{"id":6,"date":"2023-06-27T08:57:23","date_gmt":"2023-06-27T08:57:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.itu.int\/itu-d\/sites\/projectumc\/?page_id=6"},"modified":"2025-11-26T14:50:37","modified_gmt":"2025-11-26T14:50:37","slug":"aboutumc","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.itu.int\/itu-d\/sites\/projectumc\/home\/aboutumc\/","title":{"rendered":"About UMC"},"content":{"rendered":"    <div class=\"ituContainer grid\">\n                        <div data-span=\"8\">\n                    <div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-8cf370e7 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">    <h3 class=\"h5\">\n        <em>Universal and meaningful connectivity (UMC) is defined as the possibility for everyone to enjoy a safe, satisfying, enriching, productive, and affordable online experience.\u00a0<\/em>    <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>                    <div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<div style=\"height:37px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n<\/div>                    <div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<p>Today\u2019s digital landscape is marked by deep divides, creating the risk of a \u201cmulti-speed\u201d digital world. In such a scenario, a privileged few\u2014equipped with infrastructure, skills, and resources\u2014drive and benefit from AI innovation, while marginalized communities are left behind. Without UMC, the inequalities of the analogue world risk being amplified in the digital one.<\/p>\n<\/div>                    <div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<p><\/p>\n<\/div>                    <div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<p>Recognizing these challenges, UMC has emerged as a critical policy objective. UMC does not imply constant connectivity but enables everyone to access the Internet in optimal conditions, at an affordable cost, whenever and wherever needed.<\/p>\n<\/div>                    <div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<p><\/p>\n<\/div>                    <div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<p>UMC is built on six interdependent dimensions: Quality of the connection; Availability for use; Affordability; Devices; Skills; and Security. Each dimension contributes to a meaningful digital experience, and strength in one cannot compensate for weakness in another.<\/p>\n<\/div>                    <div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<p><\/p>\n<\/div>                    <div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<p>Achieving UMC requires holistic strategies\u2014encompassing infrastructure development, policy frameworks, education initiatives, and multi-stakeholder engagement. The UMC framework is deliberately agnostic about specific interventions (such as policies, investments, or regulations), recognizing that there is no one-size-fits-all path and that many factors shape the digital landscape. It is also neutral regarding how people use connectivity: the goal is to empower choice, not prescribe digital behaviour.<\/p>\n<\/div>                    <div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<p><\/p>\n<\/div>                    <div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<p>To track country progress towards UMC, ITU maintains a <a href=\"https:\/\/datahub.itu.int\/dashboards\/umc\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Dashboard for Universal and Meaningful Connectivity<\/a> on the <a href=\"https:\/\/datahub.itu.int\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">ITU DataHub<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>                    <div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<p><\/p>\n<\/div>                    <div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<p>The UMC measurement framework is meant to be a flexible tool that can evolve and incorporate new concepts and indicators to ensure continued relevance through 2030.<\/p>\n<\/div>                    <div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n<\/div>                    <div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Framework for universal and meaningful connectivity<\/h2>\n<\/div>                    <div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<p>Universal and meaningful connectivity means that everyone can access the Internet in optimal conditions, at an affordable cost, anytime and anywhere.<\/p>\n<\/div>                    <div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<p><\/p>\n<\/div>                    <div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<p>This framework is built around six key dimensions:<\/p>\n<\/div>                    <div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<li><strong>Quality:<\/strong> fast and reliable<\/li>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<li><strong>Availability:<\/strong> ubiquitous and permanent<\/li>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<li><strong>Affordability:<\/strong> affordable<\/li>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<li><strong>Security:<\/strong> safe and secure<\/li>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<li><strong>Devices:<\/strong> through appropriate devices<\/li>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<li><strong>Skills:<\/strong> enhanced by adequate skills<\/li>\n<\/div><\/ul>\n<\/div>                    <div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<p><\/p>\n<\/div>                    <div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<p>Each of these dimensions can be available to no one, a few, many, or <strong>everyone<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/div>                    <div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<p><\/p>\n<\/div>                    <div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<p>Connectivity is only truly universal and meaningful when all six dimensions are available to everyone.