The world has radically changed since the 1994 ICPD adopted its Programme of Action. When 179 governments committed to placing the rights and dignity of people at the heart of sustainable development, only 0.4 per cent of people globally used the Internet. Today, nearly 70 per cent are connected in some way, with previously unimaginable access to knowledge and resources. Technologies have transformed countless lives across the world. They have increased access to sexual and reproductive health and rights, including through enhanced diagnostic and medical services; enabled rapid response mechanisms to support survivors of gender-based violence; assisted in forecasting changing demographics; and ensured that information and services are reaching the most vulnerable populations, including young and older people, as well as people with disabilities. However, access remains uneven with digital divides stretching across nations and between population groups entrenching existing inequalities. Further, digital technologies that are not designed to support safe, secure, and private access and use may inadvertently or deliberately provide spaces for the perpetration of harm to both individuals as well as society more broadly.
To harness the potential for digital technologies to future-proof the universal principles and commitments of the ICPD, global commitment and action are required with ever-increasing urgency to keep pace with the rapidly emerging proliferation of technologies across the world.
