CHAPTER 3: UNITED

NATIONS AND UN SPECIALIZED

AGENCIES

UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT AGENCY (UNDP) UNDP was created in 1965 by the United

Nations to combat the inequality among countries

The aim was to reduce poverty across the globe, and also to promote development

Sponsored many development communication projects; 2001 report

UNDP came from emerging the two UN organizations – The Expanded Programme of Technical Assistance and the United Nations Special Fund

MILLENIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS

Refined versions of all important criteria of the declaration which relate to development communication

UN formed MDGs in 1990 at the world summit meeting. All UN agencies involved

There are eight goals, (next slide) and each was made to be achieved by the year 2015

Progress is seen as a result of enriching people’s lives by accomplishing the eight goals

The goals relate to fundamental human rights and good governance

MILLENIUM DEVELOPMENT GROUP GOALS

1) Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger

2) Achieve universal primary education 3) Promote gender equality and

empower women 4) Reduce child mortality 5) Improve maternal health 6) Combat HIV, AIDS, and other diseases 7) Ensure environmental sustainability 8) Create a global partnership - public

and private - for development

COMMUNICATION AND INFORMATION SECTOR

Unesco’s Communication and Information (CI) Sector

Main point is to build a knowledge society based on sharing of knowledge and incorporating all those socio-cultural and ethical dimensions of access to information

One focus is the battle against HIV/AIDS through a preventative education and raising awareness among the public in making the best use of communication resources

Also Culture Sector is moving into development communication

IPDC International Programme for the

Development of Communication A forum and granting unit intended to

strengthen the communication and mass media in developing countries. Funding of many applied projects

Stimulates the development of, and access to diverse content, promotes freedom of expression, press freedom, and access to information and its projects encourage the free flow ideas. Only provides grants to LDCs

WORLD INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY ORGANIZATION WIPO was established as a specialized

agency of the UN system in 1967 Seeks to develop a fair intellectual

property(IP) system It sees the IP as being central for

economic, social, and cultural developments around the world

Mission is to promote the effective application and protection of copyright worldwide

INTERNATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATION UNION ITU is another specialized agency of the

United Nations, founded in Paris in 1865 as the International Telegraph Union

It is based in Geneva, Switzerland, and its membership includes 191 Member States and more than 700 Sector Members and Associates

It is the primary global telecommunication agency and is divided into three core sectors: radiocommunication(ITU-R); standardization (ITU-T); and development (ITU-D)

WORLD SUMMIT ON THE INFORMATION SOCIETY

WSIS conferences were held in two phases and in two very different nations

The first phase of the WSIS summit took place in December 2003 in Geneva

The second and final phase was held in Tunis in November 2005. The Tunis phase was marked by anti press activities. Also ICANN concerns

Main goal of the WSIS conferences was to reduce the so called global digital divide between the rich and poor countries and diminish the lacking opportunities for developing countries by spreading access to information technology, especially to the Internet

CONCLUSIONS The primary agency is the UNDP which

serves as vehicle of much of the UN’s work in this sector

UNESCO was Paris based – focused historically on education but then moved onto communication matters in the 1970s

WIPO added development to its agenda ITU, historically was a technical forum –

now has aspects of telecommunication developments, such as economic, social, or cultural matters. Sponsored WSIS