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As digital technologies reshape all sectors of society, it is crucial to ensure that technological advancements benefit all countries and communities equally, leaving no one behind. UNESCO¡¯s Information for All Programme (IFAP) is committed to addressing the significant challenges posed by global digital divides, contributing to the WSIS+20 review and the UN¡¯s Global Digital Compact process. To this end, IFAP¡¯s priority areas of information for development and information accessibility provide a multi-stakeholder policy discussion forum for reflections on bridging gender and linguistic divides, enhancing meaningful connectivity, and promoting accessibility and inclusivity in AI.

According to Onica Makwakwa, Executive Director of the , inclusion and participation are prerequisites for building AI systems. She, therefore, calls for participation of underrepresented groups, particularly women and girls in the global South, in the AI value chain. According to the IFAP Strategic Plan, ensuring digital inclusion for all age groups, including the elderly, is crucial. A notable example of national initiatives in this area is the thematic workshop on  organized by the .

The digital inclusion strategies should not only involve citizens from all age groups but also cater for additional skills development. In the absence of the necessary digital skills in AI and other emerging technologies, disparities are worsened, as documented in the report ¡°¡± by (Cetic.br). 

Libraries also play an important role to build capacities of all age groups. Maja Maricevic, Director of Science and Innovation at the , highlights that libraries and librarians play an important role in applying human-centric approaches to AI development and empowering individuals so that no one is left behind. The vital role of libraries in reducing digital divides was acknowledged by participants in a recent workshop on co-organized by  and IFAP.  The power of libraries is not to be underestimated, especially as 73% of them are located in developing countries.

On 30 May 2024, during the WSIS Forum 2024, IFAP convened a thematic workshop entitled ¡°¡± and ensured policy discussions toward developing inclusive and sustainable AI technologies. 

IFAP also participated in a workshop on promoting  organized in cooperation with the .  Another workshop on  was co-organized by IFAP,  ,  and . It highlighted the ethical, legal, social and human rights implication of frontier digital technologies. Participants called for more interdisciplinary and collaborative research to shape inclusive, ethical and responsible governance of emerging digital technologies, such as quantum technology.