Internet access is so crucial for accessing essential public services, health information, education, and financial services, it is vital that governments particularly in developing countries take action and implement plans to provide free internet access for their communities.

A 2011 special rapporteur for freedom of expression report to the UN human rights council declared internet access a fundamental enabler of human rights. As a result, several of the world's governments, have formally recognized internet access as a human right for citizens to stay informed and use the information and online services needed in the 21st-century life. 

Though the Ethiopian government works hard to meet those demands, access to the internet is still lagging, with only 21.14 million internet users in Ethiopia in January 2020(Datareportal.com). 

Especially, during this COVID 19 pandemic times, students who do not have access to computers and the internet (among other technologies) have got further and further behind their peers who do. This lack of access to knowledge-and lack of opportunity to generate and disseminate new knowledge-is preventing our communities from meeting their most severe challenges. 

Therefore, we pledge the Ethiopian government to free internet access for all Ethiopian public libraries to support those in need of Ethiopian students. 

"We are not called to do the same thing, but we are all capable of doing something."

let's bridge the digital divide together!