Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development

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Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development
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Secretariat ITU, Geneva (International territory)
Government
• Co-Chair
H.E. Paul Kagame
• Co-Chair
Carlos Slim
• Co-Vice Chair
Houlin Zhao
• Co-Vice Chair
Audrey Azoulay
• Executive Secretary
Doreen Bogdan-Martin
Establishment
• established
1 May 2010(14 years ago) (2010-05-01)
Website
www.broadbandcommission.org

The Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development (until 2015: Digital Development) was established in May 2010 as a joint initiative by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to promote Internet access, [1] in particular, broadband networks in order to help achieve United Nations development goals, such as the Millennium Development Goals. [2] The Commission was renamed the Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development, following the adoption of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals in September 2015. [3]

Contents

Structure

The commission is jointly chaired by H.E. Paul Kagame President of Rwanda and America Movil owner Carlos Slim, and jointly vice-chaired by the heads to the two founding UN agencies, the Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union Doreen Bogdan-Martin, and UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay.

Members of the commission include, policy-makers and government representatives, international agencies, academia and organizations concerned with development. [4] In addition to its chairs and vice-chairs, 53 commissioners included Jeff Sachs, Hans Vestberg, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, and Henrietta Fore. Leaders in their field, the Commissioners believe strongly in a future based on broadband and offer rich insights and experience in how to deploy and use broadband networks and services to the benefit of communities and end-users. The Commission embraces a range of different perspectives in a multi-stakeholder approach to promoting the roll-out of broadband, as well as providing a fresh approach to UN and business engagement.

Advocacy

The Broadband Commission engages in high-level advocacy to promote broadband in developing countries and underserved communities. [5] One of the Commission's stated goals is to advocate that broadband infrastructure be given the highest priority level in future development policy and city planning frameworks.

To date, the Commission's output has included several major reports, [6] including A 2010 Leadership Imperative: The Future Built on Broadband, presented to then United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in September 2010, before the 2010 United Nations MDGs Summit in New York. The document constitutes a concise, high-level report that directly reflects inputs from the Commission's community of high-level business executives and policy-makers and contains a number of policy recommendations and "Declaration of Broadband Inclusion for All".[ citation needed ]

In September 2015, the Broadband Commission released a report on cyber violence against women, which addressed online harassment targeted at women. [7]

2011-2015 targets

As part of its advocacy work, in 2011 the commission established a framework of four "ambitious but achievable" targets that countries should strive to meet by 2015 in order to help achieve the MDGs through digital development. [8]

  1. by 2015, all countries should have a National Broadband Plan or strategy or include broadband in their Universal Access and Service Definition
  2. by 2015, entry-level broadband services should be made affordable in developing countries
  3. by 2015, 40% of households in developing countries should have Internet access
  4. by 2015, Internet user penetration should reach 60% worldwide, 50% in developing countries and 15% in Least Developed Countries
  5. Achieving gender equality in access to broadband by 2020

With the fifth target being added in 2013, designed to spur female access to the power of information and communication technologies (ICTs). [9]

2018-2025 targets

In 2018, the commission launched a framework of now seven "ambitious but achievable" targets, that countries should strive to meet by the year 2025. [10]

  1. By 2025, all countries should have a funded national broadband plan or strategy, or include broadband in their universal access and services definition.
  2. By 2025, entry-level broadband services should be made affordable in developing countries, at less than 2% of monthly gross national income per capita.
  3. By 2025 broadband-Internet user penetration should reach:
    1. 75% worldwide
    2. 65% in developing countries
    3. 35% in least developed countries
  4. By 2025, 60% of youth and adults should have achieved at least a minimum level of proficiency in sustainable digital skills.
  5. By 2025, 40% of the world's population should be using digital financial services.
  6. By 2025, un-connectedness of Micro-, Small- and Medium-sized Enterprises should be reduced by 50%, by sector.
  7. By 2025, gender equality should be achieved across all targets.

