Kathmandu, July 31 :

Forum for Information Technology, Nepal (FIT-Nepal), a Nepali NGO has been nominated as a member of Global Alliance for Information and Communication Technologies and Development (GAID) champions network.

GAID is a UN endorsed platform for the private sector and civil society, which the UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan recently approved following extensive consultations within and outside of the United Nations. FIT Nepal is the only one from Nepal selected in the 20 members network around the world for playing a critical role in advancing the objective of the World Summit on Information Society (WSIS) and in helping to promote a transforming vision for a universal and inclusive information society, states a press release issue here today.

The global alliance offers a platform to engage the private sector and civil society in an effort to integrate outcomes of the WSIS. Its mission will be to contribute to advancing the broader UN development agenda, including the MDGs, by providing a multi-stakeholder forum for an open, inclusive, and cross-sectoral policy dialogue on the role of ICT in development.

The release further adds that the alliance will address core issues related to the role of ICT in economic development and eradication of poverty, employment and enterprise in pro-poor growth scenarios, with particular focus on health, education, gender, youth, disabled and disadvantaged segments of society.

Established in 2001 with the vision ‘IT for All,’ FIT-Nepal has been constantly working to take the benefits of ICT to the rural and marginalised communities in Nepal. The effort has made significant strides, especially in establishing community tele-centres and capacity building with activities like awareness programmes, trainings, radio programme and community newspaper.

The global alliance will function primarily as a decentralised network, open to the participation of all stakeholders, including governments, business, civil society and international organisations, adds the release.