PDF Version
Observatory for Cultural and Audiovisual Communication
University of Oklahoma
V Infopoverty World Conference
Issues Paper for Conference Seminar
“ICT Services for Alcoholism-Related Problems”
May 12, 2005
Time: 9:30 – 11:00 a.m.
23rd Floor Conference Room DC-2 (2 UN Plaza)
A large number of accidents, health hazards, lost productivity, dysfunctional lives, and death can be directly
linked to alcohol consumption. Recently the World Health Organization declared alcohol and alcohol abuse the number one health threat
to society. It is, as we know, and they confirm, a disease that touches more lives than all other diseases combined.
This realization and concern of the international community regarding the escalating problems caused by alcoholism gives us great
hope that working together we can move forward toward conquering this disease.
This seminar calls together expert discussants of the professional alcohol prevention and treatment community, and program leaders
throughout UN, UNESCO, WHO and the UNISEF international community committed to this cause. The emphasis will include contributions
these programs make and materials available–and how through ICT these resources, materials, and programs can be available to
even the remotest of nations and communities throughout the world. It will also address successful approaches and programs affecting
correlated problems–such as road safety, violence against children and women, incarceration, crime, etc.
The MDG on Road Safety and the European Alcohol Action Plan of 2000-2005 will be discussed together with recommendations and
contributions toward the five year review of the millennium goals.
Issues:
- What are the most critical issues that must be addressed to ensure a greater awareness of the problems of alcohol abuse among the
world’s citizens?
- What are the world trends in the abuse of alcohol that should inform the international community as they consider alcohol
policies in their nations?
- How can advocates concerned about alcohol abuse contribute to the achievement of the MDGs?
- How can the experience of the WHO and European Alcohol Action Plan of 2000-2005 contribute to a broader plan and the objectives
of the United Nations?
- In what ways can ICT contribute to increased awareness, education and treatment?
- As the five year review of the MGD is conducted, what contributions should be added to the millennium goals to assure adequate
focus on the effect that reducing alcohol abuse will have on world health?
PDF Version
Observatory for Cultural and Audiovisual Communication
University of Oklahoma
V Infopoverty World Conference
Issues Paper for Conference Seminar
“Innovations Through the Use of ICTs in Distributing Safe Water”
May 12, 2005
Time: 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
23rd Floor Conference Room DC-2 (2 UN Plaza)
Background
During this International Decade of Water more than 1.1 billion people continue to be without safe water. More than 2.4 people do
not have working toilets and an estimated 22,000 people die daily due to diseases associated with polluted water. The millennium
goals of connecting the world's villages by 2015 and reducing by half the number of people without access safe water will be
examined in the context of how ICTs can be used to improve the delivery and use of quality water to the world's villages?
While poorest villagers suffer from lack of water access, the more fortunate populations enjoy an abundance of information on safe
water that can be made available to the village in even the most remote corner of the world. Experts know how to: find water in
the most challenging geographic areas; make water safe; introduce distribution plans; and initiate policies that are most
effective in all settings. There is also an abundance of information available on delivering safe water under the most difficult
of local circumstances to those in greatest need. However, one of the greatest challenges remains - delivering information to
where it may be used at a local level by village residents.
Issues:
- How can ICTs contribute to the Millennium Development Goal of reducing the number of people with access to safe water by
half by the year 2015?
- What are the critical information needs of the most remotely located villagers regarding access and use of safe water?
- What are the sources of information that can be delivered by ICTs to the most remote villages to increase access
to safe water and ensure that effective practices are used?
- What are the partnerships among NGOs, private organizations and local officials that should be developed in order to
ensure that residents in the most remote villages receive information through ICTs?
- What can organizations such as OCCAM, using an ICT focus, do as they enter the World Summit on the Information
Society to contribute to delivery of information that will result in increased access and effective use of safe water?
The meeting objectives are consistent with the mission of the Observatory for Cultural and Audiovisual Communication (OCCAM)
to assist the poorest villages in the world in bridging the digital divide. The seminar will explore safe water issues at
the policy, research, and technical levels. Panelists will use the vast body of information on safe water that is already
available on both safe water and ICTs to show how ICTs can be used to respond to local needs for clean safe water.
PDF Version
Observatory for Cultural and Audiovisual Communication
University of Oklahoma
V Infopoverty World Conference
Issues Paper for Conference Seminar
“New Digital Perspectives in Fish Farming”
May 12, 2005
Time: 1:00 – 2:30 p.m.
23rd Floor Conference Room DC-2 (2 UN Plaza)
Background
One of the greatest challenges facing the most impoverished villagers throughout the world is a sustainable source of quality
protein in their diets. Historically, agriculture has been responsible for supplying a reliable protein source for the world's
residents with increasing capacity in many regions. More recently, eating habits of even the most impoverished groups have
evolved due to improved preservation and transportation systems for all types of food.
Much of the growth in demand for protein is now for fish and fish products. The production from both fisheries and aquaculture
is at the highest level in history and continuing to grow. According to the FAO, although human consumption of both capture
fisheries production and aquaculture production have grown, the rate of aquaculture growth is higher and continues to grow.
Total aquaculture production, which is growing faster than all other animal producing sectors, must double in the next decade
to keep up with population growth.
The challenge for the most impoverished villages is to introduce sustainable practices that result in a reliable source of
high quality disease-free products in sufficient quantity to satisfy demand. This will require using proven practices for
production, creative marketing and exercising sound business practices to ensure local employment and long-term success for
each enterprise.
In many parts of the world lessons have been learned and local practices have evolved to the point where sustainable fisheries
and aquaculture are on the horizon. We must grow these business enterprises capitalizing on lessons learned by the many
others who have been successful over many years in making aquaculture work in their villages.
Issues:
- What are the greatest challenges faced by rural villagers in introducing a fish-farming enterprise to supplement dietary protein needs?
- How can local villagers access training and technical assistance to begin sustainable aquaculture production?
- What are the challenges beyond aquaculture that must be addressed to ensure long-term success in small-scale aquaculture
production and agribusiness development?
- What are the financial challenges and opportunities faced in agribusiness development?
- How can ICTs be used to ensure that the best scientific practices are used for maximum efficiency and effectiveness of
small-scale local aquaculture operations?
- What are the regional employment opportunities available in aquaculture and fish farming and how can they be integrated
into the local economy?
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