The Broadband Commission targets were developed at ITU, [11] and launched at the World Economic Forum 2018 in Davos.

Universal Connectivity Manifesto

A Commission Manifesto issued in conjunction with the 10th Anniversary State of Broadband Report was published in 2020. It calls on the global community to recognize digital connectivity as the foundational element of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. [12]

The Manifesto affirms the commitment of the Broadband Commission to mobilize efforts to achieve the 'Global Goal of Universal Connectivity' in support of the UN Secretary-General's Roadmap for Digital Cooperation and other connectivity initiatives. [12] [13]

Finally, it calls on all stakeholders to collaborate to: [12]

Evaluation

Since 2012 the Commission has published an annual State of Broadband report, positioned as a snapshot of the global broadband industry. [14] The reports are issued every year during a high-level meeting on the side of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, and are specifically targeted at government policy-makers, as well as those engaged with setting the UN's Post 2015 development agenda. Each report includes a country ranking based on key indicators for Internet-user penetration and Internet access affordability.

In addition to its annual reports, the Broadband Commission employs working groups to address specific action items or focus areas. Working groups examine such issues as Science, Health, Climate Change, Youth, Education, Gender and Finance and Investment; and reflect the wide-ranging impact of broadband technologies across multiple sectors. Past outputs from working groups include reports, consultations and workshops. [15]

During the countdown to 2015 and the due date for the MDGs, the Commission's advocacy and policy outreach has increasingly been directed towards actors responsible for setting the Post-2015 Development Agenda, to recognize the importance of ICT/broadband infrastructure, networks, applications and services for sustainable economic, social and environmental development. In April 2013 the group issued an Open Letter to United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's Panel of Eminent Persons, [16] as well as a broadband manifesto [17] in September at the 69th session of the General Assembly.

COVID-19 response

The Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development has adopted an "Agenda for Action" outlining immediate measures that governments, industry, the international community and civil society can take to shore-up digital networks, strengthen capacity at critical connectivity points like hospitals and transport hubs, and boost digital access and inclusivity, with the aim of strengthening collective response to the COVID-19 pandemic sweeping the world from 2020.[ citation needed ]

Built around three pillars: (1) Resilient Connectivity, (2) Affordable Access, and (3) Safe Use for Informed and Educated Societies, the agenda serves as a framework for the Commission's 50+ Commissioners and their organizations to share their own initiatives, make new commitments, and foster collaboration and partnership.

Donors

Donors include Grupo Carso, Digicel Group, Bharti Enterprises, Ericsson, and Cisco. [18]

Related Research Articles

The digital divide is the unequal access to digital technology, including smartphones, tablets, laptops, and the internet. The digital divide worsens inequality around access to information and resources. In the Information Age, people without access to the Internet and other technology are at a disadvantage, for they are unable or less able to connect with others, find and apply for jobs, shop, and learn.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">World Summit on the Information Society</span>

The World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) was a two-phase United Nations-sponsored summit on information, communication and, in broad terms, the information society that took place in 2003 in Geneva and in 2005 in Tunis. WSIS Forums have taken place periodically since then. One of the Summit's chief aims is to bridge the global digital divide separating rich countries from poor countries by increasing internet accessibility in the developing world. The conferences established 17 May as World Information Society Day.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">International development</span> Concept concerning the level of development on an international scale

International development or global development is a broad concept denoting the idea that societies and countries have differing levels of economic or human development on an international scale. It is the basis for international classifications such as developed country, developing country and least developed country, and for a field of practice and research that in various ways engages with international development processes. There are, however, many schools of thought and conventions regarding which are the exact features constituting the "development" of a country.

