World Development Information Day

New Solutions to Development Challenges

Development plays a crucial role in our lives and has many connotations. It is essential to bring awareness and to provide information is the first step in that direction to bring a change. In 1972 the UN decided to institute a World Development Information Day. It is commemorated along with the UN Day on October 24. It aims at mobilizing public opinion and draw attention and create awareness of the problems surrounding development. It is every individual’s responsibility to act towards meeting sustainable goals. 2030 is only ten more years to go. Let us work toward the betterment of our homes, our countries, our world by harnessing the power of information and witness drastic game-changing improved results!

The developing world is full of entrepreneurs and visionaries, who with access to education, equity and credit would play a key role in developing the economic situations in their countries.
Muhammad Yunus

Development plays a crucial role in our lives. From personal to global, growth is what one looks forward to. The development has many connotations: removing hunger, eradicating poverty, enhancing the quality of lives, removing discrimination, gender equality, preserving the rights of children, providing opportunities to bring equanimity. It is essential to bring awareness, and providing the information is the first step in that direction to bring a change. Recognising this need and importance for the dissemination of information, the UN in 1972 decided to institute a World Development Information Day coinciding with UN Day on October 24. It was first held in 1973 and is being observed every year since then. The initiative has origin to the discussions of the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). It is the Day for providing Information about Development to the World.

Observing World Development Information Day is to propagate information and mobilise public opinion, especially among young people, to draw their attention and create awareness of the problems surrounding development. Help people recognise why it is necessary to strengthen international co-operation and find a common path to eliminate the issues in development.

It is a well-established fact that information and communications technologies present new opportunities and challenges. There is an urgent need to address the significant impediments that developing countries face in accessing the latest technologies, such as constraints of resources, infrastructure, and education. More so in the least developed countries, small island developing States and landlocked developing countries. Need to close the Digital Gap for women & girls around the world.

Observation of World Development Information Day has two unexpected issues, it gets shadowed by the commemorating UN Day. Over the years, the emphasis has been shifted to “Information” aspect. It is the importance of bringing awareness about the challenges the world faces in achieving the development and provide information about the same.

It is every individual’s responsibility to act towards meeting sustainable goals. 2030 is only ten more years to go. Let us work toward the betterment of our homes, our countries, our world by harnessing the power of information and witness drastic game-changing improved results!

Making the world a better place and help us sustain life on earth.