Bridging the Digital Divide: Youth Access to Knowledge, Policy, and Power

Date: Monday, Oct 13

Time: 14:15 - 15:15 (60 mins)

Session Types: Workshop

Youth across the Asia-Pacific region are among the most digitally connected, yet they remain structurally excluded from shaping the policies that govern the internet. This session will explore how unequal access to digital infrastructure, policy knowledge, and participatory mechanisms continues to marginalize youth—particularly those from rural, low-income, or otherwise underserved communities.

According to ITU and UNICEF, over 63% of youth aged 15–24 globally lack internet access at home, with the highest concentration in South Asia. Even where connectivity exists, many young people lack the tools, literacy, or institutional support to understand and engage with digital governance. In Southeast Asia, over 60% of students report receiving no formal digital literacy education.

This workshop will address three interlinked challenges: (1) Structural barriers to access, including affordability, infrastructure gaps, and gender-based exclusion; (2) Policy literacy and capacity deficits, where youth are active online but disconnected from governance spaces; and (3) Tokenistic participation, where youth are invited to forums but rarely empowered to influence outcomes.

To explore these issues, the session will use a role-playing simulation where participants adopt the perspectives of different youth demographics (e.g. rural, disabled, displaced) and navigate real-world policy scenarios. This interactive format will surface the lived experiences of youth and generate actionable strategies for bridging the digital divide and advancing youth inclusion in internet governance.

Moderators/Speakers: Minh Trung Doan, Muh Rifai Sahida