Session
Organizer 1: Catherine Kimambo, African Child Projects
Organizer 2: Noll Josef, Basic Internet Foundation/University of Oslo
Organizer 3: Jane Coffin, Internet Society
Speaker 1: Catherine Kimambo, Civil Society, African Group
Speaker 2: Neema lugangira, Government, African Group
Speaker 3: Noll Josef, Civil Society, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)
Speaker 4: Jane Coffin, Technical Community, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)
Jane Coffin, Technical Community, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)
Jane Coffin, Technical Community, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)
Catherine Kimambo, Civil Society, African Group
Break-out Group Discussions - Flexible Seating - 90 Min
1. How can we achieve access to digital goods and information as a universal human right?
2. How to we enable access especially for people and groups who are left-behind in traditional business models?
3. How can we provide local access to decentralised information to address the global challenges and achieve the sustainable development goals (SDGs)?
Connection with previous Messages: The session follows up on Katowice IGF Messages regarding Universal Access and Meaningful Connectivity
- There is an urgent need to understand why policy solutions already known and proven to be effective are not being more widely implemented.
- Ensuring that all people everywhere have meaningful and sustainable access to the Internet must be a priority. Access to the open Internet is key for bridging the digital divide, as well as fostering democracy and human rights.
- The open Internet can be considered a multistakeholder domain, fostering dialogue. There are three main elements that structure the concept of meaningful access: (a) affordable access (e.g. to connectivity, devices); (b) social environment (skills, education, content, multilingualism); (c) meaningful, permanent, and quality connectivity (including the technical foundation that allows meaningful access to become a reality).
- Public access through institutions such as libraries can help deliver on all of the components of access that help drive development – equitable and inclusive connectivity, content and competencies. The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated that countries had to prioritise the massive development of connectivity infrastructure to connect the unconnected to an increasingly digital world.
1.4
4.a
5.b
9. Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
9.c
16.10
Targets: The proposal addresses all SDG targets related to the access to information and services
- SDG 1.4 Equal access to basic services
- SDG 4.A Education facilities for effective learning for all
- SDG 5.B Use of enabling technologies
- SDG 9.C universal and affordable access
- SDG 16.10 ensure public access to information
The universal and inclusive access to information is the basis for digital inclusion, better health (SDG 3), quality education (SDG 4), empowerment of girls and women (SDG 5), reduced inequalities (SDG 10) and all targets in need of bringing information out to every single human being.
Description:
The break-out room discussions addresses how free access to information on the Internet can become a human right. The statement "It is not a question of affordability, it is a question of sustainability to get everyone participating in the digital society" is widely acknowledged. Though, the path towards digital inclusion for a sustainable development is not equally well addressed. Starting point is the constitution of South Africa, addressing in §7 the bill of rights, §9 equality and §32 the access to information. Given the comprehensive description of the rights to access information, the digital and gender divide in the access to the Internet is thriving.
The high-level speakers of the round table will address their suggestions, and then open up the discussion in break-out rooms with the IGF members to address opportunities and obstacles towards digital inclusion of every single human being and leave no one behind.
The expected outcome of the round tabel will be a policy brief for governments, universities and internet activists to foster the free access to information on the Internet as a human right. Best praxis initiatives will be highlighted, e.g. the free access to health and education in Ethiopia.
The outcome will help to formulate policies for leaving no-one behind, and achieving the goal of everyone being connected by 2030, as formulated by ITU's Secretary General Houlin Zhao during the WSIS 2022 Forum.
Hybrid Format: The session starts with an introductor presentation on the first question of 3 min each of the speakers, followed by a 15 min breakout-room discussion in smaller groups. The speakers will join the different group. Remote participants will be grouped in breakout rooms, with one moderator identified per group.
After 25 min we move to the second question, and have another 25 min for the third question.
The final summary will be voting on the statements (documented in a common document repository) and AhaSlides for the voting of all participants. The Ahaslides will form the basis for the report
Usage of IGF Official Tool.