News Advisory - Connecting Technology to Development: IDRC launches new books

OTTAWA, Dec. 6, 2013 /CNW/ - Canada's International Development Research Centre (IDRC) is launching two new books that explore how technology can fight poverty.  Information Lives of the Poor: fighting poverty with technology and Connecting ICTs to Development will be launched at two pivotal conferences in Cape Town, South Africa.

Book Launch: Connecting ICTs to Development
When: Monday, December 9, 2013, 9:15 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. (Cape Town time)
Where: UCT Graduate School of Business Breakwater Campus, University of Cape Town 

Connecting ICTs to Development (#ICTs2Dev) will be launched December 9^th at the Open A.I.R. Conference on Innovation and IP in Africa & 3rd Global Congress on IP and the Public Interest 2013 (#openair13 and #gcongress) in Cape Town.  The book focuses on research supported by IDRC in a wide variety of areas related to information and communication technologies (ICTs), ranging from infrastructure, access, and regulations, to its applications in the fields of health, governance, and education. A synopsis of each chapter is available online.

Book Launch: Connecting ICTs to Development
When: Tuesday, December 10, 2013, 14:00 p.m. to 15:30 p.m. (Cape Town time)
Where: Kramer Building - Room 5C, University of Cape Town

The book (#ICTs2Dev) will be also be launched at the International Conference on Information and Communication Technologies and Development (#ICTD2013) in Cape Town, as part of a panel discussion with authors Laurent Elder, IDRC; Heloise Emdon, Carleton University; and Richard Fuchs - FutureWorks Consulting Inc.

Book Launch: Information Lives of the Poor: fighting poverty with technology
When: Tuesday, December 10, 2013 - 11:15 a.m. to 13:00 p.m. (Cape Town time)
Where: Kramer Building - Room 5G, University of Cape Town 

Information Lives of the Poor: fighting poverty with technology (#InfoLives) will be launched on December 10^th as part of a roundtable discussion with authors Laurent Elder, IDRC; Rohan Samarajiva, LIRNEasia; Alison Gilwald, Research ICT Africa; and Hernán Galperin, DIRSI.  The book explores the ways in which the poor have used ICTs, and how they have benefited from mobile devices, computers, and the Internet.  A PDF of the book is available upon request.

Journalists and the public can join the conversation through Storify, Twitter, and Facebook.  For more information, visit www.idrc.ca.

Putting research to work
Canada's International Development Research Centre (IDRC) funds practical research in developing countries to increase prosperity and security, and to foster democracy and the rule of law, in support of Canada's international development efforts. We promote growth and development and encourage sharing knowledge with policymakers, other researchers, and communities around the world. The result is innovative, lasting solutions that aim to bring change to those who need it most.

SOURCE: International Development Research Centre

Isabelle Bourgeault-Tassé  [phone] [email protected]  @IDRC_CRDI