<\/p>\n<\/div>                    <div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<p><\/p>\n<\/div>                    <div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<p><em>Learn more: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.itu.int\/itu-d\/meetings\/statistics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/04\/UniversalMeaningfulDigitalConnectivityTargets2030_BackgroundPaper.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Achieving universal and meaningful digital connectivity: Setting a baseline and targets for 2030<\/a><\/em>.<\/p>\n<\/div>                    <div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n<\/div>                    <div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Background and endorsements<\/h2>\n<\/div>                    <div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<p>In 2018, the United Nations Secretary-General convened a High-level Panel on Digital Cooperation. In 2020, the Secretary-General issued his report <a href=\"https:\/\/www.un.org\/en\/content\/digital-cooperation-roadmap\/\">Roadmap for Digital Cooperation<\/a>, which includes, at its core, a commitment to \u201cconnect\u201d all people to the Internet. In 2021, as part of the implementation of the roadmap, a multi-stakeholder working group led by ITU and UNICEF was tasked with proposing a baseline and targets for digital connectivity. The group developed the concept of UMC and its analytical framework, identified indicators for the baseline, and set <a href=\"https:\/\/www.itu.int\/itu-d\/meetings\/statistics\/umc2030\/\">aspirational targets<\/a> for each, which were released in 2022 alongside the working group\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.itu.int\/itu-d\/meetings\/statistics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/04\/UniversalMeaningfulDigitalConnectivityTargets2030_BackgroundPaper.pdf\">background document<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>                    <div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<p><\/p>\n<\/div>                    <div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<p>Since 2021, the concept of UMC has garnered much attention. In 2022, ITU made UMC a corner stone of its <a href=\"https:\/\/www.itu.int\/en\/council\/planning\/Pages\/default.aspx\">Strategic Plan<\/a>. Since 2023, the European Union has been funding an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.itu.int\/itu-d\/sites\/projectumc\/home\/the-umc-project\/\">ITU project on promoting and measuring UMC<\/a>. Adopted in 2024, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.un.org\/digital-emerging-technologies\/global-digital-compact\">Global Digital Compact<\/a> acknowledges the pivotal role of UMC in unlocking the full potential of digital and emerging technologies. In 2024, under the G20 Brazilian Presidency, the ministers of digital economy adopted the <a href=\"https:\/\/g7g20-documents.org\/database\/document\/2024-g20-brazil-sherpa-track-digital-economy-ministers-ministers-language-g20-dewg-maceio-ministerial-declaration\">G20 DEWG Maceio Ministerial Declaration<\/a>, where they commit to achieving UMC. The measurement of UMC and its financing was also a priority issue under the G20 South African Presidency.<\/p>\n<\/div>                    <div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n<\/div>                    <div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">History of the concept of UMC<\/h2>\n<\/div>                        <section>\n        <div class=\"ituContainer grid\">\n            <div id=\"accordion_69d43f105d691\" class=\"accordion\" data-span=\"8\">\n                                   \n            <div class=\"accordion-card\">\n            <button class=\"accordion-card_header\">\n                <p class=\"accordion-card_title\">2018-2019<\/p>\n            <\/button>\n            <div class=\"panel\">\n                <div class=\"accordion-card_body\">\n                                                <p>\n        The UN Secretary-General (UN SG) convenes a High-level Panel on Digital Cooperation, which drafts the report \u201c<em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.un.org\/en\/pdfs\/DigitalCooperation-report-for%20web.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The Age of Digital Interdependence.<\/a><\/em>\u201d    <\/p>\n                                    <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n                                       \n            <div class=\"accordion-card\">\n            <button class=\"accordion-card_header\">\n                <p class=\"accordion-card_title\">2020<\/p>\n            <\/button>\n            <div class=\"panel\">\n                <div class=\"accordion-card_body\">\n                                                <p>\n        The UN SG issues his report <a href=\"https:\/\/documents.un.org\/doc\/undoc\/gen\/n20\/102\/51\/pdf\/n2010251.