Government examines internet equity among Namibians

Namibia is currently engaged in an assessment of the rights, accessibility, transparency and stakeholder engagement in relation to the use and access to the internet in the country. At the official launch event this week at the University of Science and Technology (NUST) in Windhoek, deputy minister of information and communication technology, Emma Theofilus, said 51% of Namibians have access to the internet."But what about the other 49%?" she asked.According to her, the information ministry is implementing a national digital literacy programme aimed at equipping underprivileged Namibians with certain digital skills."As a country, we are aware that we have made significant progress in terms of technology development policy, guided by various international instruments. Currently, several policies are already in place, and others, such as the national digital strategy, cybercrime, and data protection laws, are in the conceptual phase," she added.In-depth lookThe assessment is being conducted according to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation&#039;s (Unesco&#039;s) Internet Universality Indicators, better known as the ROAM-X indicators. These 303 indicators cover nearly every aspect of internet use in a specific country, and in Namibia, the assessment process is led by the Internet Society Namibia Chapter.Namibia is the first country in southern Africa to embark on this process.According to the deputy minister, ROAM-X will provide Namibia with evidence of where the country stands in terms of policy and development of local internet systems, "especially regarding human rights aspects, openness, accessibility, and the role and management of various stakeholders. Identifying gaps Additionally, it recognises gender, disability, youth, and information technology as diverse issues that should be addressed in technology policy, utilisation, and practice," she said.Theofilus said technology creates imbalances where certain sectors of society are not equally advantaged."I believe that there is more we can do to address this situation at the policy level," she said.She added that "the ROAM-X framework will help us identify blind spots and design the appropriate policies in our next steps. The ROAM-X assessment, when completed later this year, promises to provide a concrete analysis of Internet universality."

Government examines internet equity among Namibians

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Namibian Sun 2026-01-21

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Government examines internet equity among Namibians

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Namibian Sun 2026-01-21

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