Quality of Life Issues
With the more widespread creation and use of information resources, Salvadorans can
enjoy a series of benefits which could lead to gradual improvements in standards of
living, ranging from the solution of very basic needs to the enrichment of the imagination
and the intellect. We will list here only a few aspects of Salvadoran life which could
change with the creation and broader use of information and connectivity, since many other
related aspects are already addressed in other sections of this strategy paper:
- Health
: information on the prevention and treatment of illnesses and other problems;
information on immunization campaigns or emergency measures during epidemics; education on
essential medicines and natural remedies; virtual first-aid courses; preventive health;
consumer rights; environmental health; shared medical research; preliminary diagnosis and
treatment on line via videoconference (telemedicine).
- Consumers
: price and quality comparisons; information on weights, measures, and
labeling; legislation and rights; complaints; consumer education; information on products
prohibited in other countries.
- Lifelong learning
: training courses and broad reference literature available at a
distance to improve technical and technological skills according to individual job or
self-improvement needs; reading and philosophy; education at any age; virtual discussion
groups around topics of interest.
- Persons with disabilities
: support in locating public and private resources, jobs,
and programs; electronic exchanges to share experiences or collaborate on projects at a
distance. It will be necessary to develop special interfaces to accommodate different
types of limitations.
- Special education
: opportunities for distance teacher training; exposure to
international best practices for educators and activists; public awareness-raising about
special needs of diverse groups.
- Violence and abuse
: public and private resources; legislation and regulations;
electronic exchanges to share experiences anonymously.
- Legal assistance
: detailed information on procedures and legislation relating to
civil rights, human rights, labor rights, mercantile law, property rights, etc.
- Children and youth
: electronic support for the educational curriculum; non-formal
educational and training opportunities for those who work or who are rejoining the
educational system; distance relationships with peers (chat, penpals).
- Women
: public and private resources; emergency resources; legislation; exchanges
with other women by areas of interest or situation (students, homemakers, workers,
professionals, etc.); pregnancy and nursing; women’s health; advice; divorce and
widowhood.
- Illiteracy
: voice and icon-based systems adapted to facilitate the use of
information resources for individuals with reading limitations.
- Environment
: environmental risks mapped by neighborhood, municipality, and region;
environmental education and legislation; advice on the conservation of natural resources;
recycling education and resources; environmental "best practices"; appropriate
technology developments and applications; virtual environmental forums.
- Intimacy
: anonymous access to information on reproductive health, family planning,
sexually transmitted diseases, and sexuality.
- Separated families
: more interactive relationships with faraway relatives and
friends at a lower cost, especially through e-mail and videoconferencing.
- Geographic isolation
: distance access to information, answers, and learning; virtual
relationships among peers when direct contact is unavailable.
- Tourism
: complete, up-to-date information on national and international
destinations; on-line reservations and ticket purchases.
In the context of the creation and development of the Infocenter Association,
interested individuals and organizations will be able to develop information resources
more easily around all these aspects, as an integral part of their interests and the
services they offer. Demand for more specialized and better-quality resources will
probably grow rapidly as people become used to expecting them; at the same time, people
will find more creative ways to build and disseminate their own information and learning
tools.
Many of the aspects mentioned above require digital conversion and on-line publishing
of existing publications and other materials; others will begin as purely digital
instruments such as geographical information systems (GIS), electronic networks, virtual
forums, and video and audio resources; all will require the efficient organization of the
information resources that are created, in order to ensure their value for the target
populations; and all imply the gradual transformations of social relationships towards
greater participation and narrowing social gaps.
The Infocenter Association should serve as a motor force in the creation of these
information resources as well as access to them and, to the extent that it plays a central
role in the evolution of a culture of information production and use, as a tool for
improving Salvadorans’ quality of life. This will also require specialized and
general courses to improve individual and group skills in locating and utilizing the
information they need and desire, as well as courses in the use of computers as
instruments of work and leisure. Finally, a priority should be placed on creating interest
groups within the Infocenter Association to begin creating contents and applications on
the basis of the topics discussed in this chapter.
All rights reserved. Permission is granted to reproduce all
or part of this publication as long as the complete source is cited: Conectándonos al
Futuro de El Salvador, "Strategy for Building a Learning Society", San Salvador,
1999, http://www.conectando.org.sv/English/Strategy/
