Outcome of three day Consultation

1. WSIS Grassroots Caucus Consultation 10-12th July 2005National Agricultural Science Complex, New Delhi Outcome of three day Consultation

2. PARTICIPATION • Participants were from villages of 15 states/UTs. • A small group from Nepal and Sri Lanka was also present. • Mixed group in case of literacy, language, culture etc. but having good understanding, based on their experience, on various development issues. • Gender balance in participation.

3. WSIS & MDGs

4. . • Identification of development issues by the participants • Health • Education • Environment • Gender • Livelihood.

5. Grassroots Voices : • Lack of appropriate information/practices in all spheres, health, education, livelihood, environment and gender. • Non-availability of quality human/infrastructural services. • Discriminatory practices based on caste, gender and disability etc. • Accessibility and affordability in relation to services. Need to reach the unreached and meet the unmet needs. • Discrimination against women at all stages of life.

6. Women’s economic contribution towards family/public/nation has no co-relation with her overall status. • Lack of knowledge/skills to cope-up with changing trends in all spheres, specially on livelihoods. • Water and sanitation is a major concern • Global warming and disaster management were issues highlighted.

7. Lack of skill enhancement in all sectors. • Accessibility to and cost of credit is a problem . • Education has not yet been perceived as a fundamental right. Need to address in a holistic manner.

8. Suggested solutions : • People-centric education in all spheres. • Youth should be involved in all programmes. • Regular refresher training for all service providers. • Role of governance at the micro-level . • Statutory committees at panchayat level for linkage/management and monitoring mechansim. • Legal reforms in favour of women related to their right to property, equal wages etc to be made and implemented.

9. Effective delivery of government schemes and support services. • Creation of a Livelihood Security Fund. • Promoting use of organic pesticides and enforcement of laws against banned pesticides. • Need to transfer Research and Development from lab to land. • Community ownerships of forests, promotion and protection of agro-forestry.

10. HOW TO MOVE FURTHER? • Capacity building • Community needs assessment was emphasised. • Community participation and networking • Coordination among various stakeholders Govt./Non-Govt. at all levels. • Creating effective implementation, monitoring and evaluation mechanism with bottom-up approach.

11. The role of ICT enabled knowledge centres at the grassroots to accelerate the MDGs

12. Information & Communication tools currently in use • Print media: Newspapers, Pamphlets, Posters, Booklets, Newsletters. • Traditional Media: Street Plays, Puppet Shows, Folk Media, Meetings. • Interpersonal communication still seen as an important source of information sharing, with Gram Sabhas and SHGs playing a significant role.

13. ICT Tools in Development • Telephone • Mobile phones • Cable TV • Radio/ Community Radio • Wireless technology • Computers & Accessories • Internet

14. Usage of ICTs for reaching the unreached • Radio-ham radio and Wireless for community awareness, education, training and empowerment. • Telephone help-lines could be reached to un-reached for knowledge and counseling on sensitive issues. • Cable TV as a source for knowledge sharing but recurring cost was the issue.

15. Issues underpinning WSIS plan of action

16. Knowledge Centres : Content : Content for knowledge • Blend of local and global knowledge which should be collected, collated, conceptualized and computerized as per local needs. • The whole process should be supported by a well-designed network of human resources/institutions/organizations etc. • Local language was a concern. • Mandatory provision of contents by all government departments. • CBOs should collect the local contents.

17. Connectivity • Wireless is the most preferred option, but it should be based on the geographical specifications. • Dial-up options were suggested again based on the viability.

18. Capacity building • Capacity building is needed at various levels in relation to publicizing, mobilizing, creating awareness and sensitizing communities. • Nominations should be from all the existing groups in the villages. • Need to develop training modules based on the whole mechanism keeping in view various aspects, for effective running of the tele-centers. • Refresher courses from time to time. • Data-bank of local resource persons to be contacted at the time of need. • Online and regular face-to-face interface for learning and sharing experiences. • Responsibility and the funding mechanism was a question.

19. Care, control and management • CBOs, SHGs, Panchayats should have the ownership supported by outside agencies, may be government/non-government. • Village Knowledge Centre Management Committees for day-to-day running of the centers. • Funding for infrastructure could be provided by government/private agencies as a grant but for recurring cost could be met by the community. • A Steering Committee from the Alliance for supervision of the whole mechanism for smooth running of the tele-centers.

20. Coordination • Coordination mechanism has to be built-in for content generation, connectivity, capacity building and care & management. • Youth groups, mahila groups already existing in the villages should be involved in the process of content generation and dissemination and effective utilization of the tele-centres. • Hub and spokes model should be promoted. • Coordination committees should be formed at various levels for follow-up mechanism. • A few services should be charged and a few should be free.

21. The MODEL KNOWLEDGE CENTRE • Four types of knowledge centers were discussed • Community-run tele-centers • Entrepreneurship models • Government-run tele-centers • Panchayat-run tele-centers • The community-run tele-centers were unanimously accepted.