Brussels, July 24, 2023 — DigitAll, the coalition for greater digital inclusion in Belgium, is launching another awareness campaign this year to put the digital divide in Belgium back on the agenda. Figures show that the number of Belgians at risk of digital exclusion is increasing rapidly. Through four real-life testimonies, DigitAll aims to raise awareness among organizations and citizens about this form of exclusion and encourage them to take action.
The ‘Digital Inclusion Barometer 2022’1 by the King Baudouin Foundation revealed a worrying trend: between 2019 and 2021, the number of Belgians at risk of digital exclusion rose from 40% to 46%. Digitalization is moving at lightning speed, causing the digital divide to widen further. Digital exclusion does not only affect vulnerable groups but occurs across all layers of society in Belgium.
Four stories from real life
Starting today, DigitAll is launching an awareness campaign to increase the visibility of the digital divide among a broad audience. DigitAll is an ecosystem of companies, organizations, and government agencies working together for greater digital inclusion in Belgium. The ever-growing number of participating organizations in the initiative currently stands at 100, compared to just 70 a year ago.
Excluding people digitally means excluding them from society. It is like missing a key to enter a house. And yes, it is about so much more than not having a laptop or smartphone, as Chantal, Sura, Yousra, and Stijn confirm. Their brave testimonies show that digitalization goes much further. It is a struggle for equality and inclusion. Petra De Sutter, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Civil Service, Public Enterprises, Telecommunications, and Postal Services
The awareness campaign tells the story of four people whose lives and rights have been directly affected by digital technology. They agreed to testify and share their stories.
- Chantal sees her right to healthcare compromised by the difficulties she faces in using digital tools to make a doctor’s appointment, obtain her results, or communicate with her health insurance fund.
- Sura, whose innocent photos of herself were stolen from her social media profile and used on other sites without her knowledge.
- Yousra had to fight for her right to education for a long time. Because she did not have a computer, she had to do her homework and school assignments on her mobile phone. This was a particularly difficult task for her thesis, which was no less than 80 pages long.
- Stijn lacked the skills to apply for jobs online, as well as sufficient knowledge of the programs required for the job, and was thus directly affected in his right to work.
Of course, it does not stop at raising awareness alone.
“All participating organizations will also communicate about the actions they are taking themselves to promote digital inclusion,” say Linde Verheyden and Catherine Bals of DigitAll. “They do this, for example, by providing information, organizing training, or making resources available.”
UQ Learn is also working daily to bridge this digital divide.
Every day, we work with our teams to lower the barrier to training and help as many people as possible connect with essential digital skills for daily life and work. Our collective (digital) future is a team sport. Everyone must be included; otherwise, we will never be able to fill those hundreds of thousands of new and changing jobs.Thierry Lescrauwaet, CEO of UQ Learn and co-founder of DigiSkills Belgium and Become Digital
Digital exclusion threatens human rights
The aforementioned study by the King Baudouin Foundation shows that digital exclusion has various causes. Not having technological means or lacking the necessary skills are the most obvious ones.
The COVID-19 crisis accelerated digitalization. Convenient for those already on the digital train, but those who lacked access or skills were excluded from their contact with society and from exercising their human rights.
Digital inclusion is of national and social importance. As a collective, we must ensure that everyone gets on board the digital TGV. This ensures prosperity, health, and social engagement for all citizens. Collaboration between governments, businesses, education, and citizens is crucial to prevent digital exclusion. We must act quickly and find solutions to this challenge as one team. Ulrich Petré, UQ Expert Digital Upskilling
According to the study, unequal access to the internet remains a significant factor. It is not just about the quality of technological means, but also about the quality of internet access, specifically the network or the location/environment. Furthermore, our digital skills are under pressure due to the high requirements of digital technology. There is a need to constantly maintain acquired skills.
Notably: digital literacy is also declining among young people. In 2022, 33% of young people between 16 and 24 had weak general digital skills (compared to 21% in 2019).
The situation among job seekers is also worrying. More than half (52%) of them have weak digital skills, a figure that rises to 74% for low-skilled job seekers. For instance, the use of email or word processing is not a given. 46% of unemployed people do not use word processing, even though it is necessary for job applications, which often take place online.
The findings and figures from the study should make everyone realize that the digital divide is independent of age or background. Anyone can be affected by it. With this campaign, we want to raise awareness of this issue among a broad audience and encourage organizations and individuals to take action.Linde Verheyden and Catherine Bals
More info about DigitAll: digitall.be/en
1 Faure, L., Brotcorne, P., Vendramin, P., Mariën, I., & Dedonder, J. (2022). Digital Inclusion Barometer 2022 (D/2893/2022/18). King Baudouin Foundation. Accessed on July 4, 2023, from https://media.kbs-frb.be/nl/media/9837/Digitale%20Inclusie.%20Barometer%20Digitale%20Inclusie%202022
