to report, discuss and debate on issues concerning “Culture”.

Indigenous Peoples and C8 Facilitation Meetings (2011-2015)

Introduction

The World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) agreed in 2003 a Plan of Action, of which the chapter 8 recognizes cultural diversity and identity, linguistic diversity and local content as essential to the development of “Knowledge Societies” based on the mutual dialogue among cultures, civilizations and people. UNESCO proposes to organize a series of workshops around this theme with particular emphasis on the rights of indigenous peoples. One workshop would be held each year, each with its own key theme, leading up to a larger event at WSIS’ ten year review in 2015. Reflecting UNESCO’s broad mandate and expertise, the workshops will consider a range of topics, incorporating expertise from four of its programme sectors: communication & information, education, natural sciences and culture. This proposal describes a) the overarching plan to 2015 and b) a detailed plan for the 2011 workshop, whose theme will be indigenous education.

Background

Held in two phases in 2003 and 2005, WSIS was convened by the UN Secretary-General to tackle the problem of the “digital divide” and harness the potential of information and communication technology (ICT) to drive economic and social development. WSIS provided a unique opportunity for all stakeholders including government, the private sector, civil society and intergovernmental organization to develop a common vision and understanding and to address the wide range of issues related to the ICT for development.

WSIS identified 11 action lines in which all stakeholders could work together to attain its goals by 2015. The C8 line on "Cultural diversity and identity, linguistic diversity and local content” includes, among other action points, to:

d. Develop and implement policies that preserve, affirm, respect and promote diversity of cultural expression and indigenous knowledge and traditions through the creation of varied information content and the use of different methods, including the digitization of the educational, scientific and cultural heritage.

e. Support local content development, translation and adaptation, digital archives, and diverse forms of digital and traditional media by local authorities. These activities can also strengthen local and indigenous communities.

j. Give support to media based in local communities and support projects combining the use of traditional media and new technologies for their role in facilitating the use of local languages, for documenting and preserving local heritage, including landscape and biological diversity, and as a means to reach rural and isolated and nomadic communities.

k. Enhance the capacity of indigenous peoples to develop content in their own languages.

l. Cooperate with indigenous peoples and traditional communities to enable them to more effectively use and benefit from the use of their traditional knowledge in the Information Society.

Responding to the call for indigenous peoples to be able to review the progress made under the C8 line, focusing the 2011-2015 facilitation meetings on key indigenous themes would enable an assessment of achievements and gaps. These themes can be drawn from concerns articulated in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UN-DRIP), with the additional outcome of being able to link progress on WSIS with the realization of the provisions contained in the UN-DRIP.

Suggested themes:
2011: Indigenous Education
2012: Local documentation of biological diversity and community-based natural resource management
2013: Cultural Identity
2014: TBD
2015: TBD

2011: Sixth Facilitation Meeting on C8: “Indigenous education”

For 2011, the proposal is to dedicate the C8 discussion on Indigenous Peoples around the theme of promoting indigenous education and intergenerational transmission of indigenous knowledge.

While States recognize the right of education as a universal right, the indigenous experience with education includes a history of negative impacts including the suppression of indigenous languages, culture & knowledge. The UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples attempts to respond to the issues involved in education and indigenous peoples in several articles, most notably Article 13, 14 and 15. Concepts surrounding the right to indigenous education include:

a) intergenerational transmission of indigenous culture, traditional knowledge and language in locally appropriate contexts (Art 13);

b) indigenous communities' right to education, delivered in locally appropriate contexts and preferably in the mother tongue (Art 14);

c) ensuring appropriate representation of indigenous culture and knowledge at the national level in formal education (Art 15)

The C8 discussion would give the opportunity to discuss how indigenous peoples, UNESCO, governments and the private sector are responding to these issues through the Information Society and the use of ICTs.

Panelists will include:

a) An indigenous education expert to set the context (e.g. Permanent Forum member)

b) Contributions of case studies on how indigenous communities can be supported in using ICTs toward enabling indigenous education initiatives. Those drawn from UNESCO experiences for example could include:

• a. nomadic schools/bush schools that deliver education with minimum disruption to indigenous livelihoods (e.g. Sakha Republic, Russia http://www.unesco.org/csi/LINKS/monaco-ppts/Lebedeva_ppt_MonacoUNESCOarctic.pdf , http://www.wunrn.com/news/2009/05_09/05_18_09/051809_nomadic_files/Nomadic%20Schools%20in%20Siberia-Following%20the%20Reindeer.pdf )
• b. development of indigenous knowledge curricula on wiki (Marovo, a CI & Science sector project)
• c. transmission of indigenous culture & language on ICTs ()

c) A government to discuss how indigenous knowledge can be delivered into national curricula? (Sami Parliament representative? African countries?)

d) Private sector initiatives: Google & their language interface which includes indigenous languages

Discussion & Outcomes

The discussion could focus on issues relating to challenges and lessons learned in developing indigenous curricula using ICTs, invite the audience to contribute their own initiatives and case studies. Remote participation should be encouraged.

