{"id":152749,"date":"2020-05-15T06:00:43","date_gmt":"2020-05-15T11:00:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ict-pulse.com\/?p=152749"},"modified":"2020-05-14T16:45:28","modified_gmt":"2020-05-14T21:45:28","slug":"attention-covid-19-focus-sdgs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ict-pulse.com\/2020\/05\/attention-covid-19-focus-sdgs\/","title":{"rendered":"With our attention on COVID-19, is it really necessary that we also focus on the SDGs?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Many of us have forgotten about the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and perhaps no longer believe they are relevant. However, they may be even more crucial, as we look towards the future in the face of COVID-19, and even beyond.<\/em><\/p>\n

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If you blink, you might miss it. This coming Sunday, 17 May, is World Telecommunication and Information Society Day (WTISD), which marks the founding date of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU)<\/a> in 1865. Every year since 1969, WTISD is an opportunity to not only appreciate the advancements in telecoms and ICT that have been made, but more importantly, to also highlight issues that deserve our attention. This year, the focus is on achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).<\/p>\n

The SDGs? For many of us, the SDGs have fallen off our radar, generally, and more so thanks to COVID-19, also known as the novel coronavirus, which was discovered nearly six months ago, and had become a global pandemic less than two months later. At the time of writing, there have been over 4.5\u00a0million confirmed infections and over 300,000 fatalities worldwide.<\/p>\n

In the absence of a vaccine or an effective treatment, and to reduce the rate of infection, countries have been enforcing self-isolation measures, such as the closure of schools, people working from home, curfews and countrywide lockdowns, to name a few. The result has been considerable reliance on telecoms and ICT, especially the Internet, to help us continue working (as appropriate), for children to continue their education, and for us to stay connected to our families and friends.<\/p>\n

Truth be told, and since January 2020, we have been inundated with news about COVID-19. It is all we have been giving our attention, and very few non-COVID-19-related news items makes the headlines these days. However, the ITU is highlighting the SDGs. Why?<\/p>\n

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A quick primer on the SDGs<\/h3>\n

A follow-on from the Millennium Development Goals of the 2000s, the SDGs are part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development<\/em>, which was adopted by United Nations General Assembly in 2015. The SDGs were conceptualised to be a \u201cblueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all<\/a><\/em>\u201d, and comprise 17 goals, which are listed in infographic below.<\/p>\n

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It is highlighted that there is no specific goal with respect to telecoms or ICT. Instead, it is expected that telecoms and ICT will be suitably leveraged to accelerate progress towards realisation of all of the goals, whilst bridging the digital divide, as appropriate.<\/p>\n

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COVID-19 and the digital divide<\/h3>\n

With our increasing reliance on telecoms and ICT to help us retain some sense of normalcy, and for many, to continue to earn an income, the digital divide has become even more glaring. Although across the Caribbean region we have a high mobile\/cellular subscription density, and a growing take-up of mobile broadband data services, Internet access is no longer \u2018a nice to have\u2019. It is has become essential during our current predicament, but large swathes of our population cannot afford 24\/7 access \u2013 either by mobile data or fixed-line broadband Internet service. Further, many cannot afford a smartphone, and neither do they possess a PC or laptop, which can support a broader range of digital and online activities than a smartphone.<\/p>\n

A key area where the deficiency is pronounced is in the education sector. Online classrooms and remote education have become the norm, but a large proportion of students either:<\/p>\n