Global Impact
The main causes are social, regional and generational. For example, 50% of non‑Internet users live in towns with fewer than 20,000 inhabitants and 34% of low‑skilled or unskilled people are affected by the problem.
In this digital age, the digital divide and digital illiteracy are deepening existing inequalities and reinforcing the exclusion of those who are already vulnerable, since they affect 16% of low-income households, but just 4% of the wealthiest households.
Worse still, according to a survey published in November 2018, the digital revolution is seen more as a vector of exclusion than of inclusion (39% versus 18% of respondents, respectively).
Digital literacy is the ability to navigate the digital world. It focuses on using technology – like a smartphone, PC, e-reader, etc. – to find, evaluate, and communicate information. Digital literacy can play a powerful role in helping people connect, learn, engage with their community, and create more promising futures.
It has been reported that Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in rural areas have slow uptake due to the low to no income, lack of ICT infrastructures, cultural differences, and many other reasons.
Digital illiteracy in the present time of the pandemic has hindered socio-economic development to a great extent in rural areas. It can be concluded so by:
Children are not able to access quality education or attend virtual classrooms due to issues with internet connectivity coupled with frequent internet/electricity outages.
Lack of digital knowledge among rural youth kept them away from capitalising on myriad of employment and income generation opportunities. For example, e-commerce, IT services, etc.
Emphasis on digitisation and computerisation, while ignoring digital literacy, led to inaccessibility of government benefits and schemes to the vulnerable sections.
Digital illiteracy among women and girl-child in rural areas has increased the gender imbalance. Social, cultural, and institutional barriers influence digital inclusion.
The digital divide is more than just an access issue and cannot be alleviated merely by providing the necessary equipment. The Standing Committee on Information Technology in January, 2019 concluded that the digital literacy efforts of the government are far from satisfactory.
The government needs to focus on information accessibility, information utilisation and information receptiveness. Various initiatives such as Digital India, Internet Saathi Program, DIKSHA, etc. are commendable steps that are leading to positive socio-economic development in rural areas. I learned about the World Literacy Foundation after searching for Youth Opportunities online, and joined the World Literacy Foundation Ambassador program because I wanted to raise awareness about the importance of education and being literate and I wanted young people to be able to find youth opportunities online that could help them grow as leaders and become change-makers in their communities as I did. During my first year as a literacy ambassador I was able collaborate with my fellow ambassadors and helped organize a focus group for school children for Cinglevue’s Seat at the Table (SAT) project in collaboration with UNESCO to include the students’ voices in shaping the future of education.
Blog Digital illiteracy Image1Using the knowledge gained from the WLF ambassador program, I figured I would help reduce the numbers of those who do not have access to books by writing a children’s book titled Flowers in the Morning that teaches children about the importance of protecting the environment. I have also continued working with the University of the People as a student ambassador, raising awareness on the right to quality education and free education. And also to introduce young people to the University of the People, a free online University, so that they earn a degree which improves their employability and reduces the cycle of poverty. As, a member of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS), I volunteer my time to make sure that girls and women are literate when it comes to issues that affect them such as, climate change, so that they know what it is and what they can do to take action in their communities through organising and participating in tree planting, clean-ups and climate education, they also learn about Gender- Based Violence (GBV) so that they know GBV is wrong and a violation of their rights and should report such acts and Action on Body Confidence/Free Being Me, so that women and girls have self-esteem and are confident to speak out and lead. I feel it is important that girls and women learn about the above mentioned topics because gender inequality is also a major contributor to illiteracy among women.
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