Outcomes include the creation of a core of indigenous education practitioners that would track progress on indigenous education, create their own fora for sharing best practices and experiences.

The ALFM C4 will provide an opportunity to report, discuss and debate on issues concerning “Capacity Building Leadership, Innovation and Capacity Building”

The WSIS outputs on capacity building emphasized that "each person should have the opportunity to acquire the necessary skills and knowledge in order to understand, participate actively in, and benefit fully from, the Information Society and the knowledge economy." This ALFM C4 meeting will provide an opportunity to discuss and debate the intersection of the topics “Leadership, Innovation and Capacity Building”.

As background, it is widely recognized that innovation is a key driver for long term economic growth and this has been particularly the case in the ICT sector characterized by rapid technological change. But how really have ICTs contributed to fostering innovation for socio-economic growth? What exactly do we mean by innovation in the context of development of knowledge economies? What roles do formal and informal learning play in innovation? Is innovation a skill that can be taught? Can we measure it across economies? Are there success stories? What role does innovation play in developing a policy coherent national development agenda? What leadership skills do we need to foster to cultivate a new generation of ICT-savy leaders who are comfortable at the complex intersection of technology, policy and business?

The Sixth Facilitation Meeting of Action Lines C1, C7eGovernment and C11 during the WSIS Forum 2011 will take place on 18 May 2011. The purpose of the Meeting, which is open to all stakeholders from the public and private sectors, the civil society, the international organizations, is to provide a platform for participants to exchange information and experiences; to identify the propriety areas for implementation within the Action Lines; and to create synergies among different stakeholders for more effective knowledge sharing and collaboration in order to ensure the implementation of WSIS at the international, regional and national levels.

The meeting could also contribute to further coordination of major stakeholders’ activities to support strategic planning and implementation of accessible, inclusive and participatory governments. One of the current trends for e-government development is active and strong citizens’ and businesses’ involvement in public services delivery. This tendency is based on an unprecedented accessibility and openness of public administrations data and possibilities for citizens and businesses to build value-added public services on top of it. It is also one of the challenges for governments to have a reliable set of indicators and methodologies to measure new emerging effects of development.

This session will provide a forum for facilitating discussions on the work carried out in the area of cybersecurity under Action Line C5 and will discuss how best to build confidence and security in the use of ICTs through a global platform for dialogue and cooperation. Specific areas where cooperation and collaboration are needed include inter alia:

1. Legal measures
2. Technical and Procedural measures
3. Organizational Structures
4. Capacity Building
5. International Cooperation

Moderator: Mr Alexander Ntoko, ITU WSIS C5 Focal Point and Head of Corporate Strategy Division, ITU

The ALFM C9 will provide an opportunity to report, discuss and debate on issues concerning “Media, Media Regulation: Broadcasters and Social Media”

Description:

The meeting explores various guidelines and media regulation frameworks of broadcasters, particularly PSB, and the emerging social network platforms, which feed into crosscutting subthemes of WSIS C9. Recent outcomes, guidelines and publications on the subject will be presented by panelists and debated with stakeholders. UNESCO will take the opportunity to launch its new publications “Public service Broadcasting: a comparative legal survey” and “Guidelines for Broadcasters on Promoting user-generated Content and Media and Information Literacy”.

Provisional Agenda:

Chair: Mrs Elizabeth Smith, Transforming Broadcasting

14:45

Opening Remark by Representative of UNESCO

14:50

Presentations by Panelists
10’ - A Global Legal Survey of Public Service Broadcasting Mr Toby Mendel, Executive Director, Centre for Law and Democracy
10’ - Guidelines for Broadcasters on Promoting user-generated Content Mrs Elizabeth Smith, Transforming Broadcasting
10’ - Media Matter and Citizens Care: Citizens’engagement with the Media Ms Ammu Joseph Expert, blogger and independent journalist, India

15:30

Reporting Session
10’ - Transition from Analogue to Digital Broadcasting Mr István Bozsóki, BDT/PRI/TND, ITU

15:40

Open floor to other stakeholders at present
30’ - Q&A

16:10

Close Remark by Chair

Remote Moderator and Contact: Ms Xianhong Hu (x.hu@unesco.org), Communication and Information Sector, UNESCO.

