Connecting all schools and learners to the internet
Generation Unlimited will work to support every young person to have access to learning—anywhere, anytime—by connecting every school, every young person to the internet.
For young people, the COVID-19 pandemic is not just a moment in time. It threatens to define their futures. Global school shutdowns and health crises are exacerbating already challenging realities, particularly in developing countries, many of which are already grappling with limited or non-existent infrastructure to connect to distance learning/skilling and essential services.
As the pandemic unfolded and essential activities and services moved online—including education, work and training—the challenges for youth to stay connected only grew. One-third of the students around the world—some 463 million—were unable to access remote learning when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Digitally disadvantaged youth—those living without consistent, reliable access to the internet or other technology, or who lack the skills and acumen to navigate a digital world—have been hit particularly hard. With 29 per cent of 18-24-year-olds lacking digital access—some 360 million of them—they cannot access to the same information, opportunity and choice as their more-connected peers.
At GenU, we will work to support every young person to have access to learning—anywhere, anytime—by connecting every school, every young person to the internet. We will achieve this by mobilizing financial and in-kind resources to accelerate connectivity through scaling Giga, an initiative launched by UNICEF and the International Telecommunication Union. Giga aims to connect every school to the internet and every young person to information, opportunity and choice. GenU will support the Giga initiative by bringing in partners to align public funding sources; broker partnerships with key public-sector connectivity players; advocate to governments on regulatory changes (i.e. use of Universal Service Funds); and provide access to key data on connectivity.
