Access to digital technologies has emerged as one of the most pressing human rights issues of the twenty-first century. Structural inequalities in digital access disproportionately affect communities across the Global South, perpetuating cycles of exclusion from education, healthcare, economic participation, and civic life. Recognizing the intersection of digital access with existing social determinants of wellbeing, the UNESCO Chair on Digital Equity, Access and Human Rights advances a comprehensive research and advocacy agenda to study law’s role in guaranteeing equitable digital futures for marginalized populations globally.

The Chair examines how legal frameworks, policy environments, and institutional structures either enable or impede meaningful digital inclusion, with particular attention to communities in Africa, Latin America, and Southeast Asia. The program strengthens North-South and South-South research partnerships, develops actionable policy recommendations, and builds capacity for digital rights advocacy across jurisdictions.