DigitAll: 100 organisations unite against the widening digital divide in Belgium

24 July 2023 News

DigitAll, the coalition for greater digital inclusion in Belgium, is launching an awareness campaign this year to put the digital divide back on the agenda. Figures show that the number of Belgians at risk of digital exclusion is growing rapidly. Through four real-life testimonies, DigitAll wants to make organisations and citizens aware of this form of exclusion and encourage them to take action.

The King Baudouin Foundation’s ‘Digital Inclusion Barometer 2022’ has revealed a worrying trend: between 2019 and 2021, the number of Belgians at risk of digital exclusion rose from 40% to 46%. Digitalisation is advancing at lightning speed, and the digital divide is only widening. Digital exclusion does not only affect vulnerable groups, but occurs in all strata of society in Belgium.

Four real life stories

Starting today, DigitAll is launching an awareness campaign to make the digital divide more visible among a wider audience. DigitAll is an ecosystem of companies, organisations and government agencies working together to promote digital inclusion in Belgium. The growing number of organisations involved in the initiative currently stands at 100, up from just 70 a year ago.

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When people are excluded digitally, they are excluded from society. It's 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 digitalisation goes so much further. It is a battle for equality and inclusion.

Petra De Sutter

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Administration, Public Enterprises, Telecommunication and the Postal Services in the outgoing government

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 tell their stories.

  • Chantal sees her right to healthcare affected by the difficulties she faces in using digital tools to book a doctor’s appointment, get her results and 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. Without a computer, she had to do her homework and school assignments on her mobile phone. This was especially difficult for her final paper, which was 80 pages long.
  • Stijn did not have the skills to apply online, nor did he have sufficient knowledge of the programmes required for the job, and so his right to work was directly affected.

Of course, it is not just about raising awareness. “All participating organisations will also communicate about what actions they themselves are taking to promote digital inclusion,” explains Linde Verheyden of DigitAll. “They do this, for example, by providing information, organising training and making resources available.”

Catherine BalsSustainability Department Lead by Proximus

Building a digital society is at the heart of Proximus' mission and brings numerous opportunities. However, the figures from the barometer prove the absolute necessity to ensure that everyone has access to it and can use it. Making people aware of this and working with other organizations and the government to reach out to them for solutions is thus crucial to bridging the digital divide in Belgium step by step!

Digital exclusion is a threat to human rights

The King Baudouin Foundation study mentioned above shows that digital exclusion has several causes. Lack of technological means or the necessary skills are the most obvious ones.

The Corona crisis has accelerated digitalisation. It was useful for those who were already on the digital train, but less so for those who did not have access to it or did not have the skills and were excluded from interacting with society and exercising their human rights.

According to the study, inadequate access to the Internet remains an important factor. It is not only about the quality of technological resources, but also about the quality of access to the Internet, in particular the network or environment. Furthermore, our digital skills are under pressure due to the high demands of digital technology. There is a need to constantly update acquired skills. Interestingly, digital skills are also declining among young people. In 2022, 33% of young people aged 16-24 had weak overall digital skills (compared to 21% in 2019).

The situation is also worrying among job seekers. More than half (52%) of them have weak digital skills, a figure that rises to 74% for low-skilled jobseekers. For example, using email or word processing is not a natural skill. 46% of the unemployed do not use a word processor even though it is necessary when applying for jobs, which are often done online.

Linde VerheydenDirector Public Affairs at BNP Paribas Fortis

The findings and figures in the study have to make everybody aware that the digital divide is not linked to age or social background. It can affect anyone. With this campaign, we want to raise awareness of these issues among the general public and encourage organisations and individuals to take action.

 

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