As the world becomes increasingly connected through technology and digital innovations, technology Is also being framed as a panacea for developmental issues. Its application in the development sector is known as information technology for development (IT4D). While technology has clear commercial value, its use for social good is more complex. Even implemented with altruistic intentions, technology interventions can reinforce social and economic inequality, power imbalances and governance issues. This policy briefing discusses how the digital divide plays out in Africa, and how concepts of inclusion and equity need to be considered in technology interventions to overcome (rather than exacerbate) this. The briefing also gives examples and best practices of how governments can incorporate inclusion and equity into their policy development and implementation to mitigate the inevitability of the digital divide.
