• ECCE
  • School Edu
  • Higher Edu
  • Edu Tech
  • Skills
  • Jobs
  • Advertise
  • Login
New Updates
  • vivo Ignite 2025, in Partnership with NCERT, IITM, and UNGC, Celebrates Tech Talent in Schools
  • Letter of Intents (LOIs) issued to 5 Foreign Universities to set-up Campuses in Mumbai
  • NEET 2025 Results Spark Celebrations Across India’s Top Coaching Institutes
  • Veranda Learning to merge operations of 4 key verticals in its business
  • Safety Measures for School Children in Maharashtra rolled out
  • Home
  • Latest
  • Spotlight
  • Perspective
  • Interview
  • Videos
  • Events
  • Shop
  • Student Kiosk
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Latest
  • Spotlight
  • Perspective
  • Interview
  • Videos
  • Events
  • Shop
  • Student Kiosk
No Result
View All Result
Education21

Internet access must become human right or we risk ever-widening inequality

education by education
April 7, 2023
in Higher Edu, Latest
0
Meta partners MeitY for the G20 Stay Safe Online Campaign
0
SHARES
58
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

People around the globe are so dependent on the internet to exercise socio-economic human rights such as education, healthcare, work, and housing that online access must now be considered a basic human right, a new study reveals.

Particularly in developing countries, internet access can make the difference between people receiving an education, staying healthy, finding a home, and securing employment – or not.

Even if people have offline opportunities, such as accessing social security schemes or finding housing, they are at a comparative disadvantage to those with Internet access.

Publishing his findings today in Politics, Philosophy & Economics, Dr Merten Reglitz, Lecturer in Global Ethics at the University of Birmingham, calls for a standalone human right to internet access – based on it being a practical necessity for a range of socio-economic human rights.

He calls for public authorities to provide internet access free of charge for those unable to afford it, as well as providing training in basic digital skills training for all citizens and protecting online access from arbitrary interference by states and private companies.

Dr Reglitz commented: “The internet has unique and fundamental value for the realisation of many of our socio-economic human rights – allowing users to submit job applications, send medical information to healthcare professionals, manage their finances and business, make social security claims, and submit educational assessments.

“The internet’s structure enables a mutual exchange of information that has the potential to contribute to the progress of humankind as a whole – potential that should be protected and deployed by declaring access to the Internet a human right.”

The study outlines several areas in developed countries where internet access is essential to exercise socio-economic human rights:

  • Education – students in internet-free households are disadvantaged in obtaining a good school education with essential learning aids and study materials online.
  • Health – providing in-person healthcare to remote communities can be challenging, particularly in the US and Canada. Online healthcare can help to plug this gap.
  • Housing – in many developed countries, significant parts of the rental housing market have moved online.
  • Social Security – accessing these public services today is often unreasonably difficult without internet access.
  • Work – jobs are increasingly advertised in real time online and people must be able to access relevant websites to make effective use of their right to work.

Dr Reglitz’s research also highlights similar problems for people without internet access in developing countries – for example, 20 per cent of children aged 6 to 11 are out of school in sub-Saharan Africa. Many children face long walks to their schools, where class sizes are routinely very large in crumbling, unsanitary schools with insufficient numbers of teachers.

However, online education tools can make a significant difference – allowing children living remotely from schools to complete their education. More students can be taught more effectively if teaching materials are available digitally and pupils do not have to share books.

For people in developing countries, internet access can also make the difference between receiving an adequate level of healthcare or receiving none. Digital health tools can help diagnose illnesses – for example, in Kenya, a smartphone-based Portable Eye Examination Kit (Peek) has been used to test people’s eyesight and identify people who need treatment, especially in remote areas underserved by medical practitioners.

People are often confronted with a lack of brick-and-mortar banks in developing countries and internet access makes possible financial inclusion. Small businesses can also raise money through online crowdfunding platforms – the World Bank expects such sums raised in Africa to rise from $32 million in 2015 to $2.5 billion in 2025.

