Session
Organizer 1: Civil Society, African Group
Speaker 1: ABRAHAM SELBY, Technical Community, African Group
Speaker 2: Razan Zakaria , Civil Society, African Group
Speaker 3: marthe leslie assomo owoudou, Civil Society, African Group
Speaker 2: Razan Zakaria , Civil Society, African Group
Speaker 3: marthe leslie assomo owoudou, Civil Society, African Group
Format
Roundtable
Duration (minutes): 60
Format description: A roundtable setting provides an engaging, solution-driven conversation where young people, policymakers, and business leaders have an equal chance to share ideas. The 60-minute session facilitates quality interaction with time for participants to develop solutions they can take action on and not merely bicker about the problems.
Duration (minutes): 60
Format description: A roundtable setting provides an engaging, solution-driven conversation where young people, policymakers, and business leaders have an equal chance to share ideas. The 60-minute session facilitates quality interaction with time for participants to develop solutions they can take action on and not merely bicker about the problems.
Policy Question(s)
Policy Questions
How can governments, civil society, and the private sector work together to close the digital divide in Africa and make universal access to the internet an attainable reality?
What is the potential for youth-driven initiatives in expanding access to affordable and meaningful internet connectivity in Africa?
How can African governments enact and enforce policies making digital access a human right the top priority?
What are the new models of financing that can fund youth-led digital inclusion initiatives?
How might regional and international digital rights regimes be modified to tackle Africa's particular access issues?
What will participants gain from attending this session? Participants will gain:
A greater appreciation of the digital divide and the unique challenges that confront African youth in accessing the internet.
Actionable strategies for adopting inclusive digital access policies at local, national, and global levels.
Examples of successful youth-led projects, including community-owned networks and digital literacy initiatives.
Collaboration with digital rights activists, policymakers, and technology innovators who are working on universal access in Africa.
This session is best suited for policymakers, youth organizations, and digital inclusion advocates seeking practical, youth-led solutions to the digital divide.
Description:
Africa's youth lead the digital revolution, yet millions are left out due to structural obstacles like prohibitive costs of internet, limited infrastructure, and restrictive policies. Governments and multilateral institutions speak of digital inclusion, yet at the grassroots, the reality differs—youth, especially those in rural and marginalized communities, remain unable to access affordable, reliable internet. This session will convene young digital rights activists, policymakers, and industry players to share practical, youth-led solutions for universal access to the digital world in Africa. We will discuss: Policy loopholes and implementation issues that are slowing down digital inclusion. Youth-led innovations that are solving access problems, e.g., community networks, digital literacy initiatives, and local content development. International frameworks such as the UN's Roadmap for Digital Cooperation for facilitating inclusive access for all. By moving the discussion away from policy generalities to specific, action-oriented remedies, this session will be an eye-opener to how African youth are not just recipients but agents in the fight for digital rights.
Africa's youth lead the digital revolution, yet millions are left out due to structural obstacles like prohibitive costs of internet, limited infrastructure, and restrictive policies. Governments and multilateral institutions speak of digital inclusion, yet at the grassroots, the reality differs—youth, especially those in rural and marginalized communities, remain unable to access affordable, reliable internet. This session will convene young digital rights activists, policymakers, and industry players to share practical, youth-led solutions for universal access to the digital world in Africa. We will discuss: Policy loopholes and implementation issues that are slowing down digital inclusion. Youth-led innovations that are solving access problems, e.g., community networks, digital literacy initiatives, and local content development. International frameworks such as the UN's Roadmap for Digital Cooperation for facilitating inclusive access for all. By moving the discussion away from policy generalities to specific, action-oriented remedies, this session will be an eye-opener to how African youth are not just recipients but agents in the fight for digital rights.
Expected Outcomes
Expected Outcomes
Policy recommendations for national governments and international agencies in support of youth-led digital access movements.
A template for youth-led internet access initiatives, from community networks to grassroots digital literacy initiatives and collaborations with technology companies.
Constitution of a youth-led coalition for digital inclusion in Africa, facilitating long-term collaboration beyond IGF 2025.
A post-session plan of action to define steps to take in deploying the solutions addressed and stakeholder accountability.
Hybrid Format: To ensure that the hybrid session is interactive for onsite and remote participants, we will:
Install live polling tools (e.g., Slido) to create real-time feedback from the participants.
Assign an online facilitator to keep virtual participants engaged and capable of asking questions as well as contributing meaningfully.
Provide live captioning and sign language interpretation as accessibility options.
Provide a post-session resource kit,