The ALFM C7 will provide an opportunity to report, discuss and debate on issues concerning “e-Environment: e-Waste”.

Avoiding e-waste - Moving to environmentally sound life-cycle management of ICT equipment

Uncontrolled dumping of obsolete e-products and material recovery processes without adequate protective measures have resulted in environmental pollution while exposing millions of people to toxic substances and emissions. The technology for environmentally sound dismantling and disposal of e-waste exists, but it has to be linked to the product life-cycle to become economically viable.

The thematic workshop on environmentally sound life-cycle management of ICT equipment will focus on the question how efforts to bridge the digital divide can follow the life-cycle approach to avoid problems for the health of workers and the general public as well as for the environment.

It is the intention to bring together panellists from countries, different organizations, private sector and investment partners dealing with ICT to brainstorm on possible ways of establishing partnerships that link environmentally sound management of end-of-life computing equipment into ICT development programmes, including financing, infrastructure strengthening and education on national, regional and international level. Expected outcome from the discussion is a clearer view on how ICT stakeholders need to be interlinked to support ICTs for development in a sustainable way to avoid or management e-waste in an environmentally sound way. It is expected that the panelists will focus on strengthening green economy in the ICT sector, which can be discussed as a concrete contribution in the Rio+20 context.

The list of panellists is tentative.

The panellists will be asked to give an opening statement after a brief introduction to the topic by the moderator, and thereafter enter into an interactive discussion, also involving the audience towards the end of the session.

The ALFM C7 will provide an opportunity to report, discuss and debate on issues concerning “e-Business”.

The PROMISE of MOBILE TECHNOLOGY:

MOBILE MONEY SOLUTIONS for SMALL ENTERPRISES (part 1) and WHAT is the SOCIO-ECONOMIC IMPACT on RURAL COMMUNITIES? (part 2)

The role of mobile technology in development is now undeniable. Supporting sound economic growth, while reducing socio-economic disparity is essential. Building on the latest experiences and looking forward, UNCTAD, ICT and FAO have brought together two interactive dialogues that will allow you to interact with leading thinkers and practitioners.

The first session will focus on how mobile money can offer solutions for small enterprises. It will discuss some of the trends on mobile financial services for small enterprises and the positive and negative impacts that the development of mobile money solutions can bring to small enterprises. It will consider emerging business models and address key regulatory issues governments face to create an enable regulatory environment.

Key questions include:

• What explains why mobile money services are being taken up more quickly in some developing countries than in others?
• What kind of mobile money services are emerging that can support small enterprises and which of these have proven the most useful?
• What challenges do small enterprises face in benefiting from mobile financial services and what are some of the pitfalls of the development of mobile money?
• How can government policies become more effective in creating an enabling environment for a larger number of small enterprises to benefit from financial services at a lower cost?
• What consumer rights issues have emerged, and how can they be addressed?

Key questions include:

• What are the key characteristics that make mobile technology so important to rural and agricultural communities?
• What are the main socio-economic benefits that mobile technology can facilitate in rural communities?
• Why is mobile technology not only creating positive benefits in rural communities, and what are some of the challenges that must be faced to rectify this situation?
• What mobile services are most needed in rural and agricultural communities now?
• How can the positive benefits of mobile technology be brought to a wider range of rural communities, enhancing economic development and food security?
• What policies and support mechanisms should governments put in place to foster the positive impact of mobile technology in rural areas?

For more information, please contact Marta Pérez Cusó (marta.perez.cuso@unctad.org) or Michael Riggs (michael.riggs@fao.org).

Agenda

The PROMISE of MOBILE TECHNOLOGY

MOBILE MONEY SOLUTIONS for SMALL ENTERPRISES (part 1)

14:45-15:00

Welcoming remarks by the Chair, Friedrich von Kirchbach, ITC

15:00-16:00

Interactive debate among panellists and the audience

Moderator: Torbjörn Fredriksson, UNCTAD

Panelists
Mr Rambert Namy, Director Mobile Money, Sofrecom, France Telecom subsidiary
Mr Christopher Foster, ICT researcher, Centre for Development Informatics, University of Manchester
Ms Renata Rego, Emerging Consumer / Microinsurance, Zurich Insurance Co.
Mr Pranav Prashad, ILO's Microinsurance Innovation Facility
Ms Thao Nguyen, Newton International Postdoctoral Fellow, ICT4D Collective

