Session
Dynamic Coalition on Innovative Approaches to Connecting the Unconnected
Round Table - U-shape - 90 Min
In this session, we seek to introduce new synthesis of our case studies in three domain areas, namely digital literacy, health, and community networks based on the further analysis of our 120 case studies from more than 50 countries and present the existing trends, impact, and data gaps as well as roadmap for sustainable ICT-based initiatives in these areas. The panel will also focus on gender access in each area, highlighting the barriers and opportunities for women to accessing to and using of digital skills, mobile health, and community networks initiatives. Following each presentation, an expert from different multi-stakeholder groups will react and respond, sharing insights utilizing from their own expertise and lessons learnt from their own work and/or initiatives. The session will trace the arc of the coalition's work, and yield concrete outputs to feed into ongoing work in different areas.
One of the central problems confronting the world is increasing the number of people connected to the Internet. According to estimates, only 3.1 billion of the 7.3 billion world inhabitants were connected to the Internet. The adoption problem is particularly acute in Africa and Asia, where adoption rates continue to lag behind the global average. Of equal concern are the facts that in recent years, the growth rate of Internet users has started to flatten and that women and other segments of the population are often excluded from Internet connectivity. IGF has already begun to identify new strategies for connecting the next billion as part of its intercessional work. The IGF would benefit from a Dynamic Coalition that would consolidate, extend, and share this work by collecting and disseminating information about practices that have proven effective in improving broadband adoption.
This session will focus on disseminating existing practices that have proven effective in connecting the unconnected in around 50 countries in the Global South as well as roadmap for sustainable ICT-based initiatives, particularly in the areas of digital skills training, health, and community networks. The panel will also focus on gender access in each area, highlighting the barriers and opportunities for women to accessing to and and using of digital skills training, mobile health, and community networks initiatives.
Christopher Yoo, University of Pennsylvania Muge Haseki, University of Pennsylvania Leon Gwaka, University of Pennsylvania
Christopher Yoo, University of Pennsylvania, USA Muge Haseki, University of Pennsylvania, USA Leon Gwaka, University of Pennsylvania, USA Leandro Navarro, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, SPAIN Claire Sibthorpe, UK Sarbani Banerjee Belur INDIA
Sharada Srinivasan, World Bank, USA
Muge Haseki, University of Pennsylvania, USA
Leon Gwaka, University of Pennsylvania, USA
GOAL 3: Good Health and Well-Being
GOAL 4: Quality Education
GOAL 5: Gender Equality
GOAL 10: Reduced Inequalities
GOAL 17: Partnerships for the Goals
Reference Document: http://1worldconnected.org/