In spite of the global increase in internet penetration, about four billion people, according to the United Nations (UN), are still unable to go online. Addressing this digital divide is the focus of the 11th annual United Nations Internet Governance Forum (IGF) in Jalisco, Mexico.
Delegates from various parts of the world are accessing the challenges of today’s digital age and equal access opportunities for all members of society. According to UN, the meeting will feature international organizations, governments, academics, and technology leaders who will address the urgent need to intensify global efforts to bridge the digital divide.
The data predicts that by the end of 2016, close to four billion people will still not be using the Internet, meaning, among others, that two out of three households in developing countries simply do not have access to it.
“Today, the Internet has an impact on just about every aspect of life. It has undeniably sparked innovation and entrepreneurship, created new forms of public engagement and economic activity,” stated Lenni Montiel, the Assistant Secretary-General for Economic Development in the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, said in a news release.
“This helps people connect, organize and act towards a common purpose,” he added.
Mr. Montiel also stressed that one of the main goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is to “significantly increase access to information and communications technology and strive to provide universal and affordable access to the Internet in least developed countries by 2020,” adding that it also established a new universal standard for development that leaves no one behind.
