This
statement is delivered on behalf of Finland, Iceland, Sweden, Norway, and my
own country Denmark.
The Nordic countries would like to express our deep
appreciation to Niger, Belgium, the Dominican Republic, China, Estonia, France,
Germany, St. Vincent and the Grenadines and South Africa for organising this
important meeting on universal connectivity and access to digital technology in
conflict situations.
Education is key to long-term peace and security and
sustainable development. Education is a human right. When children are deprived
of education, it will have an enormous impact not only for the individuals
concerned, but for society as a whole.
With nearly
half of all learners still affected by school closures, the COVID-19 pandemic
has underlined the need for accelerating the efforts towards connectivity for
all. Children living in conflict-affected areas face even greater risks and
challenges in accessing safe education. The latest report by the Secretary General on children
and armed conflict of June 2020 verified 927 attacks on schools and hospitals.
In such situations, digital technology is an essential tool in the efforts to
facilitate the continuation of education in conflict-affected communities, and
we must make sure that the technological solutions developed are
fit-for-purpose in this respect. Digitalisation and connectivity also means
increased digital risks, not least for children in situations of conflict and
vulnerability. Due consideration to principles of protection of personal data
and do-no-harm should therefore guide our work in this area.
Education is the key to promote
societies where girls have equal rights and opportunities, protected from
harmful practices, and provided with the means to be independent and
self-reliant. Without access to continued learning, children are at higher risk
of domestic violence; sexual abuse; child, early and forced marriages; and
unwanted pregnancies; as well as recruitment by armed forces or armed groups in
situations of conflict.
Ensuring
connectivity and access to devices along with teacher capacities and
appropriate educational content is crucial. However, to ensure girls’ access to
continued learning, it is also necessary to address the digital gender divide.
In low- and middle-income countries, 165 million fewer women own a mobile phone
compared to men, and in many countries, boys are 1.5 times more likely to own a
phone than girls. In Sub-Saharan Africa, data suggests that information
technology skills are facilitated by schooling, but there may be gender-related
barriers that prevent adolescent girls from developing these skills to the same
extent as boys. In more than half of the countries analysed by UNICEF,
adolescent boys use computers and the Internet more frequently than girls.
Gender norms that limit girls’ use of digital technologies may contribute to
this gap. Important work is being done to bridge the digital gender divide,
including through the African Girls Can Code Initiative, working to empower
women and girls to pursue a career in the field of information communication
technology.
When
adopting policies and integrating digital technologies it is crucial to account
for the challenges in ensuring connectivity for all. Moving forward we
must continue to be guided by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development,
including the principle of Leaving No One Behind. Therefore, technological
solutions to enable distance learning must be developed with the aim to reach
those furthest behind, including women and girls, displaced persons and persons
with disabilities.
We believe
that it is necessary with a whole-of-society-approach in order to succeed in
closing the digital divide. We need to include all relevant actors, such as
local authorities, civil society, the private sector, teachers and caretakers
along with relevant humanitarian and development actors. For example, we need
to ensure access to the necessary hardware required for learning programmes and
we need to support teachers in adapting to new ways of teaching.
Today’s digital infrastructure is largely driven by the private sector,
even in countries affected by conflict. Tech companies design, implement and
run everything from the underlying technical elements invisible to most of us
such as cables and satellites, to the devices and online platforms we need in
our hands to go online. Being gatekeepers for connectivity calls for great
societal responsibility. When connecting the world through their services, tech
companies have a responsibility to include vulnerable groups and ensure
reliable connectivity for people caught in areas of conflict or disaster where
the internet can be the only way to uphold schooling and education. Once connectivity and the necessary hardware is in
place, access to relevant, high quality content that complies with best
practice in privacy and security is of crucial importance. The Digital Public
Goods Alliance works to facilitate the discovery, development, use of and
investment in digital public goods in order to accelerate the attainment of the
SDGs in low- and middle-income countries and is thus critical to this work.
We welcome the important work of the Giga initiative
to reimagine education and to increase connectivity to schools in the world,
especially in those countries that are or have been affected by conflict, as
well as other important partnerships, such as the Digital Public Goods
Alliance.
The Nordic Countries urge all UN Member States to
continue efforts to ensure connectivity for all with the aim of expanding
access to education to children in conflict-affected areas. This is essential
for long-term peace and security and sustainable development in affected
communities.
Thank you.