Concept Note TIC - Site web des Nations Unies en Mauritanie

“Converting digital gaps in digital opportunities. A Network
Platform on Volunteering - Nomades sur la net ”. Concept Note
I. Background and justification
1.
The importance of information and communications technologies (ICT) in the fight against
poverty was underscored in the report of the UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan to the Millennium
Summit. The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) has long identified the potential of ICT as
a means to create earnings opportunities, improve access to education and facilitate information and
knowledge sharing.
2.
In this context, the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) program contributes to these efforts by
both mobilizing its own volunteers to engage in information communications technology for
development (ICT4D) activities, and by managing the United Nations Information Technology Service
(UNITeS), an initiative that promotes volunteer involvement as critical to efforts in applying information
communications technology for development (ICT4D)
3.
Mauritania is a vast country with a strong nomadic tradition where communications have
always been complex issues between communities. Nowadays, only 0.7% of the population has
access to mobile phones and 90% of land lines are located in Nouakchott and Nouadhibou, both
administrative and economic capitals. Internet access is centralized thorough the capital with a 9 Mb/s
speed that drops down to 64 Kb/s in the provinces. Access to information is facing innumerable
obstacles (lack of infrastructures, communication prices, accessibility to internet connection, lack of
specialized technicians ) especially for youth and women who rest marginalized to the communication
exchanges. As a consequence they are systematically excluded from society, since without
information, any participation in a decision-making process is next to impossible.
4.
Some experiences in this field have been carried out by PNUD (UNDEF) in order to improve
the accessibility to development infrastructures (through the implementation of cyberforum in different
communities) and to facilitate the use on TIC (through specific trainings on TIC). UNV will benefit from
the consideration of this valuable experience.
II. Objectives and expected Outputs
5.
The present concept note constitutes an innovative effort to bring people together on a
virtual volunteering platform in Mauritania to create a citizen network as the base for a social
cohesion (advocacy); to promote a dialogue for civic engagement thought volunteering (integration);
and to share knowledge on volunteering pilot experiences through volunteer participation
(mobilization) following the UNV Business Model V4D. The initiative involves volunteering
associations, universities, government, UN Agencies, development agencies and the private sector.
The project will be implemented in collaboration with UNITeS.
6.
Considering World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) focus themes, namely vision,
access and applications, the Network Volunteering Platform “Nomades sur la Net” integrates
Volunteering in the Information Society in the following ways:
7.
Vision: “To develop a common vision and understanding of the information society” by
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advocating the right to communicate. It will be done by Instant Messaging (IM) through mobiles or PC
via on-live chat during radio emissions programmed on different development topics such as gender,
alphabetization, livelihoods, different useful economical and social issues, news, … as well as sharing
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A central use of IM is to support quick questions and clarifications about ongoing work tasks, to collaborate quickly and
efficiently. IM allows more rapid exchanges than is possible with email, but without being as intrusive as a telephone call. IM is a
real-time conversation, similar in some ways to what you might experience face-to-face.
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the experiences of other UNV ongoing projects and activities in different regions and intervention
areas. The main purpose is to promote a dialogue integrating all levels of society but e paying
particular attention to youth and women. This dialogue should show the benefits and impacts on
volunteering both economic and social.
8.
Access: “To promote the urgently needed access of all the world’s inhabitants to information,
knowledge and communication technologies for development” by helping people and institutions to
acquire the skills, the knowledge and capacity to make good use of these technologies. Meaningful
access to ICT channels requires the capacity to use those technology tools. In this way, trainings on
line will be conducted in appropriate volunteering cybersites (benefiting the experience of UNCDF).
Individuals interested to receive those trainings will have previously served as volunteers. Formation
is also about advocacy, sharing volunteers experiences, as well as orientation to labour market
access for former volunteers.
9.
Applications: “To harness the potential of knowledge and technology for promoting the goals
of the UN Millennium Declaration” by providing information to raise the awareness of participation and
inclusion, through volunteers mobilization. With the creation of a volunteering-job site, volunteering
opportunities will be posted and after a volunteering period followed by a training on orientation to
labour market access (see above), former volunteers will have access to job site where private sector
or associations, local or international NGOs, … vacancies will be posted.
10.
The three themes converge in a volunteering platform held by UN server as shown by the
diagram below. All services provided will pass through the UNV web site.
ACCESS :
To advocate sharing
knowledge
VISION :
To integrate through
dialogue
Training on-line
Chat on-live
UNV Web Site
UNDP SERVER
APPLICATION :
To mobilise by
information delivery
Volunteering job-site
11.
Current objectives meet the MDG 1 “Eradicate Extreme Poverty and Hunger” and MDG 8
“Develop a Global Partnership for Development”.
III. Partnerships and Benefits
12.
