No fewer than 46 organisations and companies, including Out of Use, have made a strong commitment today by signing the charter for digital inclusion. They did so at the launch of the DigitAll campaign in the presence of federal vice-premier Petra De Sutter.
Today, as much as 40 per cent of the Belgian population runs the risk of being excluded from an increasingly digitised society, thereby jeopardising de facto fundamental human rights. For the minister and leaders of a wide range of organisations, that figure is the signal for action. "40 per cent, that affects all layers of the population: rich or poor, old or young," says the DigitAll coalition.
That's why DigitAll - a broad coalition of private, social and public companies with BNP Paribas Fortis and Proximus as leaders - is launching a campaign today to make everyone aware of the risks of digital exclusion. Organisations are encouraged to take the initiative and citizens to participate in actions that enable digital inclusion.
Petra De Sutter, Deputy Prime Minister: "Make no mistake. Digital exclusion goes beyond not having a smartphone or computer. Whether or not you have access to the Internet and are digitally literate increasingly means whether or not you can participate in our society. We often take our human rights for granted, and underestimate how new forms of exclusion can have major consequences. Our fight against digital exclusion is therefore nothing less than a fight for fundamental rights."
Yannick Adriaenssens, Out of Use: "In today's society it has become indispensable to have access to digital resources, this is where we can do our part. With Out of Use we ensure that more devices are kept active in the market, which provides wider access to our digital society."
In concrete terms, DigitAll starts the campaign with the following actions:
- On a website (www.digitall.be) we bring together the various existing initiatives that aim to reduce digital exclusion. By bringing together the existing offers, DigitAll also wants to inspire and motivate other actors in society to take the road to more digital inclusion.
- Of course, the initiative cannot be limited to the website. In order to reach citizens who are not yet digitally savvy, DigitAll makes brochures available in post offices, Proximus shops and through the BNP Paribas Fortis network to inform and guide as wide a section of the population as possible in the digital society.