IT for Development in Nepal

Nepal is lagging far behind majority of the countries of the world in the Information and communication, which is the basic fuel for Development. While many countries, including some of the Asian counties have over 100 percent teledensity, the teledensity of Nepal is around 1.5 percent. There are around 400,000 telephone lines, fixed and mobile, for over 26 million people. 60% of the villages have no excess to telephone. There are about 30 thousand Internet account holders and it is estimated that less than 1% of the population use email and Internet. Although mass communication is the only sector, which has developed most during the last 12 years, it is highly concentrated to a few urban centers, particularly in Kathmandu, the capital city.

There are lots of inconsistencies and contradictions in the development of Nepal. Those people who had barely made a telephone call or seen a computer in their life are now benefiting from Internet. People have suddenly found a miraculous pot in the form of Internet. Academics, development workers, bureaucrats, politicians, businessmen, farmers, and people from different walks of life have started to find ways of using it. Consequently Nepal is gradually heading towards a state where IT is no more a luxury, but a necessity. However, the capacity of the target audience to access and use Internet for their benefit has not increased as expected.

Adverse geographical conditions, poverty, political isolation and centuries-long feudal/autocratic administrative system, inadequate telecommunication infrastructure, high illiteracy (around 60%), diverse culture, language and ethnic composition, unfriendly Internet and telephone tariff, domination of English in IT, monopoly of Nepal Telecommunication Corporation (NTC), unfriendly licensing policy and high fee and tax for Internet business (small entrepreneur), lack of electricity and the internal violence during last seven years, which has caused more than 8000 death and destruction of basic infrastructures, including telecommunication, have badly effected the communication and development of Nepal.

Despite these problems there is great enthusiasm among the youths and IT professionals who have volunteered for the development of IT in the country from the beginning. Areas of use of the Internet are increasing every day. INGOs and NGOs are in the forefront to benefit from the Internet. Use of ICT has increased in many sectors including government, civil societies and economic sector within a short period. Other sectors such as health, education, business, tourism, governance and mass communication are also using Internet. It has increased the efficiency and capacity of the organizations and benefited the people in various ways. Development agencies and civil societies are already utilizing it and the policy-makers, bureaucrats and politicians are realizing that poorer the nation, the higher the importance of IT. It is capable to deliver development to the rural poor of a country like Nepal. As a result, Nepal is gradually heading towards a state where IT is no more a luxury, but a necessity.

Now, there is no question about the significance of IT in development, democracy and governance. But how to use it for the benefit of the people at large is still a greatest challenge in Nepal. It is not possible to make all the citizens computer literate overnight. There is distinct role of intermediaries that connect between the people and the technology by providing them IT related services and training and enabling them to use Internet. At the same time it is important to increase the capacity of the people, particularly women and other underprivileged section, to access and use IT by implementing IT awareness programs and organizing different levels of trainings in large scale. At the same time the international communities should create an environment that promotes IT for poor.

Dreams & Ideas is one of such intermediary organizations, which is dedicated to the promotion of IT in the country through various activities such as:

• Launching of the first Internet magazine in the country
• Launching of various informative websites.
• Help development organizations to launch/create their own websites
• Publication of book on IT in Nepali language
• Launching of Nepali cultural ecard website
• Training of new cadre of IT volunteers

Whether people are ready or not it is true that IT is no more a luxury now even for a country like Nepal. It is also true that the poorer the nation, the higher the importance of IT. The landlocked ness and scarcity of physical resource makes IT more important for Nepal. IT has great potential in empowering people and empowerment of the people is the key for strengthening democracy and enhancing development.

-Vinaya Kumar Kasajoo
Chief Consultant, Dreams & Ideas