Upon invitation of the MS Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), development practitioners and policy makers met in Chennai, India, from 17-19 November 2004, for a workshop to review experiences in Asia and Africa in the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) for poverty reduction.

In order to provide a more compact input into the processes of the World Summit of the Information Society (WSIS), Poverty Reduction Strategies and the Millennium+5 Summit, the participants decided to compile some key conclusions and recommendations in a statement. The purpose of the Chennai Statement is to stimulate the debate from a clearly poverty-focused perspective.

Among the participants were representatives from multilateral organisations, bilateral development agencies, civil society organisations and the private sector. The Chennai Statement is intended to serve as an input into the on-going global debate on the role of ICTs for development, particularly in view of the poverty reduction oriented agenda for the implementation of the WSIS Principles and Action Plan in the context of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

The participants share the declared WSIS’s vision of a people-centred, inclusive and development-oriented Information Society, where everyone can create, access, utilise and share information and knowledge, enabling individuals, communities and people to achieve their full potential in promoting their sustainable development and improving their quality of life; the main challenge is now to implement the WSIS’s Declaration of Principles and the Plan of Action. The need to translate the people-centred vision of ICTs for poverty reduction into action is intrinsically linked to the challenge of reaching the MDGs.

ICTs can make a difference in poverty reduction. The practical experience as well as the lessons learned around the globe demonstrate the great potential of ICTs to support poverty reduction efforts by enhancing empowerment, opportunity and security. This potential contrasts, however, with the overall modest impact of ICTs on the MDGs remaining well behind expectations.

In view of the massive upscaling and replication of the use of ICTs for poverty reduction that is needed, the participants of the Chennai workshop on ‘Upscaling Poverty Reduction through ICTs’ hereby endorse the design, adoption, and implementation of ICT policies and practices at all levels. ICTs should be understood in a broader perspective that includes the following elements:

Relevance
Building on the lessons learned, untapped opportunities exist for scaling up poverty reduction using ICTs, by harnessing their potential for dynamic knowledge sharing and networking, building on economies of scale and drawing on a broad range of approaches that can be used as a catalyst for local adaptation. The positive experience of using ICTs for poverty reduction is often linked to use of the new options by organised self-help groups and collective organisations. Upscaling poverty reduction with ICTs means increasing outreach and deepening impact.

ICTs can be used as a strategic tool for development. They also merit and receive growing attention for their instrumental value in implementing pro-poor policies. The deployment of ICTs increases the effectiveness and efficiency of all endeavours to reach the MDGs whatever the resources available. Mainstreaming ICTs pays off even when budgets are stagnating or shrinking.

Those countries mainstreaming ICTs effectively into their productive sectors gain dramatically in competitiveness, often to the disadvantage of others. It is a matter of opportunities exist for scaling up poverty reduction using ICTs, by harnessing their potential for dynamic knowledge sharing and networking, building on economies of scale and drawing on a broad range of approaches that can be used as a catalyst for local adaptation. The positive experience of using ICTs for poverty reduction is often linked to use of the new options by organised self-help groups and collective organisations. Up-scaling poverty reduction with ICTs means increasing outreach and deepening impact.

The basic requirements for successful up-scaling of poverty reduction through ICTs are (1) an enabling policy environment; (2) prioritising and creating conducive conditions for poverty reduction; (3) appropriate technology choices; (4) mobilization of additional public and private resources. The Chennai Statement reflects these requirements.