OneWorld.net (U.S.)

Click here for Day2 presentation The MDGs were seen as a common focal point for various stakeholders in South Asia. Examples of grassroots initiatives where successful Communities of Practice (CoPs) had been established with dramatic benefits were cited. It was stressed that these initiatives needed to be upscaled in order to achieve the kind of progress that the MDGs entailed.

There were five parallel, thematic sessions on sustainable livelihood; education for all; health, water and sanitation; combating epidemics and promoting good governance. Possible strategies for achieving the MDGs were discussed in these sessions.

At the subsequent plenary integrating the five themes, stress was placed upon the centrality of grassroots communities and their critical concerns, and upon the creation of local content in local languages. While the democratic and far-reaching potential of Information and Communication Technologies(ICTs) in achieving the MDGs was perceived by all, it was agreed that ICTs were only a tool to achieve the means, and not an end in themselves; and it was important for users of ICTs to be warned about the possible co-option of the ICTs by the larger corporations.

The day ended with repeated focus on the use of ICTs to achieve the goal of empowering the poor and marginalised to access their right to food, water, education, health – in other words to achieve equitable, sustainable and environment-friendly development.

Plenary session 1

A: An overview of Oneworld South Asia and outline of the Meeting: By Dr. Basheerhamad Shadrach, Director, One World South Asia.

B: Achieving MDGs through Knowledge centers: By Dr. Ashok Khosla, President, Development Alternatives group.

C: Special Message from Honourable President Of India Dr. A PJ abdul Kalam.

D: Inaugural Address : By Dr. Mohan Dharia, President, Vanarai Foundation.

E: Leveraging the power if ICTs for achieving MDGs through partnerships: By Ms. Rinalia Abdul Rahim, Executive Director, GKP, Malaysia.

D: Operationlising pro-poor growth through communities of Practice (CoPs): By Mr. Shantanu Mitra, Senior Economic Advisor, DFID.

F: ICTs and disaster management : Lessons from Tsunami: By Mr. Priyantha Kariyaperuma, Advisor to the Hon. P.M. of Sri Lanka.

Plenary Session 2

A: India as a knowledge super power-role of ICTs: By Mr. Pradip Baijal, Chairman, TRAI, GoI.

B: Security, ICTs and Communities of Practice : Experiences of FAO in South Asia: By Dr. Daniel Gustafson, FAO Representative in India and Bhutan.

C: ICTs for human development in Asia 2004: By Mr. Shahid Akhtar, Programme Co-ordinator, UNDP-APDIP.

Parallel thematic Sessions: Marching ahead on MDGs

Session A: Combating poverty and Food Insecurity: Identifying opportunities for Livelihoods

ICTs for livelihood security: A reality check: By Dr. Mruthunjaya, Director, NCAP

An alternative strategy to combat poverty and food insecurity: By Mr. Sarath Fernando, MONLAR , Sri Lanka

Session B: Educating all for social empowerment : Possible Strategies

Quality an important component to ensuring Education for All: By Prof. R Govinda, NIEPA, New Delhi

Enabling self-employment opportunities for the youth: By Ms. Lakshmi V. Venkatesan, Founding Trustee, BYST

Session C: Ensuring Health & improved access to water and sanitation for All: Possible Strategies

Health for All: By Dr. Meera Shiva, VHAI

Ensuring improved access to water and sanitation for All: Possible strategies: By Dr. Jasveen Jairath, South Asia Consortium for Water Studies

Water policies in Asia: Dr. Sudhirendra Sharma, South Asia water expert

Session D: Combating epidemics: Possible Strategies

Taming an Epidemic By: Dr. Ravi Verma, Programme Associate, Horizons Population Council

Dr. Bobby John, CEO, Massive Effort Against AIDS, TB, malaria and Other diseases of poverty

Ms. Suneeta Dhar, Regional Programme Coordinator, Gender and HIV, UNIFEM. Session E: Governance-Key to transparency and accelerated development : Possible Options

Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan, Member, National Advisory Council

e- Governance Key to Transparency and Accelerated Development:Possible Options Mr. Rohit Nepali, SAP International , Nepal

Governance: key to transparency & development Ms. Kamal Singh, Head, Governance, British Council-India

Plenary Session III: “Towards Achieving the MDGs: Emerging Options”

A: Role of UN system towards building CoPs: By Dr. Steve Glovinsky, Knowledge Co-ordinator, UN Systems in India

B: Millennium Campaign: By Mr. Basu Dev Neupane Asia Coordinator, GCAP Asia Team/Millennium Campaign C: Presentation: By Dr. Steve Glovinsky, Knowledge Coordinator, UN Systems in India