In a globalized world, where problems are much interconnected, and therefore so must be the solutions, it is important that Open Forum’s programme and activities reflects these linkages. Critical issues are addressed jointly, and we believe more effectively, precisely by making enduring investments in local capacities over a broad spectrum of institutions and disciplines, connected with similar efforts nationally, in each state and union territories where we operate. The information revolution is not about technology, it is about people. This is increasingly recognized and has led to the convergence of major global development initiatives. Today, there is a strong correlation in the quest for an inclusive and equitable information society and the effort to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Since its incorporation in 2001, Open Forum has been committed to building cross sectoral partnerships among all stakeholders, whether at National level or within Grassroots Communities. Its major goal is to foster effective, people-centered and innovative use of ICT for development and facilitate mobilization of investments at local and national levels. Today, with all our partners Open Forum is the leading national multi-stakeholder network committed to harnessing and unleashing the potential of ICT for sustainable and equitable development. With this joint effort toward a common approach the increasing convergence of once separate development agendas is encouraging. They nurture hope that a common understanding of the nature and scope of the central challenges and opportunities in development will emerge around which political will and action can be mobilised.

Open Forum is engaged in an extensive multi-faceted portfolio of Programmes and Activities that seek to bridge Grassroots Communities in achieving Millennium Development Goals in India. For this it has been engaged in a variety of Programmes on Advocacy & Communications, Policy Advocacy, Training & Capacity Building, ICT Trainings, Grassroots Journalism, Research & Analysis, Partnership & Networking, Community Mobilization, Technical Services, Communication for Development, and Human Rights Activities pointing policy and practice. Our work programme links leading-edge future-oriented thinking to decision-makers and users on the ground. We at Open Forum understand that the development sector is extremely diverse, so our programmes reflect a wide range of community needs identified by our grassroots team. Open Forum, through its collaboration with grassroots organizations and civil society groups, has managed to identify enthusiastic community centered groups who have been able to highlight the tacit yet urgent needs of their communities while at the same time have been successful in spreading awareness and sensitization in addressing MDGs. A Collaborative Approach is used for all the Programme and Activities at Open Forum. Partnering with local grassroots bodies and education institutions is a significant implementation strategy of the program. Because of a long and sustained community presence, the experiential knowledge of the local NGOs helps in giving the right direction to such an initiative by identifying the real problems, needs and voices of the community. Open Forum, on the other hand is able to work towards building capacities and perspectives of community based groups and is able to use elementary communication technologies effectively, for the empowerment of people.

To describe and explore our roles at a conceptual level, we had to take a step back from our day to day activities to think about the bigger picture. In order to explore our roles and functions, we drew out an information supply chain that had research suppliers at one end and potential consumers at the other. Recognizing that this is an overly linear representation of processes of information and communication flows, we used this as a discussion tool to explore the processes and actors and channels of communication involved in this supply chain and attempted to locate ourselves within it. We identified that all workshop participants are trying to ensure that information and knowledge is accessible and is used to improve development policy and practice. We are all trying to intervene in either the context or the manner in which development actors make decisions. In our work we act as agents between suppliers of information and potential consumers of that information. Using the idea of an information supply chain helped us to describe how, where and why we aimed to intervene. In a perfect world decision makers at all levels would be perfectly informed about the range of information available to them, would know what to access and how to do it and would actively seek it out when making decisions. Whilst in many cases direct and effective connection between research suppliers and decision makers does happen, this is by no means universal nor is it necessarily effective – not least because it prioritizes certain perspectives over others.

Information and Communications Technology (ICT) has proven its role in accelerating sustainable development and bridging the ever-growing divide in our present day society. There is, however, a critical need to channel the vast potential of ICT in the right direction for the betterment of society and effective human development, so all our Programmes and Activities are co-related to ICTs and its impact on society.