Harnessing Technology to Sustain Momentum on SDGs
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres recently warned that while the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted technology as a force for good, it has also revealed the deep inequalities that persist in digital access, placing nearly half the world’s population at a disadvantage. He has called on the world to use digital technology to support the most vulnerable and marginalized among us, and “unleash its power as a true equalizer and enabler.” Taking these words to heart, the +SocialGood network of changemakers has been hard at work this year, finding creative ways to use technology to promote the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for a more inclusive, sustainable future for all.
2019 +SocialGood Connector Ashley Bass has witnessed the transformative power of technology first-hand in her work helping underrepresented and low-income young New Yorkers access training and mentorship programs in software development and design. Bass’s deep commitment to inclusive education and career opportunities that reflect the full diversity and needs of communities has fueled her professional work from the City University of New York to GitHub, where she currently helps brainstorm ways to provide tech education tools to underserved communities around the world.
This past spring, Bass collaborated with JP Morgan Chase to host their annual Generation Tech event, bringing together high school students — many of whom had no technical background or experience — in the New York and New Jersey area to use technology to identify solutions to the SDGs. Participants received mentorship from the “Tech for Social Good” team at JP Morgan Chase, and the top four teams received a prize from the event jury. Bass’s work with technology in underserved communities not only promotes the use of digital tools for social good, but also ensures that individuals of all social and economic backgrounds are included as key stakeholders to achieving the SDGs by 2030.
Across the world, Nashilongo Gervasius, another 2019 +SocialGood Connector, advocates for open access to the internet, particularly in her home country of Namibia. She co-founded the Namibia chapter of the Internet Society as a policy and advocacy hub to help bridge the country’s digital divide, promote a safe online space for all users, and ensure that everyone has access to a safe and secure internet. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the group joined forces with local and international stakeholders in the internet and technology space to hold virtual policy dialogues with citizens on internet regulation, the role of youth in governing the internet, and how to secure digital human rights.
As Gervasius puts it, “the future of internet freedom in Africa should be one that recognizes digital rights as human rights…but also one that propagates technological connectivity as an important tool in driving democratic processes and key in social development.” Her work helps bring the continent one step closer to this future. In fact, Gervasius was recently recognized as an Open Internet for Democracy leader for her efforts to protect and promote an open internet. She was also honored as a finalist for the 2020 Equals in Tech Awards for her research on women’s rights online and the digital gender divide.
The pandemic has not only shone light on the power of technology to enhance connectivity and maintain access to work and education during lockdowns, but it has also shown what can happen if these tools are not made accessible to everyone: half of the world gets left out. With COVID-19 a continuing reality into the new year, these young changemakers’ efforts to protect and enhance their communities’ equal access to the internet and other vital digital tools will be more crucial than ever.
