Session
Organizer 1: Civil Society, African Group
Organizer 2: Civil Society, African Group
Organizer 3: Civil Society, African Group
Organizer 2: Civil Society, African Group
Organizer 3: Civil Society, African Group
Speaker 1: Alison Gillwald, Civil Society, African Group
Speaker 2: Carlos Rey-Moreno, Civil Society, African Group
Speaker 3: Steve Song, Civil Society, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)
Speaker 4: Dr Gillian Marcelle, Private Sector, Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC)
Speaker 5: Sophie Maddens, Intergovernmental Organization, Intergovernmental Organization
Speaker 6: Claire Sibthorpe, Private Sector, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)
Speaker 2: Carlos Rey-Moreno, Civil Society, African Group
Speaker 3: Steve Song, Civil Society, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)
Speaker 4: Dr Gillian Marcelle, Private Sector, Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC)
Speaker 5: Sophie Maddens, Intergovernmental Organization, Intergovernmental Organization
Speaker 6: Claire Sibthorpe, Private Sector, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)
Format
Roundtable
Duration (minutes): 90
Format description: A 90 minute roundtable will facilitate active engagement among the speakers, allowing each speaker to showcase evidence from data pertaining to demand-side constraints to digital inclusion and the shortcomings of current regulatory strategies. 40 minutes of the workshop will be devoted to each speaker introducing the topic. This will be followed by active audience participation (both onsite and online) where participants can share their experiences of digital inclusion (and lack thereof) and contribute to the development of alternative regulatory, market and financing strategies. The list of speakers bring together a diverse group of perspectives and expertise who each can contribute to this multi-faceted, multistakeholder discussion in a roundtable format.
Duration (minutes): 90
Format description: A 90 minute roundtable will facilitate active engagement among the speakers, allowing each speaker to showcase evidence from data pertaining to demand-side constraints to digital inclusion and the shortcomings of current regulatory strategies. 40 minutes of the workshop will be devoted to each speaker introducing the topic. This will be followed by active audience participation (both onsite and online) where participants can share their experiences of digital inclusion (and lack thereof) and contribute to the development of alternative regulatory, market and financing strategies. The list of speakers bring together a diverse group of perspectives and expertise who each can contribute to this multi-faceted, multistakeholder discussion in a roundtable format.
Policy Question(s)
What policy and regulatory interventions are required to address issues of affordability of devices and the price of data in the majority world?
What policy and regulatory interventions are required to provide the necessary skills to use the internet more meaningfully?
With evidence available highlighting the intersectional nature of inequality in access and use of the internet, what alternatives are there to current digital divide policies?
What will participants gain from attending this session? The workshop will showcase evidence from survey data from both Africa (AfterAccess) and Latin America (CETIC) highlighting demand-side constraints to internet access and use. Participants will understand the impact of intersectional inequality, driven by lack of education and income, on internet access and use. Participants will be able to engage with researchers from the G20 and T20 on a range of innovative regulatory, market and financing strategies, institutional arrangements and global governance. This could enhance the progressive digital transformation agenda that has developed under the emerging economy leadership of the G20.
Description:
Available individual- and household-level survey data provides evidence for the digital inequality paradox- even as connectivity rates increase across the developing world, digital inequalities are increasing between those who are barely online and those who are able to use the internet to improve their wellbeing. In Africa, several countries have reached 95% 3G coverage but still have less than 20% internet penetration. Empirical evidence confirms the demand-side constraints particularly affordability of devices for access and price of data for use (Research ICT Africa, 2022; CETIC, 2024). Research confirms education and income as the primary determinants of access and use. Yet multilateral organisation and development bank solutions continue primarily to pursue supply-side infrastructural solutions. This workshop will take the opportunity of an international, multistakeholder audience to explore alternative regulatory, market and financing strategies, institutional arrangements and global governance to address these demand-side challenges to equitable digital inclusion with reference to a research brief for the G20 Digital Economy Working Group’s priority on Digital Inclusion.
Available individual- and household-level survey data provides evidence for the digital inequality paradox- even as connectivity rates increase across the developing world, digital inequalities are increasing between those who are barely online and those who are able to use the internet to improve their wellbeing. In Africa, several countries have reached 95% 3G coverage but still have less than 20% internet penetration. Empirical evidence confirms the demand-side constraints particularly affordability of devices for access and price of data for use (Research ICT Africa, 2022; CETIC, 2024). Research confirms education and income as the primary determinants of access and use. Yet multilateral organisation and development bank solutions continue primarily to pursue supply-side infrastructural solutions. This workshop will take the opportunity of an international, multistakeholder audience to explore alternative regulatory, market and financing strategies, institutional arrangements and global governance to address these demand-side challenges to equitable digital inclusion with reference to a research brief for the G20 Digital Economy Working Group’s priority on Digital Inclusion.
Expected Outcomes
The expected outcome is the multistakeholder exchange of innovative, demand-side solutions to the wicked policy problem of digital inequality. An IGF report on this workshop will inform a policy brief for the G20 Digital Economy Working Group’s priority on digital inclusion.
Hybrid Format: The first component of the session will be very tightly moderated with each speaker being given an allotted time to introduce their expertise on the topic. The onsite and online moderators will coordinate closely in order to make sure that the amount of online and onsite participation from the audience is equally balanced. The onsite moderator will repeat any online question highlighted by the online moderator. Online, we will make use of the virtual chat function as well as opinion polls to get audience input. No complementary tools will be required.