Context
Since 2012, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has implemented an international ICT volunteers programme in collaboration with the National
Information Society Agency of the Republic of Korea (NIA) known as NIA/ITU International ICT Volunteers. The programme has dispatched over 300 volunteers
to more than 10 countries in the Asia-Pacific region.
Having recognized the power of youth and benefits of this programme, at the WTDC-14 Regional Preparatory Meeting (RPM)
held in Cambodia during 30 April and 2 May 2013, Asia-Pacific member countries endorsed a proposal on ‘international collaboration on multistakeholder
empowerment of ICT volunteers’ which was initiated by the Republic of Indonesia and tabled at the meeting.
Later in the same year, at the Connect Asia-Pacific Summit
held in Bangkok, Thailand on 18 November 2013 whereby some 625 participants from 37 ITU Asia-Pacific Member States, including 7 Head of State/Government,
30 Ministers, deputy ministers, and Ambassadors attended the Summit, ITU announced the ITU International ICT Volunteers Programme known as IIV Programme.
The WTDC-14 held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates during 30 March and 10 April 2014 adopted the Dubai Action Plan (DuAP) which includes an Asia-Pacific
Regional Initiative on ‘development of broadband access and adoption of broadband’. The initiative identifies an expected result which is “international collaboration on multi-stakeholder empowerment of ICT volunteers” in that ITU is mandated to foster and coordinate efforts in
implementing ICT volunteer programmes in the Asia-Pacific region.
International ICT Volunteers (IIV)
International ICT Volunteers programme (IIV) is an open platform for multi-stakeholders including governments, NGOs, academia, private sector,
international organizations, and others to mobilize human and various resources aimed at empowering people at all levels including youth, professional,
women and girls, and retired people; and providing them an opportunity to work towards promoting ICT for development in national and international levels.
IIV Framework enables national and international ICT volunteer programmes whereby volunteers come from different backgrounds with various skills and
expertise. The framework also provides an opportunity for volunteers to network with each other thereby exchanging their knowledge and experience and
driving creativities and innovations among them.
NIA/ITU International ICT Volunteers
The NIA/ITU International ICT Volunteers is a unique programme jointly implemented by ITU and NIA under the IIV framework. The programme dispatches young
Korean volunteers to countries around the region and to work with various organizations in the countries for a period of either one month or two months
usually around July and August of each year. Volunteers are dispatched in groups (teams). Each team consists of four members.
Prior to dispatching, volunteers are required to participate in a boot camp with an intensive programme aimed at preparing and training the volunteers to
be ready for on-site works. The programme also monitors and evaluates performance of the volunteers in that they are required to present their work
achievements at an evaluation meeting usually organized at the end of their assignments.
This year, the NIA/ITU IIV 2015 programme will dispatch 100 Korean volunteers to seven countries namely Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos PDR, Malaysia, Sri Lanka,
Thailand, and Vietnam. The IIV-2015 Boot Camp will be hosted by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia.
The evaluation meetings will also be hosted by MCMC and be held at Cyberjaya, Malaysia.
General Meeting of International ICT Volunteers Networking 2015: Empowering Youth in ICT for Development
For the first time, ITU is organizing the ‘General Meeting of International ICT Volunteers Networking 2015’ with its theme on ‘empowering youth in ICT for
development’. The meeting is hosted by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) and will be held on 8th July 2015 at Sutera
Harbour Resort in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia. The meeting is supported by the Australian Government and the National Information Society Agency of the
Republic of Korea (NIA).
Following the Meeting will be the IIV-2015 Boot Camp to be held at the same place.
Meeting Objectives
The General Meeting of International ICT Volunteers Networking 2015: Empowering youth in ICT for development is aimed to:
-
Promote the International ICT Volunteers (IIV) programme;
- Identify and discuss about issues, challenges, and opportunities of the programme;
- Determine cooperation mechanism and partnership framework with multi-stakeholders including governments, authorities, and private sector;
- Discuss about ways forward and guidelines on establishing a national network of volunteers.
Participants
Expected participants include representatives of countries participating in the IIV-2015 programme i.e. Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Sri Lanka,
Thailand, and Vietnam. Target participants also include representatives of partners and stakeholders concerning empowering youth and ICT for development.
Expected Outcome
The meeting expected a common understanding among stakeholders and partners about the IIV programme and its coordination and cooperation frameworks. It is
also expected that the meeting will bring to attention of participants especially potential partners benefits of the programme and hence partnerships and
contributions from the stakeholders and partners would be made possible from this year onwards and on a sustainable manner.
