Digital inclusion

In this contribution to the thematic report of the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression to the UN Human Rights Council, APC emphasises how meaningful access to the internet impacts social and environmental justice and development.

This introductory brief produced by APC seeks to provide civil society organisations with an initial understanding of the strategic relevance of engaging in the UN-led Global Digital Compact process by developing inputs based on a long-term vision for what we want the internet to be.

Meet community-led initiatives showing how networks can be built recognising the protagonism and autonomy of the diverse people and in support of a worthwhile future. Welcome to the 55th monthly round-up of developments impacting your local access and community-based initiatives.

APC believes that the Global Digital Compact could play a key role in ensuring that the lessons learned from years of multistakeholder cooperation feed into future processes of internet policy, internet governance and global digital cooperation.

Promoting sustainable and self-managing community networks helps close the digital gap. Noteworthy initiatives advancing toward that goal include Wiki Katat, the first virtual mobile operator headed by a rural and Indigenous community in Mexico.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Argentina saw many community networks flourishing and upholding the country to implement unprecedented policies. The key to this was the awareness of where the most valuable knowledge is: within the communities. Find out more through the journey of AlterMundi.

Digitalisation by default excludes rather than includes people and requires analogue inclusion as well. It requires policy approaches that understand the causes of broader inequality in general, reflect the lived experiences of those excluded and address “digital” divides.

This submission was prepared in response to a call for inputs from the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights for a workshop on promoting and protecting economic, social and cultural rights within the context of addressing inequalities in the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.