web portal for russia and central asia : a tool for knowledge and information sharing in nis zharas...

Web Portal for Russia and Central Asia :A tool for knowledge and information sharing

in NIS

Zharas Takenov

Sustainable Development Policy Specialist

UNDP-Kazakshtan

OUTLINES

Portal as a networking infrastructure: Empower NGOs, Government, SMEs and civil society: build relationships; governance; local knowledge and learning

Sub-Regional Internet-portal on Environment for Sustainable Development in Central Asia and Russia-www.caresd.net

Goals

Structure

Abilities

Barriers and lessons learned

New Initiative - Environmental Information Network in Central Asia and Russia- CARNet

www.caresd.net

STEPS

2002•Idea on information web-site creating •Supported by UNDP Capacity 21 Fund

2003•Web-site was transformed into informative, functional, interactive and dynamic Internet portal •Supported by Democratic Governance (ICTD component) regional programme of Bratislava PSPD Center

www.caresd.net

GOALS

• to promote the sustainable development principles

• to enhance the awareness of various groups of civil society, build their capacity and to involve them in discussion and solving of environment protection problems

• to provide a free access to information for decision-makers

www.caresd.net

STRUCTURE OF THE PORTAL

Information componentFeatures:

Information DatabasesInternet-OfficeElectronic mail discussion and e-newsletter

listsPartners Web-pages hostingNews subscribeOn-line votingExperts on-lineDiscussion Forum

www.caresd.net

STRUCTURE OF THE PORTAL:



listsPartners Web-pages hostingNews subscribeOn-line voting Experts on-lineDiscussion Forum

www.caresd.net

INFORMATION COMPONENT

• Regional Cooperation: strategies, projects, reports, agreements

• Information on countries-activities on national level

• Activities: national strategies, programs, reports, information on IEA

• Thematic Focus: biodiversity, climate change, etc.

• Useful links• News: Global, regional, national• Children&Environment

www.caresd.net





www.caresd.net

INFORMATION DATABASES

Main information source• Environmental projects• Calendar of events• Publications• Mass-media coverage• National experts

• Flexible search • Information structured• Remote content management

www.caresd.net



Information DatabasesInternet-Office (CRMA)Electronic mail discussion and e-newsletter


www.caresd.net

INTERNET-OFFICE (CRMA)

Joint group work in real time

Privat and Group catalogue• Databases• News

Communication facilities• E-mail• Task Manager• Chat

Effective for “brainstorming” ideas/documents Provides with the strict confidentiality Reduces irrational losses of worktime and

communication costs Uses workflow-technologies, that speed-up the results

transfering from one team member to anotherwww.caresd.net





www.caresd.net

ELECTRONIC MAIL DISCUSSION AND E-NEWSLETTER LISTS

Information and knowledge exchange, based on e-mail with pre-or-post-

moderation

• Develops Internet communities and networks• Open or close subscription mechanism

• Easy moderating• Integrated, but NOT BASED on the web• Supports built-in archiving, automatic bounce

processing, content filtering, digest delivery, spam filters and more

www.caresd.net





www.caresd.net

PARTNERS WEB-PAGES HOSTING

Building and promote a long life partnership with civil society

• Technical support• Separate internet-address• Remote administration

• Example: Web-page devoted to the parliament hearingson Specially Protected Areas www.caresd.net/~parliament_hearing

Easy templates for web-pages developing

www.caresd.net





www.caresd.net

NEWS SUBSCRIPTION

Regular portal news/last updates by e-mail

• English-Russian languages• Periodicity - one per week

ON-LINE VOTING

Interactive questionnaire

• English-Russian languages• On-line tool for consultations

www.caresd.net





www.caresd.net

EXPERTS ON-LINE

On-line knowledge exchange with professionals

for better understanding of environmental and SD issues

•Expert defines the theme of consultations

•The system based on on-line and off-line tools

Effective to raise awareness and involve of internet communities in the environment protection process on local levels

www.caresd.net





www.caresd.net

DISCUSSION FORUM

Comfort and easy distant conversation

to discuss the environmental and SD issues

•Thematic discussions•Opportunities:

•New themes and discussions•Remote Forum Administration•Archiving

Can be used as a tool for on-line consultations

www.caresd.net

•Provides an on-line mechanisms for policy discussion to ensure the progress in MDG 7, task 9 realization

•Help reinforce regional co-ordination

•Helps to build partnership

•Broaden the audience

•Offer information and advocacy

•Provide a common online platform to mobilize resources and capacity

•Help develop ownership and commitment to environmental programmes

•Highlight and share best practices and exemplary initiatives

•Facilitate media coverage of regional environment sustainable development initiatives

•Promote technical assistance

ABILITIES

www.caresd.net

BARRIERS

• Lack of cooperation activity using ICT tools in sub-region

• Absence of the sustainable information sharing and exchange mechanism

• Low capacity and computer supply• Low and/or expensive Internet connection• Low awareness in using new information technologies

www.caresd.net

LESSONS LEARNED

For the successful project realization there are needs in:

• Internet-Centers with free access to Internet and trainings on Internet (for example, UNDP Kazakhstan Outreach Center)

• National ICT Strategies, reflecting the overall computerization and overcoming of digital inequality

• Sustainable information and knowledge sharing and exchange mechanism

www.caresd.net

Sustainable information and knowledge sharing and exchange mechanism

Environmental Information Network for Central Asia and Russia (CARNet)

www.caresd.net


Voluntary, independent and not-for-profit association of non-profit and non-governmental

civic organisations, journalists, academic structures- representatives from Central Asia and

Russian Federation.

What does CARNet do?Providing information

Making CAR’s civil society voice heardParticipating in international debates

www.caresd.net


Aim of the project

• To involve civil society in decision making process

• To form the information support system for decision-making in sub-region

• To establish and implement of mechanisms for public participation in decision making process

• To improve organization and coordination of activity within NGO community

• To improve networking and cooperation

• To improve exchange of information and capacity building

www.caresd.net

Achievements of the projects

• 6 UNDP Environmental Focal Points (FP) have been involved as a Coordinators from UNDP COs

• 6 National Network Facilitators started operating in the region• Workshop “ICT and networks in Environment and SD”, Almaty, 4-

5.06.2004:- set up a regional information network and identify methods of effective coordination between representatives of the CARNET;- ensure that the regional information network is integrated into the REAP arhitecture;- discuss how to apply and test ICT tools in REAP-related activities in order to strengthen information exchange within REAP networks

• Training sessions for the National Network Facilitators, NGO working group and UNDP environmental focal points on how to use the web-portal services


www.caresd.net

• To use our:- capacity - experience- knowledge- enthusiasm

and ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION NETWORK CARNet

To establish the information exchange channels between decision makers and civil society

To establish and implement in practice the on-and-off-line tools for public consultations within the framework of REAP


What is next?

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION!

ALL INFORMATION ON WWW.CARESD.NET

web portal for russia and central asia : a tool for knowledge and information sharing in nis zharas...

Documents

information website

agreements information

web portal

enewsletter lists information

dynamic internet portal

subregional internetportal

internet communities

outlines portal