The RightsCon event took place on 14 June 2019 at the Laico Hotel in Tunis. It was the first summit hosted in the Middle East and North Africa region and more than 2500 expert practitioners came together across over 400 sessions to shape, contribute to, and drive forward the global agenda for the future of our human rights.
The objectives of the sessions were to:
-Establish that the digital economy can make the most contributions to development when we purposefully take measures to ensure for inclusion.
– Share research about how inclusive access and usage of the internet are today in certain regions, and where are the gaps that need to be addressed.
– Share research on how women and some marginalized groups experience the online world, and how this affects their Internet access and usage.
– Explore policy recommendations that can be taken collaboratively to improve inclusion in the digital economy.
Mohamed Abbes, the Public Policy Director for the MENA Region spoke at a panel that was focused on ‘Designing a More Inclusive Digital Economy.’ He presented on the barriers that the mobile industry is facing to better bridge both the usage and coverage Gaps with the objective of positioning the mobile industry as a purpose-driven. He also presented the Connected Women commitment initiative.