Digital transformation and inclusion
Enable broadband Internet access at reasonable prices.
ICTs allow people worldwide to access information, knowledge and content on the Internet (in all its forms) almost instantaneously, thus benefiting and empowering individuals, communities and societies. Enabling Internet access at reasonable prices is crucial to supporting digital transformation processes at the level of individuals and institutions. It also has significant social and economic benefits and contributes to building a more advanced and inclusive knowledge society. Thus, Arab countries should reduce the cost of fixed broadband Internet access given that it serves families and contributes to empowering vulnerable groups. Arab countries should also take measures to reduce the cost of mobile broadband Internet access to promote digital equality, provide equal opportunities for distance learning via the Internet, promote innovation and entrepreneurship, stimulate the economy and businesses, facilitate e-commerce and improve job opportunities.
Targets
4.1.1
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Reach a ceiling of 2 per cent of GNI per capita for the cost of Internet access in all Arab countries.
The cost of mobile broadband Internet access – for data only – is based on a monthly data usage of a minimum of 2 gigabytes (GB). For plans that limit the monthly amount of data transferred by including data volume caps below 2 GB, the cost of the additional bytes is added to the basket. The minimum speed of a mobile broadband connection is 256 kbit/s. The cost of mobile broadband Internet access – for data only – depends on the price of the cheapest non-promotional plan that meets the requirements, regardless of the plan’s modality (prepaid or postpaid). The indicator is calculated as a percentage of a country’s average monthly gross national income (GNI) per capita and is expressed in dollars according to purchasing power parity.
- Relation to ITU indicators: (i271mb).
- Relation to core ICT indicators: A9.
ITU – Price data collection rules 2021, p. 5.
Baseline value: 10 countries meet the 2 per cent ceiling.
Medium-term target value: 22 countries meet the 2 per cent ceiling.
This cost refers to the price of a monthly subscription to an entry-level fixed-broadband plan. The indicator is calculated as a percentage of a country’s average monthly GNI per capita and is expressed in dollars according to purchasing power parity. For comparability reasons, the fixed-broadband basket is based on a monthly data usage of a minimum of 5 GB. For plans that limit the monthly amount of data transferred by including data volume caps below 5 GB, the cost of the additional bytes is added to the basket. The minimum speed of a fixed broadband connection is 256 kbit/s.
- Relation to ITU indicators: (i4213_5GB).
- Relation to core ICT indicators: A7.
ITU – Measuring digital development: ICT price trends 2020, p. 59.
Baseline value: 3 countries meet the 2 per cent ceiling.
- Medium-term target value: 22 countries meet the 2 per cent ceiling.
Proposed actions to achieve Goal 4.1
Work to reduce the cost of fixed broadband access as this serves families and contributes to the empowerment of vulnerable groups.
- Take measures to embrace the trend towards reducing the costs of mobile broadband Internet access (such as increasing spectrum efficiency).
Promote Internet access for all segments of society, especially women.
Promoting Internet access for all segments of society, especially women, holds significant social and economic importance. Encouraging women to use the Internet, both in urban and rural areas, contributes to achieving equality by providing women equal access to knowledge and opportunities, and reducing the digital gender gap and urban-rural divide. Internet access also offers new opportunities for women to engage in distance learning and develop their skills, which can contribute to enhancing education and improving career opportunities. Additionally, Internet access empowers women in remote and rural areas, enabling them to benefit from online health and education services and participate in digital content creation. In general, promoting women’s Internet access is essential to achieving economic and social empowerment, and enhances the role of women in building a more advanced and inclusive society.
Targets
4.2.1
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Increase Internet access rates among women in all Arab countries.
This score is calculated as the proportion of women who use the Internet divided by the proportion of men. A score less than one indicates that men use the Internet more than women, while a score greater than one indicates the opposite. A score between 0.98 and 1.02 indicates gender parity.
Baseline value: 87 per cent.
Medium-term target value: Global average.
4.2.2
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Increase Internet access rates among users in rural areas in all Arab countries.
This percentage is calculated by dividing urban Internet users by rural Internet users. A percentage close to 1 indicates an equal number of urban and rural Internet users, while a percentage above 1 indicates that urban Internet users outnumber rural Internet users.
Baseline value: 1.42 per cent.
- Medium-term target value: 1.2 per cent.
Proposed actions to achieve Goal 4.2
Participate in global statistics to better measure Internet access among all segments of society (especially women).
- Develop capacity-building programmes for women on Internet use, with a focus on rural areas.
Strengthen digital accessibility for persons with disabilities in the Arab region and enable them to access e-services.
Promoting digital accessibility for persons with disabilities in the Arab region is critical to achieving social cohesion and ensuring the inclusivity of e-services for all segments of society. This contributes to providing equal opportunities for accessing e-services to everyone, including persons with disabilities.
Providing access to e-services for persons with disabilities improves their quality of life by facilitating more effective access to essential information and services. This enables them to utilize distance learning without the need for physical displacement, improving employment opportunities and interaction with the information and knowledge society, and ensuring equality.
