IT / NEWS: Tools for accurate data reporting

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has partnered with leading telecommunications provider Globe Telecom in delivering an integrated mobile and desktop social system that can be used to report real-time data on maternal and child health for improved public health care, particularly in far-flung areas.

Real-time Community Health Information Tracking System or rChits was developed and tested by the University of the Philippines – Manila for the National Telehealth Center (NTHC). It is a five-month project funded by UNICEF with Globe providing ICT support. The project falls under the iAccess pillar of Globe Bridging Communities, the CSR arm of Globe. It enables key agencies to gain state of the art ICT to increase effectiveness and efficiency of humanitarian and welfare services and gives opportunities for greater grassroots access to ICT solutions through research and development.

full article on the Manila Standard Today website

ARTICLES: Children's influence growing in digital age

Digital media such as social networks and mobile devices are giving children more influence than in previous generations, a new book argues.

Distinguished Professor John Hartley, of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Creative Industries and Innovation (CCI) at QUT, said the prevalence of 'new media' had given children's actions and choices more significance.

In his book Digital Futures for Cultural and Media Studies, Professor Hartley said that as children engaged with one another and wider society online, they exerted a largely unseen, but growing influence.

"For example, children's online actions are already being closely tracked by business to determine their preferences in order to satisfy their demands for various products - and thus influence the course of industry," Professor Hartley said.

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NEWS / EVENTS: Digital media empower Middle Eastern youth

Revolutions in the Middle East have been powered by young people using new technology.

Young people, who make up 30 percent of the region’s population, have played a dominant role in protests and political upheaval by documenting events with cell phones, the Internet and social media.

“Children and young people have been at the heart of the Arab Spring. They play a key role in instigating it, using the power of social media to rally their peers and mobilize support,” said Shahida Azfar, UNICEF Regional Director for MENA. “But they have also been among its first victims.”

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RESEARCH / NEWS: UNICEF study explores the social networking habits of young people

11 October, Pretoria - Ask the parent of the average South African teenager what their child gets up to in the evenings, and many will tell you that their sons or daughters are probably typing away on their cellphones, on South Africa’s largest social network – MXit.

And it comes as no surprise. A recent survey conducted by UNICEF in partnership with the Berkman Center for Internet and Society at Harvard University, MXit, and the University of Cape Town, revealed that 30 per cent of MXit users admitted to spending most of their after-school time socialising on the platform. 25,876 South African youths recently took part in the survey, which looked at how young people interact on the social media platform.

"The rise of the mobile internet in South Africa means that more people, especially youth, are using social networks as key tools in their identity formation. This timely report provides an important piece of the puzzle to understanding the formation of mobile youth cultures; and exploring the role that cellphone applications play in the lives of young South Africans," says Dr Tanja Bosch, senior lecturer in the Centre for Film and Media Studies at the University of Cape Town.

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DEBATES / OPPORTUNITIES: Social and Economic Impact of Mobile Phones in Developing Countries

UNESCO will launch the first of a series of debates on ICTs and development on the WSIS Platform of Communities website (www.wsis-community.org) on 11 April. The debate will last until 25 April. A summary of insights from the debate will be published as a contribution to this year's WSIS Forum which is to be held in Geneva from 16 to 20 May 2011, and to discussions by international development agencies.

The debate is on the Social and Economic Impact of Mobile Phones in Developing Countries: http://www.wsis-community.org/pg/debates/group:15325/overview/244294.

The debate opens with a background comment on mobile phones in development (from the debate moderator, Dr David Souter) and two opening statements of the importance of mobile phones for social and economic development. The opening statements are by Rich Ling, who focuses on social impact, and Abi Jagun, who focuses on economic impact.

A number of interviews with experts in mobile phones and development are also used to set the scene. The interviews are with Jenny Aker, Ken Banks, Roxanna Barrantes, Harsha da Silva and Alison Gillwald.

UNESCO urges everyone with an interest in mobile phones and development is encouraged to join the debate and raise issues which you think should be discussed. You are also welcome to draw attention to new developments and insights on the issues.

Summaries of the issues and comments from the moderator will be posted as the debate progresses.

NEWS / TECHNOLOGY: Tajikistan bans cell phones from schools

Tajikistan bans cell phones from schools

DUSHANBE (Reuters) - The Central Asian state of Tajikistan Tuesday banned cell phones from all schools and universities in a bid to boost education.

"This measure has been taken in order to improve the quality of teaching at schools," deputy Dodikhudo Saimutdinov said after a vote in parliament.

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NEWS / EVENTS: Mobile phones can call for health, education and safety, UNICEF says

Mobile phones can call for health, education and safety, UNICEF says

11 February 2009 – Cell phones can play an important role in education, crisis situations, and in monitoring health and nutrition, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) stressed today at the opening of a conference on innovation.

The conference, called “Web4Dev: Innovation for Access” and hosted by UNICEF, brings together academics, experts in technology, UN officials and development professionals to explore the application of new and existing communication technologies to dire problems in poor and isolated areas of the world.

“The task here this week is to put innovation and technology at the service of humanity,” Ann Veneman, UNICEF’s Executive Director, said as she opened the three-day meeting in New York.

She cited as an example a health-monitoring initiative in Malawi, led by UNICEF and Columbia University, which allows rural health workers to use mobile phone technology to relay data on children’s health and nutrition and receive instant, expert advice on critical interventions.

That initiative known as the “RapidSMS” text-messaging system, shared first prize in the United States development agency’s innovation competition, known as the “Development 2.0 Challenge” last year.

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