16:00-16:15

Wrap-up by the moderator, Torbjörn Fredriksson, UNCTAD

16:30-16:

Welcoming remarks by the Chair, Mr. Michael Riggs, FAO

16:40-17:50

Interactive debate among panelists and the audience

Moderator: Mr. Michael Riggs, FAO

Panelists
Ms Mireia Fernández-Ardèvol, Co-director, Research Program “Mobile Communication, Economy & Society”, IN3 - Internet Interdisciplinary Institute, Open University of Catalonia
Mr Harsha Liyanage, Managing Director, Sarvodaya-Fusion
Ms Oumy Ndiaye, Chef de Département at Centre Technique de Cooperation Agricole et Rurale ACP-UE (CTA)
Ms Roxanna Samii, Web, Knowledge and Internal Communications Manager, IFAD
Mr Tim Unwin, Professor of Geography and UNESCO Chair in ICT4D, Royal Holloway University of London
Vodafone (to be confirmed)

17:50-18:00

Wrap-up by the moderator, Mr. Michael Riggs, FAO

The ALFM C10 will provide an opportunity to report, discuss and debate on issues concerning “Ethics”.

The notion of cyber and information ethics has emerged from the interplay of human interactions and values with the emerging technologies, use of information and virtual spaces of the information society. The new modes of interaction, the trans-boundary, trans-jurisdictional and ubiquitous nature of these interactions and spaces pose opportunities for advancing human development but also risks for entrenching existing inequities and creating new ones. These developments also represent new paradigms of social, political, economic and even cultural organization.

It is desirable that the virtual spaces and the use of information contribute to societies and spaces that are peaceful, just, and inclusive and which foster the full expression of human rights. Questions therefore arise regarding roles, responsibilities and values for guiding behavior, making choices; including technical ones; within these virtual spaces. Equally challenging are questions around constraints in the physical worlds, often collectively referred to as “digital divide”, that impact the extent to which persons can access, participate fully and benefit from the these virtual spaces.

Interactions in the virtual spaces can have very real consequences in the physical world, but there is a perception that different “norms” should apply in these spaces. Todays’ session is part of an ongoing attempt to question and search for answers around the ethical basis for these “norms” and to provide policy makers, users of these space and other stakeholders with an ethical basis for action.

The session will examine a small subset of the opportunities, challenges and dilemmas in the field of cyber and information ethics with an emphasis on exploring these in the context of notions of freedom & security, privacy, malice & harm and property.

Provisional Agenda:

Session Chair: Dr. John Crowley, UNESCO

4:30 p.m.

Opening Remark by Session Chair

4:35 p.m.

Presentations by Panelists

10’    Freedom and Security
Dr. Mark Coeckelbergh, University of Twente, Netherlands

10’    Privacy
Dr. Denisa Kera, National University of Singapore, Singapore

10’    Malice & Harm
Dr. Antonio Marturano, University of the Sacred Heart, Italy

10’    Property
Representative of the World Intellectual Property Organization, Geneva Headquarters, Switzerland

5:15 p.m.

Interactive session with live and virtual audience

35’    Q&A with 15 minutes dedicated to interventions by virtual participants

5:50 p.m.

Discussion synthesis and closing Remark by Session Chair

6:00 p.m.

End of session

“From WSIS to Rio+20: The role of ICTs to promote sustainable development and the green economy transition”

The issue of sustainable development has been high on the global agenda since the first Earth Summit, held in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) on 1992. Despite the progress achieved in raising awareness about the implications of the current development paradigm, the global community has agreed to come together twenty years later to secure renewed political commitment for sustainable development and assess the progress to date in the implementation of the outcomes of the major summits related to sustainable development. The United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD 2012 or Rio+20 conference) will address new and emerging challenges to advance on the transition towards a green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication, and strengthen the institutional framework for sustainable development, the two major themes for the conference.

As the preparatory process for the Rio+20 conference progresses, the global community has been called to provide inputs to facilitate discussions and, particularly, to promote synergies between existing processes and mechanisms from the international community, such as the WSIS process. A prominent example of the contribution that WSIS can make to Rio+20 is the progress achieved in the implementation of Action Line C7 (AL C7), e-environment. The goals for this action line, as defined in the Geneva Plan of Action, are as follows:

a)    Use and promote ICTs as an instrument for environmental protection and the sustainable use of natural resources;

b)    Initiate actions and implement projects and programs for sustainable production and consumption and the environmentally safe disposal and recycling of discarded hardware and components used in ICTs;

c)    Establish monitoring systems, using ICTs, to forecast and monitor the impact of natural and man-made disasters, particularly in developing countries, LDCs and small economies.

