IGF finishes with a call to close the digital divide

One of the key final messages of the Internet Governance Forum (IGF), which happened from 6 to 9 December in Guadalajara, Mexico, was the urgency to close the “digital divide”. There was a call for concerted actions to ensure that all people in all countries are able to reap the benefits of the Internet. It was recognised that in addition to the physical challenges of getting people connected at affordable rates, many people do not yet fully recognize the Internet’s value. Participants also remarked the existence of a “gender gap.” There are 257 million more men online than women and they face a wider variety of online harassment and abuse than men.