Journal Article
No. 2018-24 | April 25, 2018
Krish Chetty, Urvashi Aneja, Vidisha Mishra, Nozibele Gcora and Jaya Josie
Bridging the digital divide in the G20: skills for the new age
(Published in Global Solutions Paper)

Abstract

The digital divide in general, and between women and men in particular, is a manifestation of exclusion, poverty and inequality, and is likely to continue because of the effects of unemployment, poorly functioning digital skilling programmes and socio-cultural norms in some economies, and further depriving women equal access to digital services. Digital skills provide the poor a catalyst to break out of the cycle of poverty and empower themselves. This paper proposes a three-pronged digital skills strategy that will be required for developing countries to break out of the digital divide trap: (1) Monitor the evolving set of digital skills required for employment, (2) incorporate a holistic digital skills development strategy into national education programmes, and (3) contextualize skilling programs within prevailing socio-cultural norms that will shape the uptake and impact of digital skilling programs.

JEL Classification:

C83, J20, J22, J23, J24, F63, F66, F68, I24, I25, O15, O19

Links

Cite As

Krish Chetty, Urvashi Aneja, Vidisha Mishra, Nozibele Gcora, and Jaya Josie (2018). Bridging the digital divide in the G20: skills for the new age. Economics: The Open-Access, Open-Assessment E-Journal, 12 (2018-24): 1–20. http://dx.doi.org/10.5018/economics-ejournal.ja.2018-24