The facilitation meeting for AL C7, e-environment will be an interactive debate among key stakeholders involved in the implementation of this action line along with experts from the sustainability community and the Rio+20 process. The guiding principle of the discussion will be to identify how ICTs can help to move forward the sustainability agenda, allowing developing countries to leapfrog to a low-carbon development model.

Format of the meeting:

• Introduction to the meeting. Presentation of objectives by action line co-facilitators;
• Linking WSIS and Rio+20: ICTs, sustainable development and the green economy transition;
• Open debate;
• Conclusions and next steps: definition of follow-up actions for WSIS Forum 2012.

The ALFM C7 will provide an opportunity to report, discuss and debate on issues concerning “e-agriculture”.

The PROMISE of MOBILE TECHNOLOGY:

MOBILE MONEY SOLUTIONS for SMALL ENTERPRISES (part 1) and WHAT is the SOCIO-ECONOMIC IMPACT on RURAL COMMUNITIES? (part 2)

The role of mobile technology in development is now undeniable. Supporting sound economic growth, while reducing socio-economic disparity is essential. Building on the latest experiences and looking forward, UNCTAD, ICT and FAO have brought together two interactive dialogues that will allow you to interact with leading thinkers and practitioners.

The first session will focus on how mobile money can offer solutions for small enterprises. It will discuss some of the trends on mobile financial services for small enterprises and the positive and negative impacts that the development of mobile money solutions can bring to small enterprises. It will consider emerging business models and address key regulatory issues governments face to create an enable regulatory environment.

Key questions include:

• What explains why mobile money services are being taken up more quickly in some developing countries than in others?
• What kind of mobile money services are emerging that can support small enterprises and which of these have proven the most useful?
• What challenges do small enterprises face in benefiting from mobile financial services and what are some of the pitfalls of the development of mobile money?
• How can government policies become more effective in creating an enabling environment for a larger number of small enterprises to benefit from financial services at a lower cost?
• What consumer rights issues have emerged, and how can they be addressed?

Key questions include:

• What are the key characteristics that make mobile technology so important to rural and agricultural communities?
• What are the main socio-economic benefits that mobile technology can facilitate in rural communities?
• Why is mobile technology not only creating positive benefits in rural communities, and what are some of the challenges that must be faced to rectify this situation?
• What mobile services are most needed in rural and agricultural communities now?
• How can the positive benefits of mobile technology be brought to a wider range of rural communities, enhancing economic development and food security?
• What policies and support mechanisms should governments put in place to foster the positive impact of mobile technology in rural areas?

For more information, please contact Marta Pérez Cusó (marta.perez.cuso@unctad.org) or Michael Riggs (michael.riggs@fao.org).

Agenda

The PROMISE of MOBILE TECHNOLOGY

MOBILE MONEY SOLUTIONS for SMALL ENTERPRISES (part 1)

14:45-15:00

Welcoming remarks by the Chair, Friedrich von Kirchbach, ITC

15:00-16:00

Interactive debate among panellists and the audience

Moderator: Torbjörn Fredriksson, UNCTAD

Panelists
Mr Rambert Namy, Director Mobile Money, Sofrecom, France Telecom subsidiary
Mr Christopher Foster, ICT researcher, Centre for Development Informatics, University of Manchester
Ms Renata Rego, Emerging Consumer / Microinsurance, Zurich Insurance Co.
Mr Pranav Prashad, ILO's Microinsurance Innovation Facility
Ms Thao Nguyen, Newton International Postdoctoral Fellow, ICT4D Collective

16:00-16:15

Wrap-up by the moderator, Torbjörn Fredriksson, UNCTAD

16:30-16:

Welcoming remarks by the Chair, Mr. Michael Riggs, FAO

16:40-17:50

Interactive debate among panelists and the audience

Moderator: Mr. Michael Riggs, FAO

Panelists
Ms Mireia Fernández-Ardèvol, Co-director, Research Program “Mobile Communication, Economy & Society”, IN3 - Internet Interdisciplinary Institute, Open University of Catalonia
Mr Harsha Liyanage, Managing Director, Sarvodaya-Fusion
Ms Oumy Ndiaye, Chef de Département at Centre Technique de Cooperation Agricole et Rurale ACP-UE (CTA)
Ms Roxanna Samii, Web, Knowledge and Internal Communications Manager, IFAD
Mr Tim Unwin, Professor of Geography and UNESCO Chair in ICT4D, Royal Holloway University of London
Vodafone (to be confirmed)