The global digital divide describes global disparities, primarily between developed and developing countries, in regards to access to computing and information resources such as the Internet and the opportunities derived from such access.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United Nations Information and Communication Technologies Task Force</span> Multi-stakeholder initiative associated with the United Nations

The United Nations Information and Communication Technologies Task Force was a multi-stakeholder initiative associated with the United Nations which is "intended to lend a truly global dimension to the multitude of efforts to bridge the global digital divide, foster digital opportunity and thus firmly put ICT at the service of development for all".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Millennium Development Goals</span> Eight international development goals for the year 2015 by the United Nations

In the United Nations, the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) were eight international development goals for the year 2015 created following the Millennium Summit, following the adoption of the United Nations Millennium Declaration. These were based on the OECD DAC International Development Goals agreed by Development Ministers in the "Shaping the 21st Century Strategy". The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) succeeded the MDGs in 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Information and communications technology</span> Extensional term for information technology

Information and communications technology (ICT) is an extensional term for information technology (IT) that stresses the role of unified communications and the integration of telecommunications and computers, as well as necessary enterprise software, middleware, storage and audiovisual, that enable users to access, store, transmit, understand and manipulate information.

The World Summit Awards (WSA) rewards Information and Communications Technologies projects that have a positive impact on society at the local level. The award was initiated in 2003, within the framework of the United Nations World Summit on the Information Society. After the UN General Assembly adopted Resolution 56/183. The awards are open to companies, organizations, or individuals from any of the UN and the UNESCO Member States. They are divided into 8 different categories. The world summit awards are managed by the International Center for New Media (ICNM), a non-profit organization based in Salzburg, Austria. ICNM was founded by Peter A. Bruck, in 2002.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Internet Governance Forum</span>

The Internet Governance Forum (IGF) is a multistakeholder governance group for policy dialogue on issues of Internet governance. It brings together all stakeholders in the Internet governance debate, whether they represent governments, the private sector or civil society, including the technical and academic community, on an equal basis and through an open and inclusive process. The establishment of the IGF was formally announced by the United Nations Secretary-General in July 2006. It was first convened in October–November 2006 and has held an annual meeting since then.

eLAC in international relations, is an intergovernmental strategy that conceives of information and communications technologies (ICTs) as instruments for economic development and social inclusion in Latin America and the Caribbean. It is based on a public-private sector partnership and is part of a long-term vision in line with the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), those of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), and now, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It contributes to the implementation of these long-term goals by pursuing a consecutive series of frequently adjusted short-term action plans with concrete qualitative and quantitative goals to be achieved.

Global Internet usage is the number of people who use the Internet worldwide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Post-2015 Development Agenda</span>

In the United Nations, the Post-2015 Development Agenda was a set of talks and discussion that led to the creation of the 2016 Sustainable Development Goals. This replaced the 2015 Millennium Development Goals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sustainable Development Goals</span> United Nations 17 sustainable development goals for 2030

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all United Nations members in 2015, created 17 world Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). They were created with the aim of "peace and prosperity for people and the planet..." – while tackling climate change and working to preserve oceans and forests. The SDGs highlight the connections between the environmental, social and economic aspects of sustainable development. Sustainability is at the center of the SDGs.

Phase 3 Telecom is an aerial fiber-optic network infrastructure provider, providing connectivity, network management, and data storage services to wholesale, enterprise, and retail customers across West Africa. The company was incorporated in 2003 and is headquartered in Abuja, Nigeria. Licensed by the Nigerian Communications Commission in 2006 - the company in 2014, 2018, and 2022, added more kilometers to its existing coverage area with footprint expansion of its backbone, enterprise network, and broadband services. Phase operates 6,000 kilometres (3,700 mi) and counting open-access aerial fiber-optic network. The company, for over two decades has been vital to growth in Africa's growing ICT market, implementing the Wire Nigeria Project—conceived by the Nigerian Communications Commission to help provide broadband communications access to rural communities. Phase 3 has a broad range of wholesale and enterprise clients including Glo, MTN, 9Mobile, Ntel, Airtel, Smile Communications, World Bank, Julius Berger, Unity Bank, etc. Some of the African countries where the company currently has partner operations include Nigeria, Benin, Togo, and the Republic of Niger.

