Mission 2010   

Mission 2010
 A Strategy for the period of 2006 – 07 to 2010 -11

Background
Development Research Network (D.Net) successfully completed its fifth year of operation in June 2006. The initial five years were the period of expansion, recognition and consolidation. D.Net celebrated its fifth anniversary with the endorsement of civil society and eminent citizens. During FY 2006 D.Net received international recognition through receiving Gender and ICT Award 2005 sponsored by Global Knowledge Partnership (GKP) and APC WNSP. The recognition came in the World Summit of the Information Society in Tunisia in November 2005. D.Net started to play a visible role in the research arena within national boundary and in South Asia and through involvement with SAPANA, CENTAD, ICRIER. D.Net also has gone beyond South Asia through ICTSD, Switzerland, IKED, Sweden, ADB Institute, Japan. D.Net has become member of Global Knowledge Partnership (GKP), One World South Asia, and PAN Asia Network of IDRC.

Media, both electronic and print media highlighted D.Net activities with passion and endorsement. The framework of internal governance and the constitution is being revised to capture the dynamism of D.Net’s activities.

During initial years, D.Net main focus was ICT for Development. As a research institution, it needs important transition in terms of focusing on general economic and social development. The whole organisation felt the need for a direction for the next five years. As a result, a process of development of strategy for the period of 2006-07 to 2010 -11 was started in 2005. The process of formulation strategy included staff consultation and consultation with civil society [please see details in Appendix A].

The five year strategy has been coined as Mission 2010. The strategy is presented below for the approval of D.Net’s General Body, the highest decision making body of D.Net. 

Vision Statement
A society where information and knowledge plays its designated role of facilitation in participation of all stakeholders for generation of wealth and its equitable distribution for poverty alleviation.

Mission
To become a premier organization in Bangladesh and beyond through undertaking research and various action programmes in the areas, where information and knowledge can contribute to poverty alleviation, economic growth and peace.

Themes of Research and Action
For the next five years, six themes have been identified for research and action:

  1. Access to Information and Knowledge
  2. Enhancing Business Competitiveness for Economic Growth
  3. Governance and Human Rights
  4. Human Resource Development
  5. Institutional Capacity Development
  6. Economic and Development Policy Research


The objectives, activities, expected outcome and possible partners are presented in the Table 1.

Table 1. Themes for Research and Action for the Period of 2006 -0 7 to 2010 -2011

Themes

Access to Information and Knowledge

Enhancing Business Competitiveness for Economic Growth

Governance and Human Rights

Human Resource Development

Institutional Capacity Development

Economic and Development Policy Research

Objectives

· Understanding impact of ICTs on poverty

· Piloting appropriate ICTs for improving livelihood and employment generation

· Understanding role of information in business competitiveness

· Analysis of markets for promoting domestic business and export

· Promoting SMEs for economic development

· Hold dialogue with industry stakeholders

· Promoting good governance state, local government and enterprise levels

· Promoting human rights through establishment of rights to information for all citizens including poor and marginalised

· Promoting capacity building at the grassroots level particularly for the youth and women

· Promoting capacity building for advanced research

· Promoting skills development for contributing to national development

· Promoting access to information at the grassroots level through support towards mainstream institutions

· Develop institutional capacity of the organizations willing to focus research on various issues including on ICD4D issues

· Contributing to economic and development policy making through research

Research/ Action

· Developing Appropriate methodologies for understanding impact of ICTs on poverty

· Media campaign for promoting access to information research on alternative technology for access to information.       

· Conducting action research for identification of information needs and effectiveness of delivery mechanism

· Conducting theoretical and empirical studies

·  Conducting research and dissemination of findings for advocacy to establish rights to information

· Conducting research and advocacy on e-governance

· Development of legal contents for victims, legal practitioners and human rights activists

· Facilitating match-making for victims and support institutions

· Undertaking training for youth in the area of research capacity development,

· Identification of skills gap of the stakeholders and develop training programmes for addressing it.

· Undertaking programme for training of youth at the village level ob ICT and other job oriented activities

· To take initiative for establishment of 1000 community based learning centres by FY 2011

· Capacity building and support to the institutions working for improving access to livelihood information through establishment of Pallitathya Kendras of telecentre

· Development of manuals, design courses Development Informatics in reputed Universities of Bangladesh

· Undertaking research in the area of poverty, growth, macroeconomic management, trade, corporate social responsibility, financial sector reform etc.

Expected Outcome

· Evidence of impact of ICTs on poverty

· Increased awareness among the stakeholders as regards impact of ICTs on poverty

· Innovative solution of using ICTs in health care, education, human rights, disaster management, agriculture

· Improved access to livelihood information enhances livelihood opportunities

· Evidence of benefit for business through improved access to information

· Use of market intelligence by the business community for enhancing competitiveness

· Rights to information established for the common citizens

· Transparency and accountability of institutions enhanced

· Evidence that Employment opportunities created at the grassroots level

· Improved research capacities for the new research community

· Create awareness among different organizations to understand the importance of information for poverty alleviation.

· Education on Development Informatics in reputed Universities

· Informed policy making through better access to analytical outputs

Partners

·  Research institutions, NGOs, Universities at home and abroad working in the same areas

· Research institutions, Chambers,  Private sector and SME development partners, institutions providing business intelligence

· Research institutions, NGOs, institutions working for rights to information and human rights

· Research Institutions, Universities and institutions with research and analytical capacities

· Research institutions, NGOs, Universities at home and abroad, private organizations and individuals working in the same areas

· Think tanks, policy advocacy institutions at home and abroad


Resource Mobilisation
The implementation of research and action under each of themes will require financial resources. The following sources will be pursued for generating resources to carry out planned activities:

  1. International Agencies promoting research
  2. National institutions promoting research and action
  3. Formation of corporate entities with the projects, developed within D.Net and currently having potential for business model.
  4. Corporate sponsorship for specific programmes and events
  5. Donations from individuals and/or institutions, who find D.Net’s activities worth supporting
  6. Collaboration support in kind which may substitute the need for financial resources
  7. Collaborative research opportunities with the like minded institutions at home and abroad
  8. Opportunities for awards for the programmes and activities which have impact on various communities
  9. Sales of products and services in collaboration with business entity
     

Step1: Staff Consultation

    1. Structured questionnaire
    2. brainstorming meeting for SWOT analysis

Step 2: Consultation with D.Net’s strategic management

Step 3: Consultation with the experts and stakeholders

    1. Meeting at Cox’s Bazar on December 23, 2005
    2. Individual Consultation [on-line and face-to-face]

Step 4: Preparation of a draft of Mission 2010 by the drafting committee based on the inputs from staffs and stakeholders

Step 5:  Circulation of the draft among all stakeholders

    1. Sending the draft tot he stakeholders
    2. Announcement at the Anniversary Programme in January, 2006

Step 6: Finalisation of the draft at the Annual General Meeting of D.Net in April 2006.
 
 


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