Digital health rights campaigner briefing, May 2022
Leave no young person behind in the digital health era
Digital tools and artificial intelligence (AI) may help us to achieve the Global Goals, including health for all, but there are no guarantees that the benefits will affect everyone equally. Young people are the most digitally connected, making those online and engaged the most likely to benefit, but also the most vulnerable to the risks associated with giving up their data. Those who have historically experienced marginalization and discrimination are even more at risk. Meanwhile the young people who are not digitally connected, such as those living in rural areas or from lower income backgrounds, risk being left behind.
The main global agreement on digital health is the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Digital Health Strategy. This includes a list of actions for governments and other stakeholders to take to improve the use of digital approaches to achieve health for all. Governments are currently planning how to deliver these and will report back at the next World Health Assembly in 2023. However, young people are not mentioned even once in the strategy. Therefore, now is the time to ask governments how they will deliver on young people’s priorities for digital health!
Read our campaigner briefing in English here, in French here, in Portuguese here and in Spanish here.
Created by GNP+, Mas que tres letras, Restless Development, STOPAIDS, YET4H, Y-ACT, Y+ Global.