UN: 4 billion people still not using internet

MANILA, Philippines – By the end of 2016, close to four billion people will still not be using the internet and two out of three households in developing countries do not have access to it, according to data from the UN Internet Governance Forum (IGF).

For this reason, one of the main goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is to “significantly increase access to information and communications technology and strive to provide universal and affordable access to the internet in least developed countries by 2020,” according to Lenni Montiel, assistant secretary-general for economic development of the UN.

The 11th annual IGF opened in Jalisco, Mexico, where delegates from across the world joined thousands more online to weigh the challenges of today’s digital age and equal access opportunities for all members of society.

International organizations, governments, academics and technology leaders gathered at the IGF to address the urgent need to intensify global efforts to bridge the digital divide.

Each year, the UN convenes the IGF meeting, through the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, to unify various stakeholders and discuss internet governance issues, as well as opportunities and challenges in an open, inclusive and transparent forum.

This year’s theme, “Enabling Inclusive and Sustainable Growth,” aims to explore the ability of the internet to foster development in sustainable and inclusive ways.