Digital inclusion

The internet is the primary source of information on the global COVID-19 pandemic. But Arakan in western Myanmar is currently experiencing the longest-running internet shutdown in the world, and the lack of access to information could put an already vulnerable population in a dangerous situation. 

APC joined the #KeepItOn coalition and 41 international rights groups from around the world in an open letter urgently calling on the government of India to restore access to 4G high-speed internet access as a first step towards the containment of the COVID-19 virus and related health needs.

In terms of the expansion of 5G technology, there are big public policy implications , which are about national resources as well as digital investment. 

We are looking for an organisation to nominate and host the Asia regional coordinator for the “Connecting the unconnected: Supporting community networks and other community-based connectivity initiatives” project.

The research report "Bottom-up Connectivity Strategies: Community-led small-scale telecommunication infrastructure networks in the global South" explores the benefits of, and challenges facing, projects of this kind. This week we look at the different institutional models of the networks studied.

Voices for Interactive Choice and Empowerment (VOICE), an APC member organisation in Bangladesh, argues that an inclusive approach featuring all sectors of society is required to beat COVID-19. 

With the COVID-19 pandemic, people everywhere are asked to cease physical interactions and the internet has become the lifeline for the work of human rights defenders currently working from home. What does this mean in Uganda, a country with low internet access?

Digital Empowerment Foundation argues that free talk time and internet are crucial to help India's migrant works during the pandemic.