JOIN ONLINE SESSIONhttps://us02web.zoom.us/j/89981578889?pwd=RkVmcVc3d3ZZUFJnWVZVVFhhRHE2Zz09Networks of Resilient Communities - harnessing e-Quality data to improve the Prosperity of Global Citizens of the Future BackgroundDevelopment is all about people – expanding their choices in every sphere of human life. That expansion can be achieved through enhancing their capabilities and creating opportunities to use their enhanced capabilities. The quality of development is as important as its quantity. Development has to be anchored in human rights, must ensure human security, has to be environment-friendly, and must be gender-sensitive. And ensuring all these, development has to be equitable. Equality is the defining issue of our time. When the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) stress leaving no one behind, it is equality in development that is highlighted.
In today’s world with the digital revolution, the digital divide has become the determining factor behind the overall inequality in society.
There can be no doubt that digital technologies progressed globally and are transforming societies in all aspects ranging across connectivity, financial inclusion, public services, health, education, trade and commerce, media communication, and transportation. Yet, the digital divide is a fact of life worldwide. There has been tremendous progress in the digital revolution, but a meaningful, high-quality digital
experience is beyond the reach of billions of people. In digital development, there has been expansion, but not necessarily inclusion. Thus, the digital divide has contributed to significant overall disparities in society. But digital development, if managed properly, is a powerful equalizing factor in overall economic and social development.
An important element of ensuring digital development is resilient communities.
Resilient Communities are emerging as a key feature of the digital ecosystem. Resilient communities rely on
developing bottom-up approaches which utilize digital technology to increase the prosperity of their citizens
through ways in which they can participate fully. This participation does not require citizens to have digital
literacy in the conventional sense. They can participate in the digital ecosystem if it creates
enabling circumstances. This is because rural & marginalized citizens will not grow digital literacy skills within a
short period. But they can still be brought under the purview of digital inclusion by providing digital services through dedicated government services. Another important aspect of utilizing resilient communities is
harnessing real-time data. In terms of data generation, accurate and meticulous monitoring of the implementation of government initiatives and snapshots of demographic characteristics (i.e., poverty, literacy rate, child marriage rate, immunization rate, etc.) is extremely crucial. These data should be presented in such a way as to provide users with the latest status updates, helping them to analyze important trends in national progress towards developmental goals.
In this context, this panel brings together leaders in Resilient Communities and government initiatives in
Bangladesh, the USA, Singapore, Germany, and Kenya to examine how data can be used to improve local
communities' service to their citizens today and in the future. It is vital to dive into the data we have today to
design for the resilient communities of the future, benefiting the global citizens living in that future.
Agenda10:00-10:05 Opening/welcome: H.E Zunaid Ahmed Palak, MP, Honorable State Minister, Information & Communication Technology (ICT) Division, Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh.
10:06: 10:14 Keynote: Mr Anir Chowdhury, Policy Advisor, a2i Program, ICT Division/Cabinet Division/UNDP
10:14- 11:08 Panel Moderated by Cyndi Coon Applied Futures Lab, Producing Director, Tempe, Arizona
- Mr Robert Opp, Chief Digital Officer, UNDP Chief Digital Office, NY
- Ms Chan Chi Ling, Deputy Director and Senior Product Manager, GovTech Singapore
- Ms Sonia Jorge, Executive Director, Alliance for Affordable Internet (A4AI), USA
- Ms Yolanda Martinez, GovStack Global Overall Lead International Telecommunications
Union (ITU)
- Mr David Roos, Deputy Head of Sector Program Digital Development, Germany
- Mr Osama Manzar, Founder-Director, Digital Empowerment Foundation, India
- Mr Brian Omwenga, Team Lead, Tech Innovators Network – THiNKKenya, Kenya
- Mr Bastian Zaini, Independent Development Consultant, Indonesia
- Professor Mushtaq Khan, Professor, Economics at SOAS University of London, UK
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