That future is being built on broadband. In 2010, ITU, together with UNESCO, formed the Broadband Commission for Digital Development, in response to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon’s call to step up efforts to meet the Millennium Development Goals. The Commission believes that expanding broadband access to the Internet is key to accelerating economic and social progress everywhere, and it defines practical ways in which countries — at all stages of development — can achieve this, in cooperation with the private sector.
ITU has continued to reach out to all who share its goal of connecting the world. Young people are a key audience. Events are organized to encourage their participation in deciding the future for telecommunications, such as the BYND 2015 Global Youth Summit. Held in Costa Rica in 2013, this focused on using these technologies to help further the development agenda “beyond 2015,” the target date for the Millennium Development Goals.
Improving opportunities for women and girls is another area of action for ITU. In 2010, it established “Girls in ICT Day” (celebrated every year on the fourth Thursday in April) with an associated web portal launched in 2012. The aim is to inspire girls to consider a future in technology, helping not only themselves, but also their communities.
ITU is also active in promoting better accessibility to the information society for people with disabilities. This need is promoted in the development of standards, for instance, so that technologies can be easily used by everyone. In 2013, at the UN High Level Meeting on Disability and Development, ITU was among the expert organizations launching a global consultation report on the beneficial impact of ICT in this field.
