Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development
The Broadband Commission for Digital Development was established in May 2010[1] as a joint initiative by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Its stated purpose is to promote the deployment of high-speed, high-capacity broadband connections to the Internet as an essential part of modern infrastructure, with considerable economic and social benefits in countries at every stage of development[2]. In particular, the Broadband Commission states that broadband networks are uniquely powerful tools for achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which were announced by the United Nations in 2000 and have a target date of 2015[3]. The Broadband Commission believes that progress towards the MDGs can be significantly accelerated by using broadband networks to improve the delivery of services across a huge range of social and business sectors.
Membership
In addition to its chairs and vice-chairs, the Broadband Commission has 54 Commissioners from around the world. They represent governments, relevant industries, academia and international agencies concerned with development. They include well-known figures such as Dr Vinton Cerf and Professor Muhammad Yunus.
Activities
In September 2010, the Broadband Commission presented its initial findings to United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, in a meeting in New York ahead of the UN summit on the MDGs[4]. These findings were in a report “A 2010 Leadership Imperative: The Future Built on Broadband,” which includes recommendations as a blueprint for broadband deployment. One of the key messages is that governments and the private sector must work together to create an environment that encourages the provision of broadband to all communities and sustains its use. The report also emphasizes that a coordinated approach to the deployment of broadband networks must be taken at the national level, so that the full benefits can be gained by all sectors of an economy and society[5]. The Broadband Commission continues its advocacy work, including in specific areas such as e-government, e-health and e-education that can be delivered by broadband.
Information Resource
On its website, the Broadband Commission provides a “Sharehouse” where case studies, research reports and other relevant materials on broadband can be viewed.
Bmore campaign
The “B more with Broadband” campaign is endorsed by the Broadband Commission in order to promote its message and raise awareness of the importance of broadband. Campaign materials, including video, are freely available for downloading.
References
External links
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