Utilising digital technology to advance development

Technology as a social enabler has been proven to mobilise people in the pursuit of developmental advocacies and initiatives. With this in mind, the Digital Strategies for Development Summit on 2-3 October at the Asian Institute in the Philippines will gather 300 participants and 30 speakers from different countries and organisations to share ideas and provide solutions to social problems the region faces.

DSDS acknowledges the importance of creating relevant strategies for development and use these tools for the good of the people; and seeks to bring together a diverse set of stakeholders to debate, discuss, and deliver solutions related to technological strategies and development.

“Digital technology may not be the ultimate and only answer; it can nevertheless make the work of development pioneers and thought leaders more efficient. It is through technological strategies that we can greatly enhance progress with a people-centred, innovative, inclusive and responsive development,” Sreenivas Narayanan, Managing Director of ASSIST, said.

The event aims to maximise the potential benefits that digital technology provides in making enduring ventures to create sustainable projects for a better society. Discussions will be focused on increasing the awareness of people with digital strategies and innovations. Problems associated with the development of digital technologies that include issues on intelligence and security, governance, and sustainability will also be tackled.

In exploring new media, its enabling conduits, and technology as a catalyst for inclusive growth, it aims to create a convergence point among stakeholders on cross-cutting themes and make the conference a starting point for a series of interventions over the coming
years. It will leverage the opportunities and capacities that modern technology offers in the field of development and community-building.

The plenaries will zero in on matters on technology, governance, youth, education and employment, disaster management, and health. Parallel breakout streams will further showcase solutions to problems in governance, youth, education, and employment, health, and disaster management. On the breakout session on governance, the government will share their DILG Google Cloud services, Local Governance Performance Management System (LGPMS), Open Data system and Naga City’s e-governance.

On the youth, education and employment session, innovations such as mEducation, PeaceTech Gnowledge Platform and SMS Story will be explored. Health sessions will be composed of dialogue on Real-Time Community Health Information Tracking System (rCHITS), Blood Donors Network, Mobile Health (MOTECH), Tech for PWDs, and Senior Citizen Home Safety Association. The talk on disaster management will be about Aidmatrix, Davao City 911, Marikina 131 and Relief Asia.

The conference is organised by ASSIST, an international organisation which focuses on capacity-building of different organisations across Asia and Africa; in collaboration with AIM in Makati, the League of Government Associations, the Philippines’ Department of Interior Local Government, Civika and AsianNGO. For more information on the summit and to get on contact with the organisers visit their website at www.dsds.org.ph.