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21

Document WSIS03/PC-3/DT-2

21 September 2003

Original: English

[Draft Plan of Action

(Draft
of the Chairman of Sub-Committee 2Based on WSIS03/PC-3/3)

[Note:
The whole document is in square brackets]

A.
Introduction
1.
[1][1]
The Information Society envisaged in the Declaration of Principles
will be realized in cooperation and solidarity by all stakeholders.
The guiding principles of the Declaration are translated in this Plan
of Action into concrete action lines to advance the achievement of
the internationally-agreed development goals, including those in the
Millennium Declaration by promoting the use of ICT-based products,
networks, services and applications.

2.
The Information Society is an evolving concept that has reached
different levels across the world, reflecting the different stages of
development. Technological change is rapidly transforming the
environment in which the Information Society is developed.
Consequently, the Plan of Action should be seen as an evolving
framework when Information society is promoted at international,
regional and national levels. The unique two phase structure of the
WSIS provides an opportunity to take this evolution into account

3.
[3] Governments have a fundamental role in developing and
implementing comprehensive, forward-looking and sustainable
e strategies, adapted to the specific
requirements of different communities and reflecting the stage of
development and the structural characteristics of the countries.

4.
[4] The commitment of the private sector is crucial for a
sustainable development of infrastructures, content and applications.
The private sector plays an important role in the development and
diffusion of ICTs.

5.
[5] The commitment of civil society is crucial for creating
and equitable Information Society based on sustainable development
and gender equality. Civil Society, including NGOs, work closely with
local communities at the grass-roots level in implementing
ICT-related initiatives for development. The involvement of civil
society is crucial in the formulation of strategies for the
Information Society.

[5A.
[6] The Media—in their various forms and with a
diversity of ownership—has an important role in the development
of the Information Society and it is recognized as an essential
requirement for freedom of expression and a guarantee of the
plurality of information.]

6.
[7] Multilateral organizations have a key role particularly in
assisting developing countries, in integrating the use of ICTs in the
development process and making available necessary resources for
building the Information Society, including for the design and
implementation of national and regional e-strategies and in the
evaluation of the progress made.

B.
Objectives, goals and targets

7.
The objective of the Plan of Action is to put the potential of
knowledge and technology at the service of development and to promote
the use of information and knowledge for the achievement of
internationally agreed development goals, including those contained
in the Millennium Declaration. Moreover, the Plan of Action has also
as an objective to address new challenges of the Information Society,
which go beyond borders and individual capacities to solve.

8.
Information Society-related targets can serve as useful benchmarks
for actions and for the evaluation of the progress made towards the
attainment of the overall objectives of the Information Society.

9.
[9] Specific targets for the Information Society will be established
as appropriate, at the national level in the framework of the
national e-strategies and in accordance with the national development
policies, taking into account the different national circumstances.

10.
[9] The following indicative targets can serve as global references
for improving connectivity and access in the use of information and
communication technologies (ICTs) to be achieved at the latest by
2015:
a)
All villages to be ICT connected[2]
[2010] with a community access point [2015].

b)
All the world's population to be within wireless coverage.

c)
All primary [2015], secondary schools [2010] all universities [2005]
and scientific research centres [2005] to be ICT connected.

d)
All public libraries [2006] and all cultural centres [2010], museums
and archives and post offices to be ICT connected.
e)
All health centres [2010] and hospitals [2005] to be ICT connected.

f)
All local [2010] and central governments departments [2005] to be ICT
connected and to have a website and email address.
g)
All primary and secondary school curricula [2006] to be revised to
meet the challenges of the Information Society.
h)
All of the world's population to have access to domestic TV [2015]
and radio [2010] services.

i)
The necessary technical conditions should be in place to permit all
world languages [2010] to be present and used on the Internet.
j)
More than half the world’s inhabitants to be ICT connected.

C)
Action Lines

11.
The establishment of the policy framework for the
Information Society at all levels is a key task for governments
and requires political commitment.

12.
The plan of action is a platform to build an inclusive and
people-oriented Information Society which, taken as a whole, promotes
the attainment of the internationally agreed development goals,
including those contained in the Millennium Declaration. A second
group of actions on the Information Society for Citizens and
Development are specifically aimed at promoting these goals in a
focused manner. Their implementation takes place at different levels
(national, regional and international) by active participation of
various stakeholders.

13.
A third group of actions suggests tools for implementation for
further developing ICT related solutions for the Information Society.
These actions are taken at all levels and often as a part of the
ongoing activities by appropriate stakeholders.

C1.
The role of all stakeholders in the promotion of ICTs for development

14.
The full and effective involvement of all stakeholders is vital in
developing the Information Society requiring cooperation and
partnerships between all of them.

Policy
framework for the Information Society

Level

a)
National e-strategies, including the
necessary human capacity-building, should be developed for all
countries by 2005, taking into account the differences among
countries. [18 e]

N

b)
Initiate at the national level a
structured multi-stakeholder dialogue involving all relevant
actors, to be responsible for devising e-strategies for the
Information Society and for the exchange
of good practices. [18 d]

N

c)
Encourage all governments to include the specificities, roles and
responsibilities of local and regional authorities in the
elaboration and implementation of their national e-strategies. The
private sector should be invited to take into account the special
needs of local communities, cities and regions and engage in
concrete projects to develop the information Society at local and
regional levels.

N

Information
Society for Citizens and Development

Level