Targets
4.3.1
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Achieve a significant increase in the number of Arab countries with a national digital accessibility policy for persons with disabilities.
Not defined yet.
Not available.
Baseline value: Unmeasured.
Medium-term target value: 7 countries.
4.3.2
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Build the capacity of Arab countries to achieve digital accessibility for persons with disabilities.
The Digital Accessibility Rights Evaluation (DARE) Index is a benchmarking tool, developed by G3ict, for disability advocates, governments, civil society, international organizations and policymakers to trace country progress in making ICT accessible for all, in compliance with Article 9 of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
This indicator measures three categories of variables in each country: State obligations (laws, regulations, policies and programmes), State capacity to implement (organization, operations and resources), and actual digital accessibility outcomes for persons with disabilities in 10 areas of products and services.
Global Initiative for Inclusive ICTs (G3ict), Digital Accessibility Rights Evaluation Index 2020.
Baseline value: Two Arab countries ranked among the top twenty in the world.
- Target value: To be determined based on upcoming round of the DARE Index.
Proposed actions to achieve Goal 4.3
Launch awareness-raising and training programmes on digital accessibility.
- Develop national digital accessibility policies in line with digital transformation strategies and programmes.
Empower youth through meaningful use of the Internet.
Empowering young people to make the best use of the Internet is very important, especially amid rapid digital transformation. This requires the development and provision of comprehensive awareness-raising programmes that strike a balance between effective and safe Internet use. It also includes focusing on potential challenges and how to address them, as well as integrating the concepts of safe Internet use into school curricula. The digital safety of all users must be ensured by promoting a full understanding of online privacy and online security issues.
Targets
4.4.1
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Promote and develop programmes to empower and protect youth in their meaningful use of the Internet in all Arab countries.
Not defined yet.
Not available.
Baseline value: Unmeasured.
- Medium-term target value: 22 countries.
Proposed actions to achieve Goal 4.4
- Include modules on the safe use of the Internet in school curricula.
- Prepare integrated curricula to raise awareness, empower and protect youth on the Internet.
- Establish national committees involving all relevant authorities to develop programmes and initiatives to protect youth online.
Enhance and improve access to the Internet in rural and remote areas.
Enhancing and improving access to the Internet is especially important for schools and health centres in rural and remote areas, as access to digital content improves the quality of life, ensures equal opportunities, and promotes sustainable development. In the context of internet access in schools, easy access to the Internet can enhance the quality of education by providing supplementary learning resources and enabling students to access information and knowledge effectively. As for health centres, Internet access helps improve health-care services and provides vital medical information, especially in rural and remote areas. Education and scientific research networks in Arab countries should be supported by improving their technological infrastructure and facilitating affordable connectivity to ensure the provision of advanced services and diverse content that promotes education in these regions, which is a vital aspect of building strong and sustainable societies.
Targets
4.5.1
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Increase access rates for schools, health and community centres, especially in rural and remote areas in all Arab countries.
The proportion of schools with Internet access as a percentage of the total number of schools in the country, for levels 1–3 of the International Standard Classification of Education. This indicator aims to measure the availability of Internet access in schools.
Internet access patterns:
- Fixed broadband.
- Fixed narrowband.
- Both fixed narrowband and broadband.
UNESCO Institute for Statistics – Statistics of the UNESCO Institute for Statistics; Guide to measuring Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in education.
Baseline value: Unmeasured.
Medium-term target value: Twice the value after the first measurement.
Not defined yet.
Not available.
Baseline value: Unmeasured.
Medium-term target value: Twice the value after the first measurement.
Proposed actions to achieve Goal 4.5
Activate universal service funds so that they are not limited to the traditional concept of financing individual access, but also covering the costs of connecting vital facilities together, including schools and health centres.
- Take measures to support education and scientific research networks in Arab countries and facilitate their connectivity to the Internet at reasonable costs, given the importance of the services and content they provide.
Maximize the benefits of ICT in the education sector.
All members of society, according to their capabilities and needs, should possess the necessary skills to take full advantage of the information society. Therefore, community capacity-building in the field of ICT is at the heart of the path towards inclusive and sustainable development. In this context, ICT can make a number of contributions, including the following:
- Achieving education for all by providing education services and teacher training, especially vocational and higher education in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
- Providing improved conditions for lifelong learning, so that digital technologies can be used to meet the needs of both men and women in advanced stages of life, and enabling people outside formal education to improve their professional skills in line with current market demands.
- Promoting contributions to social life, political participation and social cohesion, through various social, professional, academic, media and other digital communication platforms.
Targets
4.6.1
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Increasing the number of users of e-learning and virtual learning in various fields, education levels and regions in all Arab countries.
Not defined yet.
Not available.
Baseline value: Unmeasured.
- Medium-term target value: Twice the value after the first measurement.
Proposed actions to achieve Goal 4.6
Review the ICT curricula in formal education.
Urge ministries of education and higher education to adopt virtual learning for basic and university education and lifelong learning and training.
- Activate the criteria for accrediting digital education, especially in ICT specializations.
Develop integrated e-government infrastructure and services in Arab countries.