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • RSS Feed
Previous Post

Fintech Industry is supporting personalization of education in India like never before

Next Post

Ministry of Education invites suggestions on Draft NCF for School Education

education

education

Related Posts

Nitin Gadkari lays foundation stone of INDEA at XLRI Delhi-NCR
Higher Edu

Nitin Gadkari lays foundation stone of INDEA at XLRI Delhi-NCR

by education
June 20, 2025
Galgotias Unive onboards Tata Technologies to launch Industry-Aligned Learning Centre
Higher Edu

Galgotias Unive onboards Tata Technologies to launch Industry-Aligned Learning Centre

by education
June 20, 2025
Continental Europe Emerges as a Leading Study Abroad Destination
Higher Edu

Continental Europe Emerges as a Leading Study Abroad Destination

by education
June 17, 2025
vivo Ignite 2025, in Partnership with NCERT, IITM, and UNGC, Celebrates Tech Talent in Schools
Latest

vivo Ignite 2025, in Partnership with NCERT, IITM, and UNGC, Celebrates Tech Talent in Schools

by education
June 16, 2025
Letter of Intents (LOIs) issued to 5 Foreign Universities to set-up Campuses in Mumbai
Higher Edu

Letter of Intents (LOIs) issued to 5 Foreign Universities to set-up Campuses in Mumbai

by education
June 15, 2025
Next Post
Ministry of Education invites suggestions on Draft NCF for School Education

Ministry of Education invites suggestions on Draft NCF for School Education

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • RSS Feed

Useful Announcements

  • All
  • Useful Announcements

XLRI Jamshedpur Invites Applications for Newly Launched Hybrid Programs in Public Policy and Human Resource Management

June 20, 2025

NAAI’s South Zone Abilympics in Chennai on June 20–21 at IIT Madras

June 16, 2025

IITM Pravartak partners with TCS iON to launch Machine Learning Operations Course

June 16, 2025

IIT Bombay launches e-Post Graduate Diploma in Integrated Circuits with Simplilearn 

June 13, 2025

Alliance University launches Multilingual and Transdisciplinary 2-Year MA in Creative Writing; apply by June 30

June 13, 2025

RCA Graduate Sonakshi Presents “Zaat” at British Council Delhi — A Sculptural Exploration of Womanhood, June 11–July 31

June 13, 2025
LPU launches B.Sc. and Diploma courses in Child and Elderly Care

LPU launches B.Sc. and Diploma courses in Child and Elderly Care

June 12, 2025

Indian School of Hospitality Opens Applications for BBA/BBA (Hons) in Hospitality Management

June 6, 2025

Vikalp India introduces ‘STEAM Lab at Home’

June 6, 2025

GlobalGyan launches ‘Sarathi Leadership Program’ on Future CXO Roles

June 6, 2025

Download current issue Not available

https://online.pubhtml5.com/jlyo/bxvr/

Monthly Magazine : Feb 2024

Interactive (Quizzes/Surveys)

Start Monthly Quiz
Education21

An initiative in continuation of Curriculum Magazine, Education21.in, is a platform for New India that aspires to be a valuable innovator, partner and collaborator for a just and sustainable world. Continuing with our steady and 360 degree coverage of education system and skills landscape, we are here more oriented towards learner community.

Useful Links

  • About us
  • Team
  • Contact
  • Editorial opportunities
  • Subscriptions
  • Job Opportunities
  • Features

Important Links

  • Blog
  • Archives
  • People
  • Careerwise
  • Resources
  • Downloadable
  • Old issues
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • RSS Feed

Copyright © 2020 All rights reserved. Education21.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Latest
  • Spotlight
  • Perspective
  • Interview
  • Videos
  • Events
  • Shop
  • Student Kiosk

Copyright © 2020 All rights reserved. Education21.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Create New Account!

Fill the forms bellow to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
Cleantalk Pixel