The G20 Digital Economy Working Group (DEWG) delegations strive to bridge the digital gap through discussions centered on a toolkit to measure digital skills and literacy.
“Outside (the realm) of the digital gap problem, digital literacy is an empowerment tool to reach a more inclusive digital economic development,” G20 DEWG Alternate Chair Dedy Permady noted in a statement on Friday.
The G20 is an international forum comprising 19 countries that work together to handle major issues. Indonesia is holding the G20 Presidency this year.
The DEWG is one of the working groups of the G20 focusing on issues related to the digital economy and highlights the central role of digital transformation in the broader context of economic and social growth.
During a workshop on digital skills and literacy in Yogyakarta on Thursday, Permady remarked that the coronavirus disease pandemic had expedited the adoption of internet-based technology while also highlighting the issue of digital gap.
Every country faces a challenge in terms of fulfilling digital infrastructure facilities and services, ensuring affordable network access and equipment, and honing and driving digital skills and literacy.
“Along with the rising demand for digital skills and literacy, bolstering measurement and filling the gap within the existing measurement from the previous digital toolkit became relevant,” Permadi explained.
The delegation members took into account four aspects, with the first being that G20 members respect and support the efforts made during Indonesia’s G20 Presidency in developing the toolkit and measuring digital skills and literacy.
The second is that the measurement toolkit is formulated to accommodate the social and economic context of every G20 member.
“Afterwards, G20 members can modify indicators based on their current priorities,” he remarked.
For the third, he lauded the attention over methodology and the capability to reach the marginal community, given that there are several concerns over it.
Lastly, G20 DEWG delegations acknowledged the existence of instruments to measure digital skills and literacy. Indonesia’s G20 Presidency suggested that the existing toolkit can enrich the indicators that have been utilized in several countries.
The workshop discussed digital skills and measurement in G20 member countries.
Source: Antara News