17:50-18:00

Wrap-up by the moderator, Mr. Michael Riggs, FAO

The ALFM C7 will provide an opportunity to report, discuss and debate on issues concerning “e-health”

The World Summit on the Information Society's Action Line C7 on e-Health calls for collaborative efforts of governments, planners, health professionals, and other agencies along with the participation of international organizations for creating reliable, timely, high quality and affordable health care and health information systems . It further calls for promoting medical training, education, and research through the use of ICTs, while respecting and protecting citizens’ right to privacy.

Objective of the meeting:

To review progress and challenges of e-Health 6 years after the WSIS Tunis phase and to debate about what should be the priorities for the future.

The ALFM C3 will provide an opportunity to report, discuss and debate on issues concerning “Open Access”.

There are significant economic, social and educational benefits to making research outputs available without financial, legal and technical barriers to access. This Interactive Facilitation Meeting (IFM) will highlight Open Access policies and strategies targeted to different stakeholders:

• Policy makers and research managers: Open Access helps to publicise institutes’ research strengths, providing maximum return on research investment and new tools to manage research impact;
• Researchers: Open Access benefits researchers in the following ways: increased visibility, usage and impact for their work;
• Publishers: Open Access brings increased readership and, with that, increased citations, and maximum visibility and impact for a journal's contents; it helps to provide the best possible dissemination service for research;
• Libraries: Open Access has changed the profile of academic and research libraries – they partner with scientists and research managers to set up open repositories, curate research data and to develop Open Access policies; with scholarly publishers they publish Open Access journals and books; and with educators they produce Open Educational Resources, ensuring the quality of digital content, its reuse and sharing.

The IFM will look at the current achievements of the key players in the field – universities and research institutions – and facilitate a discussion about whether they are replicable across countries. We will invite other stakeholders, such as funders and policy-makers to discuss how Open Access could be included in national and regional research and educational policies, in order to formally embed Open Access into education and research institutions.

Objectives

The IFM participants will discuss:

• Complementary strategies to achieve Open Access to scholarly literature - Open Access journals and Open Access repositories from the funders’ and research policy makers’ perspective.
• Linking research publications with research data.
• Open Access costs and benefits for research funders, universities and research organizations.
• Open Access policies from the perspective of research funders, national governments and intergovernmental organizations.
• Open Access and the changing role of libraries.

Tentative agenda

• UNESCO and Open Access
  Sanjaya Mishra, Programme Specialist (ICT in Education, Science and Culture), UNESCO, Paris
• Open Access and the Changing Role of Libraries
  Member of IFLA President's Working Group on Open Access, Netherlands (to be confirmed)
• Open Access policies in developing and transition countries
  Iryna Kuchma, EIFL Open Access Programme Manager
• Open Access publishing and linking research publications with research data
  Jens Vigen, the Head of Scientific Information Service and the Head Librarian of the European Organization for Nuclear Research, CERN, Member of the High Level Expert Group on Scientific Data, Geneva, Switzerland (to be confirmed)

Moderator:
• Stuart Hamilton, IFLA Senior Policy Advisor, Hague

Organizers:
The International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA)
Electronic Information for Libraries (EIFL)
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)

More Information:

Sanjaya Mishra
s.mishra@unesco.org

Pursuant to Article 109 of the Tunis Agenda, the sixth meeting of WSIS Action Line Facilitators will take place within the framework of the WSIS Forum 2011. The purpose of the meeting is in particular to assess the general progress made within the WSIS Action Lines, as well as to identify measures to strengthen the overall WSIS implementation process. All Facilitators and Co-Facilitators of WSIS Action Lines are invited to the meeting. Other WSIS Stakeholders are also welcome to participate.

All focal points of WSIS Action Line Facilitating organisations are invited to attend this meeting

DRAFT AGENDA

1. Welcoming Remarks
2. Approval of the Agenda
3. Reports from WSIS Action Line Facilitators on Facilitation Process Towards 2015:
   1. Challenges and Opportunities
   2. Ways to Strengthen the Action Line Facilitation Process
4. Other Reports Relevant to the Implementation of the WSIS Outcomes
5. Report on the WSIS Stocktaking Process
6. Remote Participation and Outreach
7. WSIS Forum 2012
8. Other business