IGF 2018 DC Connecting the Unconnected: Policies for emerging practices

Room
Salle VIII
DC

Dynamic Coalition on Innovative Approaches to Connecting the Unconnected

Round Table - 90 Min

Description

In the last two years, the Dynamic Coalition on Innovative Approaches to Connecting the Unconnected has played a crucial role in bringing evidence from grassroots implementations on deployments in communities around the world. Our session last year involved, in a first, community-level leaders describing projects in Vanuatu, Greece, and India, among others.

This year’s session synthesizes the evidence base that we have generated (100+ case studies) and attempts to use those learnings to address policy level issues that are germane to development policy discussions. In essence, it is an effort to bring together two communities: the practitioners who work on projects at the grassroots, and the development policy and investor community, which has expertise on improving social outcomes through policy, regulation, and financing.

The session seeks to advance a robust discussion on the mechanics of ICT-based interventions for development in terms of health, education, agriculture, and gender empowerment. It goes beyond generic policy prescriptions, and looks at how tailoring of interventions can lead to better development outcomes, and the role that policy and regulation can play in this process.

Organizers

Christopher S. Yoo, University of Pennsylvania
Sharada Srinivasan, University of Pennsylvania
Müge Haseki, University of Pennsylvania
Michael Kende, ISOC/University of Zurich/Analysys Mason
Rajan Mathews, Cellular Operators Association of India
Helani Galpaya, LIRNEAsia

Speakers

Christopher S. Yoo, University of Pennsylvania
Michael Kende, ISOC/University of Zurich/Analysys Mason
Rajan Mathews, Cellular Operators Association of India
Helani Galpaya, LIRNEAsia
John Garrity, USAID
Cheryl Miller, Verizon
Case study candidates; candidates TBD
Policy makers from developing countries - outreach to TRR Vanuatu, Nepal outreach to others underway
Rapporteurs - Sharada Srinivasan, University of Pennsylvania; Müge Haseki, University of Pennsylvania

Session Time
Session Report (* deadline 26 October) - click on the ? symbol for instructions

Key message:

Emerging last mile connectivity initiatives demonstrate significant diversity, and policy approaches to support the same require as much innovation and context-specific application.