Contribution for the Connecting the next billion for IGF 2018

1. CENB – Phase IV IGF 2018
Give examples of how local or regional policies have helped connect and enable users, giving
them access to information and communications technology and providing universal and
affordable access to the Internet in least developed countries.
Internet has become an eminent part of everyone’s life. From developed nation to the
developing to least developed nation internet affects over all ecosystem in creating global
network of communication and information where every event and practice has a trickle-down
effect. While talking about the global discussion and practices the digital divide certainly
creates a vacuum in context of the overall internet ecosystem and governance. Lack of core
values and issue of infrastructure hits the developing and least developed nation the most. Still
today when we talk about access, affordability and policies the discrimination in the least
developed countries is immense. Basically, the discrimination comes from the lack of diversity
and representation of such communities at policy level both at national and international level.
Talking about the issues of Disinformation to restriction to cyber security the global event and
practice creates a pattern of action that has repercussion of chain of events that has both
monetary as well as socio-psychological effects. Most of such topics which are evolving or being
discussed in the developed nation are daily part of the least developed and developing nation.
Recently the Nepal Government has initiated the Privacy bill which is in the process of its final
stage. The privacy bill has been a good example of the GDPR which has been directly affected
the overall system of creating better values in the system.
Similarly, the Nepal government had introduced Telecommunication Service Charge (TSC) which
created a situation of rise in the price of internet in Nepal and later with the discontentment
from the public and various stakeholders the TSC has been withheld for the time being.
Another progress is the various federal states have started identifying the importance of
internet and communication introducing internet free zones. The Government is also in its final
stage of bringing out the Information technology bill as well.
The policy at the international level and regional level certainly affects the policy at the bottoms
end. The concept of Smart city is evolving where a lot of the political leaders and bureaucrats
are taking interest.
The internet penetration rate of Nepal can be estimated to be 20 to 25 % only
Internet development report of Asia Pacific 2016 -Least Developed countries and their

2. CENB – Phase IV IGF 2018
challenges:
https://www.slideshare.net/ShreedeepRayamajhi/internet-development-report-of-asia-pacific-
2016-least-developed-countries-ld-cs-and-their-challenges-by-shreedeep-rayamajhi
Share a story from any region about how connecting people to the Internet has increased
access to information regarding affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy.
Nepal is a land lock country and 80% of its population is in rural and geographically
compromised locations. There are number of examples of how internet is being used not only
for access of information but as a tool for
1. Tele medicine has proven to be an effective tool for far rural places where there is limited
resources and technology. Due to lack of infrastructure and number of technical manpower
Tele medicine have given an effective solution for patience.
http://www.sasecrtn.edu.np/index.php/en/resources/usefulinfo/information-on-e-health-and-
telemedicine/telemedicine-services-in-nepal
2. In most of the government website audio Notice board are set up in for citizen who cannot
directly access the website or have an issue of connection. They can press the +1618014493198
and access the information from the website.
https://doit.gov.np/en
3. Smartphone app helps Nepali farmers
https://www.scidev.net/south-asia/agriculture/news/smartphone-app-helps-nepali-
farmers.html
4. SmartPalika
https://smartpalika.org/
Give concrete examples showing how access to the Internet has promoted decent work and
economic growth, especially in least developed and developing countries, and small island
states.
Access to internet has especially benefitted the lower economies where there are issues of
infrastructure and geography.
Technology and internet help in many ways of during
1. Farmers for predicating climate and access to market

3. CENB – Phase IV IGF 2018
2. Various business is booming with the help of social media and internet. Facebook page
|viber |Instagram has been an effective tool of promoting goods and selling service with
various door sales policy
Share concrete examples and stories in which the use of ICTs has promoted development in
industry, innovation and infrastructure. Explain how specific policies or legislation might have
helped promote this at a local level.
In lower economies due to lack of awareness and capacity building a lot of the times policy
makers fails to address issues of concern. The lack of representation and diversity adds up to
the problem of policy being a big challenge which is limited within the prejudices of having
consultation with limited people. The so-called consultations are limited and done within the
specific stakeholder that has been prescribed. Research and data are one of the huge
challenges where these indicators are considered the least. Lack of data and research results in
policy that are either complicated or too vague to interpret which results in chaos.
___________________
Shreedeep Rayamajhi
ICT4D Consultant
Founder
Rayznews|Learn Internet Governance
https://icannwiki.org/Shreedeep_Rayamajhi