UNESCO's information policies and their influence in Latin America

Abstract

Since UNESCO has defined information policies as indivisible part of the development of the countries, the objective of this work is to observe how information policies in Latín America are integrated with development policies. One of the purposes is to find out how sorne of the latinamerican countries, that have specifically defined information policies, integrate or not integrate them to other development initiatives. lnformation policies emanated from UNESCO during the last two decades are revised and, governmental information policies of sorne countries of Latinamerica. An attempt is made to find out how the states have initiated actions featured within their information policies. As well as how they have achieved information projects at different levels: in educational, scientific, technological, industrial, cultural, and so forth. Traditionally UNESCO is seen as an organism that have established several principies in the information sector to benefit the developmcnt of the nations. The question is how UNESCO criteria have influenced those countries that have adopted them. Conclusions are focused to make proposals that allow governments to generate mechanisms to coordinate and lead the demands of their societies to guarantee that information policies contribute to an integral development of the nations.