Digital Inclusion

Key Highlights

The ITU Global Youth Celebration in Baku, Azerbaijan, under the theme “Voices of Youth Shaping the Digital Future,” brought together over 400 young people from 45 countries from all ITU regions for an intergenerational exchange with global decisionmakers that strengthened youth leadership as a driver of digital development. Participants met ICT policymakers and participated in hands on activities at the Azercosmos, STEAM Azerbaijan, and the National Aviation Academy, exploring cutting-edge space, aviation, and STEAM technologies.

The ITU Global Youth Summit 2025, hosted by the Government of Cuba, brought together over 400 participants from 31 countries across all ITU regions. Governments, regional organizations, the private sector, academia, UN agencies, and youth worldwide, including Generation Connect Youth Envoys, shared their priorities for building the digital future they want. Topics included connectivity, digital inclusion, online safety, ethical development and use of AI and emerging technologies, and preparing for the future of work—with the aim of fostering economic and social empowerment of all youth.

International Girls in ICT Day 2025 was celebrated in April under the theme “Girls in ICT for Inclusive Digital Transformation.” The global hybrid event, co-hosted by the Commonwealth of Independent States and Arab States regions, connected Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan), and Nouakchott (Mauritania), through a live link with distinguished global speakers and a worldwide livestream. Across all regions, 114 events engaged nearly 13 000 girls and young women, promoting STEM education and careers to increase their participation in the digital sector.

As part of the Generation Connect Young Leadership Programme, implemented in cooperation with Huawei, 31 young changemakers from 25 countries gathered at ITU headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, for a training week focused on innovation, project management, and leadership development. Participants received expert guidance to advance their digital development projects and scale up their ideas for greater impact.

Through the AI Skills Accelerator for Girls project, implemented in partnership with EY, over 820 women aged 18 to 25 across six ITU regions participated in workshops designed to build essential AI and leadership skills to support professional growth and career advancement.

The Network of Women in ITU-D was instrumental in preparing women delegates for WTDC-25 through targeted mentoring and capacity-building. More than 400 women from Member States, Sector Members, and Academia strengthened their leadership, negotiation, public-speaking, and policy-engagement skills, boosting their confidence and ability to contribute to global decision-making. The initiative also fostered a strong community of women leaders advancing inclusive digital development worldwide.

To advance the digital empowerment of girls and young women, six hands-on workshops engaged 661 participants across four African countries, introducing them to key technologies and tech career pathways. An e-mentoring cycle further supported 71 young women from India, Kenya, Nigeria, and Uganda in building digital skills and confidence.

ITU advanced ICT accessibility as a foundation for global digital inclusion. In Burundi, ITU supported the development and national consultation of a National Digital Inclusion Strategy centred on ICT accessibility, complemented by tailored training for government officials to prepare for implementation.

ITU strengthened the capacities on ICT accessibility of over 500 Members and stakeholders’ representatives across Americas, Arab States, and Europe through executive trainings and knowledge-sharing on policies, strategies, and emerging trends to foster accessible digital ecosystems in their regions and countries.

To further support global national efforts, ITU developed eight training modules on key areas including regulatory frameworks, inclusive digital government and economies, digital skills, AI for accessibility, multi-stakeholder engagement, and monitoring and evaluation—providing practical tools for countries to build inclusive, barrier-free digital societies.

In Focus

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