Unequal access to the internet in rural areas and the violation of the right to education

Abstract

With the significant advancement of technology and networks at the global level, it can currently be observed that there is a wide digital access gap between urban and rural areas, a situation that creates a major obstacle to guaranteeing the right to education, especially for children and adolescents who live in areas where there are no internet connectivity towers and who, in addition, face extreme poverty that prevents them from acquiring an electronic device for their academic activities. Various statistical data on connectivity in rural areas identify the main factors that perpetuate inequality in access: infrastructure, affordability, and digital skills, situations that affect educational equity. According to evidence from studies carried out by international and regional organizations, several aspects that generate this problem are discussed, such as regulatory implications and, mainly, the poor implementation of public policies by the Central Government and the Autonomous Decentralized Governments. Based on this, recommendations are proposed for state institutions and multilateral actors aimed at ensuring meaningful connectivity and, in this way, guaranteeing the right to education in rural areas.