This Sourcebook acknowledges the varying needs of parliamentarians in different geographic, social, economic and political environments and seeks to provide a broad overview of information and communication technologies (ICTs) and their use as tools for accelerating social and economic development. It highlights the key and fundamental ICT for Development (ICT4D) issues by emphasising the importance of ICT4D policies, the development of national ICT agendas, the application of ICTs in specific sectors, and the role of government and members of parliament in the process of implementing ICT for development (ICT4D) in their respective countries. Examples from the Asia and Pacific regions are provided to demonstrate how different stakeholders have successfully applied ICTs to bridge the digital divide with concrete socio-economic benefits.

The Sourcebook is an output of e-Awareness Seminar Series for Asian Parliamentarians (e-ASSAP), a United Nations Development Programme - Asia Pacific Development Information Programme (UNDP-APDIP) project, supported by the Global Knowledge Partnership (GKP) and funded by Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). These seminars aimed to sensitise parliamentarians who are responsible for debating development priorities and making decisions on the allocation of resources with government representatives and international agencies. The seminars also provided an opportunity for Asian parliamentarians to discuss and share their knowledge and experience in the various ICT4D initiatives.

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