The line between the digital and daily life is blurred in today’s world. In less than a century, digital devices have evolved from room-sized machines to extensions of our own bodies. Their uses have also changed dramatically. What was once used only for specialized enterprises such as launching rockets is now used for courtship, commerce, and community. The combination of anywhere access to digital devices and anywhen access to digital connectivity has upended social practices, public services, and even our role as citizens. But this is only part of the story.
The unevenness of the ongoing digital transformation coupled with already existing social inequities - within and between nations - has resulted in the emergence of several digital divides: in access, in skills and in utilization. Those at the periphery of the global order and the margins of their own societies, even in well resourced countries, do not have reliable digital access. Even when access exists, research increasingly shows that communities at the margins are unable, in comparison to their more privileged neighbours, to leverage such resources for education, livelihoods, and to be heard .
With a conviction that the benefits of digital technologies can be shared more equitably, Karkhana Global tackles multiple digital divides: in access, in skill, and in utilization. Our engineering and technological skills are put to use tackling the digitization of services utilizing ICT4D and user-centric design frameworks. Our pedagogical skills are leveraged to tackle digital literacy. Our Human Rights Based Approach (HRBA), including a commitment to gender equity, results in programs that model how the socio-political changes resulting from digitization can be inclusive and leave no one behind.