The Global Connectivity Index (GCI) is a guide for policy makers and industry leaders to develop a roadmap to the digital economy. The GCI has evolved, by increasing the number of nations tracked in its rankings and constantly strengthening the methodology and research standards it employs. The growth of the GCI’s database, since the first Index was published in 2014, offers practical insights and recommendations for policymakers on what it takes to succeed in the digital economy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Doreen Bogdan-Martin</span> Secretary-General of the ITU

Doreen Bogdan-Martin is an international civil servant and current Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union. She was elected at the 2022 ITU Plenipotentiary Conference in Bucharest, and as the first woman in the 157-year history of the ITU to become the Secretary-General. Previously, she was the first woman to become an Elected Official of the ITU, as the Director of the Telecommunication Development Bureau of the ITU.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Observatory on Digital Communication</span> UNESCO project based in Milan, Italy

The Observatory on Digital Communication (OCCAM) was established in 1996 by UNESCO in Milan, with the Agreements signed by the Director General, Federico Mayor and Marco Formentini in June 1996. The acronym stands for Observatory for Cultural Communication and Audiovisual in the Mediterranean.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sustainable Development Goal 9</span> Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure

Sustainable Development Goal 9 is about "industry, innovation and infrastructure" and is one of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 2015. SDG 9 aims to build resilient infrastructure, promote sustainable industrialization and foster innovation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sustainable Development Goal 4</span> 4th of 17 Sustainable Development Goals to achieve quality education for all

Sustainable Development Goal 4 is about quality education and is among the 17 Sustainable Development Goals established by the United Nations in September 2015. The full title of SDG 4 is "Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all".

Sustainable Development Goals and Lebanon explains major contributions launched in Lebanon towards the advancement of the Sustainable Development Goals SDGs and the 2030 agenda.

References

  1. ↑ "About". Broadband Commission. Archived from the original on July 13, 2010. Retrieved February 8, 2011.
  2. ↑ "United Nations Millennium Development Goals". Un.org. Retrieved 2014-02-02.
  3. ↑ "Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development - About". broadbandcommission.org. Retrieved 2017-07-14.
  4. ↑ Commissioners Archived May 14, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
  5. ↑ "Engagement". Broadbandcommission.org. Archived from the original on 2013-12-03. Retrieved 2014-02-02.
  6. ↑ "Reports and Documents". Broadbandcommission.org. Archived from the original on 2014-01-17. Retrieved 2014-02-02.
  7. ↑ "Cyber Violence Against Women and Girls" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2019-02-19.
  8. ↑ "about". www.broadbandcommission.org. Archived from the original on 2018-08-16. Retrieved 2018-08-02.
  9. ↑ "about". www.broadbandcommission.org. Archived from the original on 2018-08-16. Retrieved 2018-08-02.
  10. ↑ "Home". www.broadbandcommission.org. Retrieved 2018-08-02.
  11. ↑ "unctad.org | e-week 2018 |". unctad.org. Archived from the original on 2018-09-24. Retrieved 2018-09-24.
  12. 1 2 3 Commission Manifesto
  13. ↑ Roadmap for Digital Cooperation
  14. ↑ "Reports and Documents". Broadbandcommission.org. Archived from the original on 2014-01-17. Retrieved 2014-02-02.
  15. ↑ "Working Groups". Broadbandcommission.org. Archived from the original on 2013-12-03. Retrieved 2014-02-02.
  16. ↑ "Broadband Commission Open Letter to UNSG's Panel of Eminent Persons". Itu.int. Retrieved 2014-02-02.
  17. ↑ "Broadband Manifesto champions transformative power of high-speed networks to drive socio-economic development". Itu.int. Retrieved 2014-02-02.
  18. ↑ "Donors". Broadbandcommission.org. Archived from the original on 2014-04-06. Retrieved 2014-02-02.
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