I am just back from another mission to the Central African Republic to work on awareness raising campaigns on gender-based violence and one keyword that really stuck to my mind is #DIGITALDIVIDE.
While in these past weeks my LinkedIn feed has been full of recommendations of the latest #AI Apps and discussions around the pros and cons of #ChatGTP, we have been exchanging on this year’s annual theme of the international women’s day on 8 March: „For a more inclusive digital world: innovation and technology for equality between the sexes.“ In a country like RCA where 70% of the people live in rural areas without electricity, where only 8.5% of the population have access to the internet and where 60% of women cannot read or write, how can we talk about offering new opportunities through innovation and technology?
The topic of digital divide has been around since the internet started, but I feel now with the acceleration of technology in the more developed countries the gap is widening. Sometimes that is heart-breaking and very frustrating. It seems that our work is only a drop in the ocean…
So today, I would like to remind all of you that we should not forgot all those on the other side without access to this brave new world and we should make sure that noone is left behind!
P.S.: the photo is taken in one of the radio stations in Bangui – the blackboard summarises the content planning for the upcoming shows….
Digital Divide
