ABSTRACT
This chapter explains the intention of poverty eradication as a development goal. It categorizes the relationship between Information and Communication Technology (ICTs) and financial poverty eradication. The chapter summarizes evidence on the relationship between ICTs and financial poverty eradication. It overviews evidence on the relation between ICTs and sustainable livelihoods. The chapter outlines the sustainable livelihoods framework and also explains the impact of ICTs on gender equality. It elaborates the role of ICTs vis-a-vis poverty and the livelihoods of those on lowest incomes. ICTs have been used by the poor to get money in many different ways. Mobile money systems have also been beneficial through their application to organizational payments to the poor: either wages for employment or welfare-oriented cash transfers. Access to mobile and other digital financial services is helping to reduce those costs, increase the security of their financial transactions, and smooth out some of the financial volatilities they face.
