Day 1 Session 2: Access and inclusion
Time: 5:00 UTC - 6:30 UTC
Objective: The focus of this session is to develop participants’ understanding of meaningful access and the regulatory frameworks that enable Internet connectivity. It will also invite participants to examine the digital divide, its effects on marginalised groups, and policies and initiatives designed to promote inclusion. This session will further incorporate case studies in the region that illustrate how these issues play out in practice, enabling them to connect theoretical perspectives with lived realities.
Session plan:
The session will aim to cover questions such as:
- What do we mean by meaningful access?
- What are the regulatory and policy frameworks that shape internet connectivity in Southeast Asia? What are the gaps?
- What are the challenges to digital inclusion (including the gender digital divide and the importance of an intersectional approach)?
- What are some initiatives or models that could be useful to address issues of access and inclusion (community networks, universal access funds etc.)?
*Reading materials are hyperlinked, please click the text to access
Reading Materials:
- APC - Seeding change: A new framework to address the digital divide in Asia
- AfterAccess: ICT access and use in Asia and the Global South
- Gender and Digital Access Gaps and Barriers in Asia: But What About After Access?