In December 2009, ESCWA held a workshop to help regional NGOs better utilize ICTs and deliver e-Services. The workshop featured a combination of practical steps, discussion of successful practices and case studies. Together with the previous workshop, ESCWA is convening this follow-up session to build upon the results achieved in the first session by providing greater detail on methods to use social media and ICTS to promote social capitalism.

ICTs in general and web technologies in particular - such as interactive portals and social media - promote information and knowledge collection and dissemination, provide partnerships and direct linking with other organizations, attract donors and funds, and extend the outreach and cyber presence of NGOs. In addition, e-services are positioned to create new economic opportunities at the grassroots level for organizations and citizens, and improve existing ones.

The significance of ICT applications and e-services has been recognised by most NGOs in the region. However, the level of awareness, adoption, use and delivery of e-services varies enormously from one member country to another and within the country itself. Even in a given country, efforts are not coordinated, experiences are not shared and e-services are not implemented based on the priorities of communities and societies. In all cases, the future of establishing the Information Society in the region depends on the development and delivery of e-services with an aim to building the capacity of millions of new ICT citizens who will sustain and drive innovation and participation across all sectors.

The main objective of this workshop is to expand and build upon the training and capacity building aspects of the first workshop to include using ICTs to promote social entrepreneurship and to increase the awareness, capacities, and capabilities of selected NGOs in the ESCWA region to provide and use social media and e-commerce services, based on the priorities and development needs of citizens and communities.

The workshop will guide participating NGOs through the conceptual, strategic, and technical steps necessary to effectively use social media, e-commerce applications and services. By adopting and implementing these strategies and technologies NGOs will experience material improvement to their sustainability. Further, the workshop will provide a platform for sharing experiences and best practices of selected case studies.

Submissions, inquiries and requests for additional information should be ‎addressed to: 

Mr. Rami Zaatari, IT Officer, ICT Applications Section,  ICT Division, ESCWA, PO Box 11-8575, Beirut, Lebanon, T +961-1-978556, F +961-1-981510, Email: zaatari@un.org 

Ms. Hania Dimassi, Research Assistant, ICT Applications Section, ICT Division, ESCWA, PO Box 11-8575, Beirut, Lebanon, T +961-1-978546, F +961-1-981510, Email: dimassi@un.org