On World Development Information Day: Digital Technology and Media Address Human Development Issues
Ahwal Al-Ma’rifah – Special
Does highlighting the role of media and information and communication technologies in raising public awareness, reducing the digital divide and supporting the Sustainable Development Goals require a World Day?
This is what the United Nations decided when it designated October 24 of each year as World Development Information Day. The United Nations General Assembly established this day in 1972 through a resolution issued on December 19. It is celebrated around the world as a special day aimed at drawing global public attention to economic and social development problems and the need to strengthen international cooperation to solve them.
This date was chosen to coincide with the anniversary of United Nations Day, specifically the adoption of the Second United Nations Development Decade International Development Strategy on October 24, 1970.
Development media works to spread knowledge and awareness of the experiences of nations and peoples in development across various fields, including cultural, educational, social and economic development. It also highlights areas of sustainable development, where advanced societies are built on values of knowledge and awareness through their various technological and scientific stages. This, in turn, is reflected in human development and reinforces the values of positive change that affect different aspects of life.
Media Challenges:
Media constantly addresses development issues across various fields. Therefore, it plays an important role at different stages of time. Its role is not limited to a single area but extends to different fields simultaneously.
As the United Nations highlights in the objectives of this day, a major part of development efforts depends on mobilizing public opinion in both developing and developed countries to support established goals and policies. This requires directing educational curricula toward serving development purposes and encouraging cultural activities to contribute to this effort.
It also requires strengthening international cooperation for development in areas related to education, employment, culture and progress, promoting equal cultural, social and economic rights, and sharing the benefits of scientific and technological progress.
Bridging the Technology Gap:
According to the United Nations' objectives for this day, media works to promote the application of science and technology to development and to strengthen and expand scientific research and technological activities related to broadening and modernizing the economies of developing countries.
It is widely recognized that information and communication technologies can provide new solutions to development challenges, particularly in the context of globalization. They can also promote economic growth, competitiveness and access to information and knowledge.
This makes it necessary to address the major obstacles developing countries face in accessing new technologies, work to eliminate the digital divide and ensure access to information and communication technology tools and high-speed communication between countries. This can lead to comprehensive progress, with media serving as a foundation for spreading the values of advancement and development.
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