The most direct benefit for the community is the possibility to communicate by using IM and
radio, receiving immediate feedback. Benefits are both economical and social. For poorer people, the
perceived economic value of the phone is sometimes that it saves them time and money in travelling –
to visit friends and relatives, for instance. It is also about people’s capacity to deal with crises (their
“vulnerability”), and the strength of their social networks (e.g. the use in emergency situation). For
these two aspects of development, rural people can find IM very useful. Communication also
contributes to economic activity – for instance, enabling farmers to check prices in different markets
before selling their produce.
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In addition, communication through radio emissions by using IM becomes active and bidirectional
involving community and creating a dialogue. A second level benefit is for the individuals (youth,
women, …) participating in volunteering. In that way, volunteers have access to trainings on line that
facilitate their integration to the labour market by an on line job site. Finally, these experiences are
shared on-line with the subsequent advocacy on volunteering and encouraging to volunteer.
13.
Volunteer associations and local/international organizations have the opportunity to share
knowledge on their different experiences. These experiences can be posted on-line or discussed
during radio programs and used during the different trainings. In addition, associations and
organizations have access to qualified and experienced human resources matching labor market
demand and offer through a job site where their requirements and needs can be posted.
14.
University of Nouakchott will play an important role in the entire project. Firstly, University is
one of main partners by supplying students that can directly volunteer in the project either providing
and receiving technical support for and during radio emissions or as direct beneficiaries of the training
on line and volunteering job-site with previous experience in volunteering. In addition, a special
program can be set up between the university and the private/public sector using the on-line job-site.
The platform should serve as a support for further collaboration between both partners.
Volunteering associations such as US Peace Corps or AFVP, could provide a specific technical
support at this level (assisting in training on line at the different volunteering cybersites or providing
advice in specific volunteering training before the assignments) as well as accompanying and
supervising volunteers in their task force activities at their assignment.
In addition, Univerdad de Las Palmas is invited to participate in the project on a partnership with
University of Nouakchott. At present, Universidad de Las Palmas has joined UNV Programme and is
also partner with University of Nouakchott in different programs. Universidad de Las Palmas can
provide a UNV position in the field of social work specializing in labor market issues.
15.
The involvement of the private sector in the project is related to providing support for IM
services. Regarding the main benefits for the private sector, it is noteworthy how a company improves
its image and the understanding of its activities between the community participating in this kind of
project, which supposes a direct impact on merchandising and services promotion. Also, the
employees feel involved and participating in a social project which in turn fosters their commitment.
Another direct benefit for the private sector comes from the created job site on-line. The site can
provide future specialized technicians. In this sense, the Program in between University of Nouakchott
and private sector can involve trainings and formations.
16.
For UN Agencies (UNCDF, IDC) the project is an excellent awareness opportunity inserted in
the community. UN is participating by supplying the server as well as web site that represents the
platform itself for the project development.
UNV will participate with a telecommunications UNV position as project coordination amongst all the
partners.
Collaboration in ITC4D through UNITeS program with private sector and University will be also
articulated.
17.
Spanish Agency for International Cooperation is providing the full equipment for the radio
station. It also represents an opportunity for the Agency to work closely with UN institutions and
volunteering organizations in a broad range impact program.
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IV. Annexes
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Technical specifications (in French)
SMS to Radio
Objectifs : Le projet VNU-Mauritanie va initier un projet de station radio. Pour ce faire, il veut se doter d’un
moyen permettant d’assurer l’interaction avec les auditeurs. En effet, un ordinateur qui a accès à Internet devra
pouvoir réagir avec le studio par la messagerie, de même s’il ne possède pas d’ordinateurs, ou il n’a pas
d’Internet on doit lui permettre de réagir en utilisant son téléphone portable : le SMS.
Architecture et Composantes de la solution : La solution qu’on propose est d’utiliser les services d’un
opérateur telecom pour assurer la connectivité vers le téléphone portable et la position mobile de la personne,
ensuite récupérer les données depuis le système de cet opérateur pour l’afficher au studio.
Le schéma suivant montre le chemin parcouru :
1) du mobile vers l’opérateur : c’est assuré par l’opérateur lui-même
2) de la base de l’opérateur (SMSC) vers ‘nous’ : il faut avoir une passerelle SMS. Celle-ci va permettre au
système de l’opérateur de diriger tous les sms reçus sur sa base. Deux alternatives sont possibles : soit avoir
une passerelle propre à nous, soit louer le service d’un prestataire local ou à l’étranger.
3) Un serveur web sur lequel tourne des programmes (php par exemple) permettant de récupérer les sms reçus
et de les afficher sur une interface disponible au studio
4) Différentes liaisons : il faut avoir une liaison permanente entre la passerelle sms et l’opérateur, entre la
passerelle sms et le serveur web, entre le serveur web et le studio
Noter que l’interface web de gestion de sms pourra être installée sur notre site Internet et permettre aux auditeurs
ayant Internet d’interagir sans problème. Noter aussi qu’il faut gérer les prix de communication facturés par les
différents nœuds du chemin. Il ne faut surtout pas qu’ils soient chers car sinon l’auditeur peut ne pas en avoir les
moyens.
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•
Example of NTIC Platform in Mali http://www.mali-ntic.com/ (in French)
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