NEW DELHI: In the fifteenth annual meeting of Internet Governance Forum (IGF), António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations, said, “While the COVID-19 pandemic has shown the importance of digital technologies and the benefits of connectivity, it has also exacerbated inequalities, including basic online access.” He added that nearly half the world’s citizens are denied opportunities to study, communicate, shop, work and participate in much of modern life, due to the current digital divide.
The conference addressed the urgent need of addressing digital gender gap. The need to put digital technology to work for those who need it most: the vulnerable, the marginalized, those living in poverty, and people suffering from discrimination of all kinds was also mentioned.
The theme for the 15th IGF was “Internet for human resilience and solidarity”. IGF’s closing press release stated, “Digital inclusion is critical for strong recovery from COVID-19! IGF calls for global unity to bridge digital divides!” Through the conference, Guterres urged all the governments to make sure that their response and recovery plans include increasing digital connectivity in a way that is affordable, safe and inclusive.