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Roadmap for Digital Cooperation<\/a>, which includes, at its core, a commitment to \u201cconnect\u201d all people to the Internet.    <\/p>\n                                    <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n                                       \n            <div class=\"accordion-card\">\n            <button class=\"accordion-card_header\">\n                <p class=\"accordion-card_title\">2021<\/p>\n            <\/button>\n            <div class=\"panel\">\n                <div class=\"accordion-card_body\">\n                                                <p>\n        Roundtable on Global Connectivity, co-chaired by UNICEF and ITU, with the support of the Office of the Secretary-General\u2019s Envoy on Technology (OSET), to follow up on the Roadmap.    <\/p>\n                                    <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n                                       \n            <div class=\"accordion-card\">\n            <button class=\"accordion-card_header\">\n                <p class=\"accordion-card_title\">2022<\/p>\n            <\/button>\n            <div class=\"panel\">\n                <div class=\"accordion-card_body\">\n                                                <p>\n        OSET and ITU announce a new set of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.itu.int\/itu-d\/meetings\/statistics\/umc2030\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">UN targets for universal and meaningful digital connectivity<\/a> to be achieved by 2030.    <\/p>\n                                    <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n                                       \n            <div class=\"accordion-card\">\n            <button class=\"accordion-card_header\">\n                <p class=\"accordion-card_title\">2024<\/p>\n            <\/button>\n            <div class=\"panel\">\n                <div class=\"accordion-card_body\">\n                                                <p>\n        The UN General Assembly adopts the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.un.org\/en\/summit-of-the-future\/pact-for-the-future\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Pact for the Future<\/a> and the Global Digital Compact.    <\/p>\n                                    <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n                                    <script type=\"text\/JavaScript\">\n                        (function() {\n                            var acc = document.querySelectorAll(\"#accordion_69d43f105d691 .accordion-card_header\");\n                            var i;\n                            \n                            for (i = 0; i < acc.length; i++) {\n                                acc[i].addEventListener(\"click\", function() {\n                                    this.classList.toggle(\"accordion-card_active\");\n                                    var panel = this.nextElementSibling;\n                                    if (panel.style.maxHeight) {\n                                        panel.style.maxHeight = null;\n                                    } else {\n                                        panel.style.maxHeight = panel.scrollHeight + \"px\";\n                                    } \n                                });\n                            }\n                        })();\n                        <\/script>            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/section>\n            <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n    <div class=\"ituContainer grid\">\n        <div data-span=\"12\">\n                            <div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<p><\/p>\n<\/div>                    <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"ituContainer\">\n<p><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"parent":2,"menu_order":1,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"class_list":["post-6","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Universal and Meaningful Connectivity<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Discover what ITU and its partners are doing to promote universal and meaningful connectivity\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.itu.int\/itu-d\/sites\/projectumc\/home\/aboutumc\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"About Universal and Meaningful Connectivity\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Discover what ITU and its partners are doing to promote universal and meaningful connectivity\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.itu.int\/itu-d\/sites\/projectumc\/home\/aboutumc\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"UMC\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-11-26T14:50:37+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.itu.int\/itu-d\/sites\/projectumc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/42\/2023\/06\/UMC-Main-Banner.