Information Society Watch

2006, Danish Dada, The Electronic Journal on Information Systems in Developing Countries

This paper provides a review of academic literature on the failure of e-governance in developing countries. Drawing from extensive research on the topic conducted by Richard Heeks, the paper suggests that there exists wide gaps between the current reality in developing countries and the future of e-governance systems.

2007, IDRC

This book presents the context, theory, and current thinking on the interaction between ICTs and local governance, particularly in Africa. It discusses the shift from “government” to “e-governance,” describes the role of local-level authorities, and presents the benefits and limitations of introducing ICTs in government operations.

April 4, 2007, Paul Voosen, The Prague Post

E-governance may be cutting through the long lines of red tape in the the Czech Republic with the unveiling of CzechPoint, the Interior Ministry's new centralised information scheme that is intended to increase efficiency for the public and reduce government operating costs. CzechPoint represents an innovative change in the way public services are provided to European citizens.

2007, Association for Progressive Communications & The Third World Institute

The Global Information Society Watch 2007 report - the first in a series of annual reports- looks at state of the field of information and communication technology (ICT) policy at local and global levels and particularly how policy impacts on the lives of people living in developing countries. Studies of the ICT policy situation in twenty-two countries from four regions are featured: Africa (Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa and Uganda); Asia (Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and the Philippines); Latin America (Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico and Peru); and Eastern Europe (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia and Romania), with one report from a Western European country (Spain).

2006, Dr. Rabee M. Reffat, Arab Urban Development Institute

This paper gauges the ability of civil society, business and government to further the cause of e-government, examining the complexities within the government realm and its constituencies and attempting to come up with an integrated approach to develop a successful e-governance model.

May 2005, Kris Snijkers, Public Management Institute, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium

In this paper the authors argue that the present e-Government approach is a technology-driven one. They point out the difference between a technology-driven approach and an approach in which classic values of public administration are the leading principles.

May 2, 2007, UNESCO

The state government of Kerala through it's state wide ICT project Akshaya with support from UNESCO is going to create community portals in the local language (Malayalam). The portal will comprise vital information such as government schemes,information regarding agriculture, business ventures,products,local job vacancies, educational details,health information, legal rights and so on.

April 2, 2007, The Times of India

In India, the state government of Gujarat has decided to make a shift to a paperless office. Beginning from April, all government departments will mandate creating new files online.

March 17, 2007, Moumita Bakshi Chatterjee and Joji Thomas Philip, The Economic Times

India may soon have a unique identification number (UIN) similar to the American social security number system. Below-poverty-line (BPL) individuals would be the first to be given the UIN for the administration of government welfare schemes.

August 2006, Michael Gurstein and Parminder Jeet Singh, E-GovOnline.Net Magazine

In this article, the authors contend that the foremost challenge of the ""Right to Information” is that while such rights may have been translated into laws, the practice of enforcing such rights is one which in many contexts is out of the reach of those without considerable access to legal or financial resources. And it is those with the least resources who may have the most need to have access to such information.