Global Digital Compact
A Digital Future for All
Global Digital Compact
A Digital Future for All
By Our Future Agenda – UN Foundation
A Call for Bold Action
Building a Digital Future for Everyone
Right now, about one third of the world still doesn't have internet access. The Global Digital Compact is about creating a digital world that's open, inclusive, and secure for all.
It's about ensuring everyone has access to digital technologies, especially in developing regions. But access isn't enough; true inclusion means ensuring that everyone, regardless of background, can fully participate in the digital economy.
The Compact tackles the opportunities and challenges posed by emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI). It addresses issues from privacy concerns to the potential misuse of AI, setting the stage for responsible AI governance. The aim is to harness digital technologies for the good of society while upholding human rights. This aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), stressing that digital equity is key to a fairer world.
A Call for Bold Action
Building a Digital Future for Everyone
Right now, about one third of the world still doesn't have internet access. The Global Digital Compact is about creating a digital world that's open, inclusive, and secure for all.
It's about ensuring everyone has access to digital technologies, especially in developing regions. But access isn't enough; true inclusion means ensuring that everyone, regardless of background, can fully participate in the digital economy.
The Compact tackles the opportunities and challenges posed by emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI). It addresses issues from privacy concerns to the potential misuse of AI, setting the stage for responsible AI governance. The aim is to harness digital technologies for the good of society while upholding human rights. This aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), stressing that digital equity is key to a fairer world.
Key Themes for
Global Transformation
Closing the Digital Divide
Universal digital access by 2030 is a priority. Everyone, everywhere, should be connected to the Internet. This means investing in digital infrastructure, making digital devices affordable and accessible, especially in underserved areas, and closing the gender gap to ensure equal access for women and girls.
Human Rights in the Digital Age
The Compact advocates for a digital realm where privacy is respected, freedom of expression is guaranteed, and users are shielded from cyberbullying and harassment, particularly children. Governments and tech companies are encouraged to adhere to the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.
Closing the Gender-Digital Divide
Achieving gender equality is key to bridging the digital divide. The Compact will promote the empowerment of women and girls, encourage their leadership, and tackle issues like online harassment and violence that can be amplified by technology.
Responsible AI Governance
As AI becomes more prevalent, it brings both opportunities and challenges. The Compact insists on transparent governance and human oversight to prevent AI from worsening inequality or exacerbating biases. Ethical safeguards must be in place so that AI serves humanity broadly, not just a select few.
Sustainable Digital Solutions
The Compact highlights how digital technologies can support the fight against climate change and drive sustainable development. Governments are urged to integrate green digital solutions into their national strategies, ensuring that technology helps solve the world’s biggest challenges.
Data Governance
Data underpins the digital world, but without proper policies, it can undermine privacy or lead to fragmentation of the Internet. The Compact calls for data governance that supports cross-border data sharing while protecting privacy and ensuring security. The goal is to harness data for positive impact while keeping it safe.
10 Tangible Actions
This Declaration includes concrete actions for countries to implement in their consideration of future generations. Here’s what world leaders are committing to right now:
Action 1: Universal Connectivity by 2030
Imagine a world where everyone is online by 2030. It’s a big dream, but it’s within reach. This means setting up a solid digital infrastructure – from satellites in space to local networks on the ground – especially in remote and underserved regions and smartphones that are cheap and accessible. Governments, development banks and private companies are urged to invest heavily, and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) will be pivotal in this digital revolution.
Action 2: Digital Skills for All
Getting online is just the first step; the real game-changer is mastering the digital world. By 2030, national strategies will aim to arm everyone with digital skills, ranging from basic internet literacy to cutting-edge AI programming. A special focus will be on enabling women, girls, people with disabilities, and migrants to thrive in this digital era.
Action 3: Open Digital Public Goods
To democratize tech access, the Compact promotes creating open-source software, data, and AI models that serve the public good. These digital resources will be secure, inclusive, and flexible, making sure that digital technologies benefit everyone, not just a select few.
Action 4: Responsible Data Governance
Data is at the heart of our digital lives, and it needs to be managed responsibly. The Compact calls for countries to adopt data governance frameworks that safeguard privacy while promoting innovation. The UN will assist developing countries in setting up systems that protect citizens and stimulate data-driven growth.
Action 5: AI Governance for Humanity
AI is evolving fast and its societal impacts are still unknown. Yet, there is agreement that it must develop in line with human rights standards. The Compact proposes an Independent International Scientific Panel on AI to ensure AI is developed responsibly and with human oversight. Governments need to eliminate bias and discrimination in AI, ensuring its benefits extend to developing nations as well.
Action 6: Safe Digital Spaces
The digital world should be a safe haven. The Compact targets online harms like hate speech, technology-facilitated gender-based violence, cyberbullying, and child exploitation. By 2030, national child protection standards should be in place, and tech companies should co-create safety frameworks. Platforms will be expected to provide tools for reporting harmful content and maintain transparency in their processes.
Action 7: WSIS+20 Review in 2025
The World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS+20) in 2025 will be a pivotal moment to contribute to further implementing the Compact’s vision. The UN Secretary-General will create an implementation map to track advancements, and stakeholders can publicly support the Compact starting in December 2024.
Action 8: Financing Digital Transformation
The vision of the Compact requires significant financial resources, especially for developing countries. It calls for both public and private investments, as well as pooled funds through UN mechanisms like the Joint SDG Fund. Governments are encouraged to integrate digital transformation into their development strategies, and private sector players – including philanthropists – are urged to contribute financially.
International Cooperation and the Path Forward
The success of the Global Digital Compact relies on global collaboration. Governments, international bodies, the private sector, the technical community, academia and civil society must unite to ensure digital inclusion, especially in developing countries. The Internet Governance Forum (IGF) remains the key platform for dialogue on internet governance, and the WSIS+20 review in 2025 will be a critical checkpoint for evaluating progress.
Looking ahead, the Compact champions global cooperation on data governance standards, AI regulation, and securing essential resources for digital transformation. Future discussions at the 82nd UN General Assembly session and ongoing efforts will ensure the digital revolution reaches everyone, everywhere.
Concrete Steps and Deadlines
The table breaks down the Global Digital Compact into concrete steps and timelines that aim to tackle some of the world’s biggest challenges. We’ve also connected these steps with Our Common Agenda, a global plan to reimagine the UN launched in 2021 by the Secretary-General, which proposed the Summit of the Future as a key moment to forge a new global consensus on what our future should look like, and what we can do today to secure it. This ensures accountability and helps everyone – governments, organizations, and citizens – focus on what needs to be done next.
Get the Full Scoop
If you enjoyed our decoded version of the Global Digital Compact and want to delve into more detail on the recommendations, you can immerse yourself in the full version here:
To find out more about the Summit of the Future, click here.
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