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Young people: The connected generation
20 October 2011 - More than a quarter of the
earth’s population is aged between 10 and 24 years, the vast majority living
in developing countries. Young people are growing up in an increasingly
connected world that is being transformed by information and communication
technologies (ICTs). With ICTs fundamentally changing the way we live, work
and play, access to these technologies and expertise in using them have
become essential elements in the education and development of young people,
equipping them not simply for jobs in the digital economy but for a fuller
life as engaged digital citizens.
ICTs are already revolutionizing delivery of education and training. They
are being used as teaching aids in the classroom. They are enabling distance
learning and training, for teachers as well as students. They are broadening
access to information and knowledge through open education resources and
open access to scientific articles. And they are opening up new career
opportunities in the ICT arena.
At the same time, there are still millions of children around the world who
are not at school and millions more whose schools have no access to ICTs and
the Internet. ITU’s
Connect a
School, Connect a Community initiative, a public-private partnership
launched in 2009, aims to connect all primary, secondary and post-secondary
schools to ICTs by 2015, a target set by world leaders at the
World Summit on the Information
Society (WSIS) in 2003/2005. The schools will also serve as community
ICT centres for disadvantaged and vulnerable groups, including women and
girls.
Youth is given a high priority in all ITU’s activities; as the most avid and
creative users of ICTs, they are often key contributors to building an
inclusive information society and bridging the digital divide. In 2003 ITU
launched a dedicated Youth Programme to promote young people’s access to and
use of ICTs in developing countries. It is also taking the lead in making
the internet a safer place for children and young people as part of its
Global Cybersecurity Agenda.
ITU’s work for and with young people includes:
- ITU Telecom Youth Forums: Since
2001, ITU has organized a Telecom Youth Forum alongside the
ITU Telecom events. The forum provides young people with an
opportunity to participate in high-level discussions on ICT
issues as well as encouraging many to embark upon
ICT-related careers. A Youth Forum Alumni Network provides
former participants with a collaborative platform to discuss
ideas and share information. The network also enables youth
forum alumni to voice their opinions on current ICT issues
and stay informed about ITU activities.
- Statistics on ICT use by children and
youth: In 2008, ITU produced the first compilation
of statistics on use of ICTs by young people. The report
also identified shortcomings and gaps in the available data
and recommended improvements. ITU plans to update the
compilation every four years to help monitor developments
and provide a basis for further action to close the digital
divide.
- Protecting children in cyberspace:
The
Child Online Protection (COP) initiative, part of ITU’s
broader Global Cybersecurity Agenda, brings together
partners from all sectors of the international community
with the aim of creating a safe and secure online experience
for children everywhere. Launched in 2008, the initiative
has already developed global guidelines for children,
parents, governments and industry and is now working on a
variety of training and prevention activities. These
include: interoperable technical standards to protect
children online; the development of industry codes of
conduct; the establishment of national hotlines; the
development of national roadmaps and legislative toolkits;
training for parents, guardians and educators; and the
sharing of advice and information on policies and practices.
The COP initiative aims to find global solutions that
effectively combat online threats to children without
stifling the internet’s power to inform, educate and improve
lives. Threats can range from online bullying to the viewing
of disturbing pornographic or violent images to stalking or
“grooming” children by abusive adults.
- Child helpline: ITU is lobbying
telecoms administrations around the world to consider the
allocation of the number 116 111 to give access to helplines
run by organizations dedicated to the support and welfare of
children. Already in use in several European countries, the
universal use of this number would make it easier for
children to access help when they need it, wherever they
are.
Through their use of ICTs, young people are shaping the world and
especially the online world. They will play an increasing role in
influencing the decisions of governments and companies on such issues as
privacy, data protection and safety and security online. A working group on
youth of the
Broadband Commission for Digital Development, chaired by ITU
Secretary-General Hamadoun Touré, is putting together a document on Youth
and ICT, prepared exclusively by young people, for presentation to the UN
General Assembly in late 2011.
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