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1400\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"400\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:title\" content=\"About Universal and Meaningful Connectivity\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:description\" content=\"Discover what ITU and its partners are doing to promote universal and meaningful connectivity\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.itu.int\/itu-d\/sites\/projectumc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/42\/2023\/06\/UMC-Main-Banner.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.itu.int\\\/itu-d\\\/sites\\\/projectumc\\\/home\\\/aboutumc\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.itu.int\\\/itu-d\\\/sites\\\/projectumc\\\/home\\\/aboutumc\\\/\",\"name\":\"Universal and Meaningful Connectivity\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.itu.int\\\/itu-d\\\/sites\\\/projectumc\\\/?lang=en\\\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2023-06-27T08:57:23+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-11-26T14:50:37+00:00\",\"description\":\"Discover what ITU and its partners are doing to promote universal and meaningful connectivity\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.itu.int\\\/itu-d\\\/sites\\\/projectumc\\\/home\\\/aboutumc\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.itu.int\\\/itu-d\\\/sites\\\/projectumc\\\/home\\\/aboutumc\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.itu.int\\\/itu-d\\\/sites\\\/projectumc\\\/home\\\/aboutumc\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.itu.int\\\/itu-d\\\/sites\\\/projectumc\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"About UMC\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.itu.int\\\/itu-d\\\/sites\\\/projectumc\\\/?lang=en\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.itu.int\\\/itu-d\\\/sites\\\/projectumc\\\/?lang=en\\\/\",\"name\":\"UMC\",\"description\":\"Universal and Meaningful Connectivity\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.itu.int\\\/itu-d\\\/sites\\\/projectumc\\\/?lang=en\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Universal and Meaningful Connectivity","description":"Discover what ITU and its partners are doing to promote universal and meaningful connectivity","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.itu.int\/itu-d\/sites\/projectumc\/home\/aboutumc\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"About Universal and Meaningful Connectivity","og_description":"Discover what ITU and its partners are doing to promote universal and meaningful connectivity","og_url":"https:\/\/www.itu.int\/itu-d\/sites\/projectumc\/home\/aboutumc\/","og_site_name":"UMC","article_modified_time":"2025-11-26T14:50:37+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1400,"height":400,"url":"https:\/\/www.itu.int\/itu-d\/sites\/projectumc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/42\/2023\/06\/UMC-Main-Banner.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_title":"About Universal and Meaningful Connectivity","twitter_description":"Discover what ITU and its partners are doing to promote universal and meaningful connectivity","twitter_image":"https:\/\/www.itu.int\/itu-d\/sites\/projectumc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/42\/2023\/06\/UMC-Main-Banner.jpg","twitter_misc":{"Est. reading time":"3 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.itu.int\/itu-d\/sites\/projectumc\/home\/aboutumc\/","url":"https:\/\/www.itu.int\/itu-d\/sites\/projectumc\/home\/aboutumc\/","name":"Universal and Meaningful Connectivity","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.itu.int\/itu-d\/sites\/projectumc\/?lang=en\/#website"},"datePublished":"2023-06-27T08:57:23+00:00","dateModified":"2025-11-26T14:50:37+00:00","description":"Discover what ITU and its partners are doing to promote universal and meaningful connectivity","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.itu.int\/itu-d\/sites\/projectumc\/home\/aboutumc\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.itu.int\/itu-d\/sites\/projectumc\/home\/aboutumc\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.itu.int\/itu-d\/sites\/projectumc\/home\/aboutumc\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.itu.int\/itu-d\/sites\/projectumc\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"About UMC"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.itu.int\/itu-d\/sites\/projectumc\/?lang=en\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.itu.int\/itu-d\/sites\/projectumc\/?lang=en\/","name":"UMC","description":"Universal and Meaningful Connectivity","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.itu.int\/itu-d\/sites\/projectumc\/?lang=en\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.itu.int\/itu-d\/sites\/projectumc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.itu.int\/itu-d\/sites\/projectumc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.itu.int\/itu-d\/sites\/projectumc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.itu.int\/itu-d\/sites\/projectumc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.itu.int\/itu-d\/sites\/projectumc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.itu.int\/itu-d\/sites\/projectumc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6\/revisions"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.itu.int\/itu-d\/sites\/projectumc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.itu.int\/itu-d\/sites\/projectumc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}