Bridging the digital divide and providing broadband for all
Target 2.1.A: In the developing world, 50 per cent of households should have access to the Internet by 2020 |
| Target 2.1.B: In the least developed countries (LDCs), 15 per cent of households should have access to the Internet by 2020 |
| Target 2.2.A: In the developing world, 50 per cent of individuals should be using the Internet by 2020 |
| Target 2.2.B: In the least developed countries (LDCs), 20 per cent of individuals should be using the Internet by 2020 |
| Target 2.3.A: The affordability gap between developed and developing countries should be reduced by 40 per cent by 2020 |
| Target 2.3.B: Broadband services should cost no more than 5 per cent of average monthly income in developing countries by 2020. |
| Target 2.4: Worldwide, 90 per cent of the rural population should be covered by broadband services by 2020 |
| Target 2.5.A: Gender equality among Internet users should be reached by 2020 |
Target 2.5.B: Enabling environments ensuring accessible telecommunications/ICTs for persons with disabilities should be established in all countries by 2020
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Target 2.1.A: In the developing world, 50 per cent of households should have access to the Internet by 2020
Target 2.1.B: In the least developed countries (LDCs), 15 per cent of households should have access to the Internet by 2020
Figure 5: Households with access to the Internet, developing countries, 2005-2016* | Figure 6: Households with access to the Internet, LDCs2005-2016* |
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Note: *Estimate – Source: ITU Statistics Website
Target 2.2.A: In the developing world, 50 per cent of individuals should be using the Internet by 2020
Target 2.2.B: In the least developed countries (LDCs), 20 per cent of individuals should be using the Internet by 2020
Figure 7: Percentage of individuals using the Internet in developing countries, 2005-2016* | Figure 8: Percentage of individuals using the Internet in LDCs 2005-2016* |
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Note: *Estimate – Source: ITU Statistics Website
Internet usage grew at an annual rate of 18 per cent in developing countries over the period 2005-2016, with an estimated 40.1 per cent of the population online at the end of 2016. For LDCs, Internet usage grew at an annual rate of 32 per cent in LDCs over the period 2005-2016, with an estimated 15 per cent of the population in LDCs being online at the end of 2016.
Target 2.3.A: The affordability gap between developed and developing countries should be reduced by 40 per cent by 2020
The difference in the affordability of fixed broadband and mobile-cellular services between developed and developing countries fell significantly during the period 2008-2012, followed by a slowdown over the period 2012-2014 and even an increase in the case of fixed broadband in 2014. The gap continued to narrow between 2014 and 2015. The difference in the affordability of mobile broadband services fell from 2013 to 2014 and continued to decrease, albeit only slightly, between 2014 and 2015. See Figures 3 and 4.
Target 2.3.B: Broadband services should cost no more than 5 % of average monthly income in developing countries by 2020
By end-2015, a total of 129 economies (out of 185 for which data were available) had achieved the target of broadband services costing no more than 5 per cent of average monthly income, including all developed countries and 78 developing economies. This amounts to 18 countries more than in early 2015. Altogether, 18 developing countries and 38 LDCs for which data were available need to achieve further reductions in broadband prices in order to achieve the target, together, it should be assumed, with a number of other countries for which no data were available. See Figures 3 and 4.
Target 2.4: Worldwide, 90 per cent of the rural population should be covered by broadband services by 2020
It is estimated that 3G network coverage grew from 45 per cent of world population in 2011 to 84% in 2016 (mobile-broadband networks; 3G or above), of the global population but only 67% of the rural population.
Target 2.5.A: Gender equality among Internet users should be reached by 2020
Figure 9: Internet user gender gap (2013 and 2016):
Source: ITU MIS Report
Data on Internet usage broken down by gender [1] points to a very clear gender divide. In the vast majority of countries, the proportion of men using the Internet is higher than the proportion of women. These findings are reflected at global level, where ITU reports a 2016 Internet user gender gap [2] of 12 per cent. Only in certain select countries, in Europe and the Americas in particular, are more women than men online, proportionally. Data also point to significant differences between developed and developing countries (see Figure 9 below). Differences in levels of education and school enrolment are important factors that could explain why more men than women use the Internet. Some of the countries in which more women than men are Internet users are also countries that do well on the gender parity index (GPI), which measures parity between girls and boys in terms of school enrolment ratios. The gender equality in these countries is also reflected by a high proportion of women in the labour force. Gender parity in tertiary education can also explain some of the differences in regional gender gaps. The smallest Internet user gender gap is observed in the Americas, where countries also score highly on GPI in tertiary education. This is in contrast with other regions with large gender gaps in Internet usage, especially in Africa and Asia and the Pacific, where many countries suffer from lower gender parity at higher levels of education. Among developing countries, the largest Internet gender gaps are found in countries with low levels of gender parity in tertiary education.
Target 2.5.B: Enabling environments ensuring accessible telecommunication/ICT for persons with disabilities should be established in all countries by 2020
For the past eight years, ITU has been working with the Global Initiative for Inclusive ICTs (G3ict) to gather and disseminate information and promote ICT accessibility in line with the UN Convention. In 2014, ITU and G3ict jointly published a Model ICT Accessibility Policy Report, designed to inform public policy on ICTs and disability and including a model institutional framework which builds on the ITU/G3ict online e Accessibility Policy Toolkit for Persons with Disabilities (ITU/G3ict, 2014). The model framework includes guidelines and recommendations in six areas of policy and practice, which will form the basis for assessment of this target.
[1] Source: MIS Report 2016
[2] Gender gap is defined as the difference between the Internet user penetration rate for males and females in relation to the Internet user penetration rate for males, expressed as a percentage
