Information and Communication Technology

1.1.6 ICTs for Empowerment and Participation

The process of empowerment allows citizens to secure, change and improve their lives by making decisions and utilizing tools to create a better present and future.

ICTs can contribute to fostering empowerment and participation by:

• making government processes more efficient and transparent by encouraging communication and information sharing among people and organizations, as well as within the government; and

• participatory mechanisms such as electronic forums and bulletin boards that enable participation in decision-making, thereby making a democratic process possible. This is especially relevant for marginalized communities and groups such as ethnic minorities, women and youth. They can share and exchange information of mutual interest, strengthen their collective power and shape their own development solutions.