Abstract

This book represents the first publication of the Regional Dialogue on the Information Society (REDIS-DIRSI), a regional network of leading researchers concerned with the creation and dissemination of knowledge that supports effective participation in the Information Society by the poor and marginalized communities of Latin America and the Caribbean. It reflects a diverse set of studies undertaken by DIRSI researchers under the common theme of pro-poor, pro-market ICT policies. This supports next-generation reforms that build on the achievements of market liberalization efforts but at the same time address the realities of what we call digital poverty - a concept that grasps the multiple dimensions of inadequate levels of access to ICT services by people and organizations, as well as the barriers to their productive use.