1. Purpose and activities of the Digital Equity Committee (DEC)
   • Purpose

Technological and also societal developments are happening at an incredible speed with the risk that underprivileged persons and communities are lagging behind faster and further. There is also a risk that technological trajectories and developments are unsustainable, and it is vital to ensure sustainable trajectories rather than just keeping up with the developments. These risks are not limited to developing countries but also affect emerging and developed countries. The Digital Equity Committee is tasked to initiate, encourage and promote activities by IFIP bodies, IFIP member societies and IFIP volunteers that contribute to achieving digital equity and sustainable development.

• Activities

The Digital Equity Committee activities include a broad variety of different activities, including:

1. Acting as a Steering Committee for “WITFOR-type” events and encourage IFIP bodies to organize such events.
2. Acting as a promotor of IFIP doctoral consortia/webinars and other activities focussing on enabling the participation of young researchers and young professionals from developing and emerging countries and/or underprivileged communities.
3. Acting as a coordinating committee that identifies programs/activities of UN agencies in relation to digital equity and sustainable development with potential for IFIP participation.
4. Engaging with IFIP bodies and IFIP member societies to encourage and initiate activities / events aimed at achieving digital equity and sustainable development.
5. Providing assistance for the effective operations of ICT societies in general, including non-IFIP members, to strengthen their effectiveness in achieving digital equity and sustainable development.
6. Initiating projects on digital transformation in various fields with participating institutions and agencies including with UN agencies in relation to digital equity and sustainable development, for instance a project on digital payments (compare countries, learn from each other).
7. Initiating the development of and/or create a framework for IFIP doctoral consortia/webinars. A particular emphasis will be on benefits for young researchers and professionals from developing and emerging countries. Develop and maintain a process/procedure to manage/overview such consortia/webinars.
   • Action plan

DEC will have an annual action plan that lists concrete activities and prioritizes these activities. It will also include references to the SDG’s that the activities focus on. The plan will be, as far as possible, multi-annual rolling forward. This plan will be drafted in consultation with the various IFIP bodies and member societies’ representatives.

2. IFIP Related Work to be Considered

Already many IFIP groups and activities have been and are addressing digital equity and sustainable development (goals) and are supporting participation from developing and emerging countries. The Digital Equity Committee will liaise with all IFIP groups that are contributing to the DEC goals.

3. Finances

The Digital Equity Committee has its own budget in the accounts of IFIP and will follow the IFIP budget rules and procedures. The budget will be used to initiate and support activities and projects. In the annual budget request these activities, projects and plans will be listed and explained.

Activities and projects that request financial support from the Digital Equity Committee will have to submit a project proposal / description that includes a financial paragraph with the budget (expected income, expenses and required sponsorship) for that project / activity.

IFIP together with interested UN Agencies and other participating institutions may approach relevant funding institutions and governments on grants/ funds to support specific activities and projects.