Public Access: Supporting digital inclusion for all Addis Ababa, September 2015 Emilar Vushe Gandhi

What is public access? Facilities that allow any member of the public to make affordable use of computers with broadband connections, ICT tools and technical support Locating public access services in existing institutions situated in the community, such as libraries and post offices, is often a particularly effective method of deploying public access

Access to information a key development issue Access to information and communications supports development by empowering people, especially more remote and marginalised communities and those living in poverty Better exercise their political and socio-economic rights Become more economically productive Learn, apply new skills and find better jobs, livelihood Participate in decision making

But inequalities in access limit the effectiveness of ICTs in addressing social needs The social, political and economic potential of the internet can only be realised by people who have access to it Not everyone is fully connected and those who are “connected” often suffer from poor-quality and high-cost Lack of physical infrastructure is the primary barrier faced by governments and citizens on the wrong side of the digital divide Quality and speed of internet access affect types of information access Gender divide – a new dimension men access PCs at work while women use mobile phones Content divide - Access to relevant content

Public access is a core component of strategies for reducing the digital divide Broad-based ecosystem approach is needed to address the digital divide There are a number of interrelated elements; supply and demand, infrastructure, access facilities, policy and regulation,applications, content, capacity-building, digital literacy, funding sources and mechanisms. Support for public access needs to be made a more explicit part of this ecosystem. People who are online also need public access The next billion will come online with their own devices AND should have public access

Action points for policy makers Build awareness and information sharing - on the importance on public access, how to implement and sustain public access facilities, best practice Improve the enabling environment – a conducive policy and regulatory environment which ensures competitive, pervasive and reliable provision of internet services. Implement use of universal access funds and other public policy instruments to support public access Address human resource deficiencies - prioritise training and re- skilling of library and information professionals Invest in locally relevant applications and service development, particularly e-government services

Ndatenda. Ngiyabonga Emilar Vushe Gandhi Africa Policy Coordinator Association for Progressive Communications (APC)