E-government encompasses the use of ICT in the public administration of government institutions to facilitate and accelerate processes between different institutions and with citizens (such as administrative automation, automation of customs processing, automation of tax and revenue management systems, digitization of information, and remote interaction with all citizens).
The integrated development of e-government infrastructure and services is of paramount importance in the Arab region, as it contributes to improving the efficiency of government administration and facilitating the provision of interactive services to citizens. This requires establishing integrated e-government systems across different sectors and ministries, while promoting interoperability between these systems. Legislation and regulations should also be enacted to support open data and data sharing between governments, thereby enhancing government transparency and improving service delivery to citizens.
Government services in the region can be improved by developing joint e-services between Arab countries, which contributes to unifying efforts and achieving regional cooperation.
Targets
4.7.1
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Increase the scores of Arab countries on the E-Government Development Index above the global average.
This indicator is used to measure the readiness and capacity of national institutions to use ICTs to deliver public services. It is a composite index calculated on the basis of the weighted average of three normalized indices where one-third is derived from the Telecommunications Infrastructure Index, one-third from the Human Capital Index and one-third from the Online Service Index.
United Nations, e-Government Survey, 2022.
Baseline value: 13 countries below average.
Medium-term target value: All countries increase their score by at least 10 per cent.
Long-term target value: 22 countries above the global average.
4.7.2
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Ensure and enhance interoperability between e-government systems in Arab countries.
Not defined yet.
Not available.
Baseline value: Unmeasured.
Target value: Determined later after the first measurement.
4.7.3
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Develop e-government services, expand the scope of their use and improve user satisfaction in all Arab countries.
The Government Electronic and Mobile Services Index (GEMS) aims to measure the maturity of government services provided through electronic portals and mobile applications in the Arab States. It seeks to bridge the gap in most of the international indicators, related to service maturity, service usage and user satisfaction. To this end, 84 government services have been identified, and it is necessary for each country to deliver them electronically for individuals and businesses. The principle of life cycle has been adopted in service selection, meaning that any individual needs these services at different stages of his life, and any company requires them since its establishment until it is closed down.
United Nations - ESCWA, Government Electronic and Mobile Services (GEMS-2021) Maturity Index, 2022.
Baseline value: 13 countries.
Medium-term target value: All countries make annual progress on the GEMS Index.
4.7.4
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Strengthen open data initiatives in all Arab countries.
Not defined yet.
Not available.
Baseline value: Unmeasured.
Medium-term target value: 11 countries.
- Long-term target value: 22 countries.
Proposed actions to achieve Goal 4.7
Expand e-government services to make them interactive in all Arab countries.
Develop common electronic services between Arab countries.
- Enact legislation and regulations related to open data.
Increase the efficiency and quality of infrastructure used in the provision of e-government services.
Improving the efficiency and quality of infrastructure used in the delivery of e-government services enhances its ability to comprehensively meet the needs and expectations of users by optimizing the performance and efficiency of digital government processes. Investing in advanced infrastructure enhances security and protection and ensures the confidentiality and safety of information. It can also reduce the overall costs of delivering e-government services by increasing efficiency and sustainability. It also drives innovation in delivering new and advanced government services that meet the growing needs of users. A robust infrastructure helps the Government to continue delivering digital services in the most challenging circumstances or emergencies, and contributes to achieving transparency and increasing accountability.
Targets
4.8.1
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Develop national data centres with cloud environments to provide e-government services in Arab countries.
Not defined yet.
Not available.
Baseline value: Unmeasured.
Medium-term target value: 11 countries.
Long-term target value: 22 countries.
4.8.2
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Existence of regional data centres.
Not defined yet.
Not available.
Baseline value: Unmeasured.
- Medium-term target value: At least one centre.
Proposed actions to achieve Goal 4.8
Develop national and regional cloud environments.
- Prepare an Arab guidelines on cloud computing.
Increase the efficiency of the health sector through ICT.
ICT applications can be used to strengthen the health sector and to automate processes or data that improve the sector’s response to health challenges. ICT’s importance in the health sector was accentuated following the COVID-19 pandemic. In e-health, a number of factors should be made available at the national level, including the following:
- Ensuring broad access to global medical knowledge and relevant content resources.
- Identifying national programmes that address and promote sexual and reproductive health, targeting both men and women.
- Identifying national programmes to combat epidemics, including malaria and COVID-19.
- Using telemedicine for underserved areas and vulnerable populations.
- Ensuring the maturity and wide application of healthcare information systems, including patient care management, preservation of electronic health records, pharmaceutical management, and national healthcare databases.
- Using ICT systems to monitor and track the spread of infectious diseases.
Targets
4.9.1
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Increase ICT use in the health sector in all Arab countries.
Not defined yet.
Not available.
Baseline value: Unmeasured.
- Medium-term target value: 22 countries.
Proposed actions to achieve Goal 4.9
Formulate national e-health strategies, including networked hospital management systems, pharmaceutical management systems, and telemedicine and digital health follow-up systems.
- Take the necessary measures to ensure the quality, protection and privacy of electronic health records and data.