The Unconnected

The UN Secretary-General’s Roadmap for Digital Cooperation and ‘Our Common Agenda’ underscore the need for enhanced and improved digital cooperation. ITU and the Office of the UN Secretary-General’s Envoy on Technology have been working closely to promote digital cooperation, including through the Partner2Connect Digital Coalition.In this episode, Doreen Bogdan-Martin speaks with Amandeep Singh Gill, UN Secretary-General’s Envoy on Technology. Listen to find out more about his vision, the concept of the ‘’digital commons’’, the proposed Global Digital Compact, and more!

Around half of the world’s primary schools still lack computers and internet access. ITU and UNICEF’s Giga school connectivity aims to turn this around by connecting all schools to the internet. What further opportunities do digital technologies offer to transform education?H.E. David Moinina Sengeh, Sierra Leone’s Minister of Basic and Senior Secondary Education and Chief Innovation Officer, speaks with BDT Director Doreen Bogdan-Martin on his country’s approach towards using technology in education. He shares that more girls are now enrolled in school, than before the COVID-19 pandemic, in Sierra Leone. Listen to his views and advice to the global community ahead of the UN Transforming Education Summit.

The exponential rise of technology and its widespread adoption has led to a dual effect. On the one hand, there are a rising number of devices and electronics in the market, exacerbating an already growing waste and resource challenge. On the other hand, new technology has also led to an increase in digital solutions and innovation that is a catalyst to transforming electronic value chains towards a circular model. Doreen Bogdan-Martin speaks with Dr. Naoko Ishii, Executive Vice President, Professor at Institute for Future Initiative, Director, Center for Global Commons, University of Tokyo, on the opportunities that digitalization and connectivity bring to the transition towards a circular economy for electronics, particularly in building sustainable e-waste management systems. Interviewer: Doreen Bogdan-Martin, Director, Telecommunication Development Bureau, ITU

While STEM subjects are key drivers in an increasingly global and digital society, less than 30% of STEM professionals are women. Women and girls face additional barriers compared to their men counterparts when trying to access safe and equal STEM education, as well as pursue careers in STEM.Ahead of this year's International Girls in ICT Day celebrations, Nisreen Deeb, Executive Director of the Lebanese League for Women in Business, and BDT Director Doreen Bogdan-Martin discuss the importance of encouraging more women and girls to follow STEM, and how to get around roadblocks that might be in their way.

Doreen Bogdan-Martin speaks with Robert Piper on digital technologies for development and the role of connectivity in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

Emergency telecommunications are critical for disaster risk reduction and management. Oftentimes, telecommunication networks themselves are among the first casualties of extreme weather events. There is a need to better protect vital infrastructure and make it more resilient. Ronald Jackson, head of the United Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP) Disaster Risk Reduction and Recovery team, discusses opportunities for technology and connectivity for better disaster preparedness and management, with BDT Director Doreen Bogdan-Martin.

Women are underrepresented in the field of cybersecurity. ITU’s Women in Cyber mentorship programme, organized together with the EQUALS Global Partnership and the Forum for Incident Response Teams (FIRST), aims to help bridge the gap. In this episode of the UNconnected, Doreen Bogdan-Martin, Director of the ITU Telecommunication Development Bureau speaks with Louise Marie Hurel and Angela Matlapeng, who participated as a mentor and mentee respectively, in the programme. They discuss the challenges and opportunities for women in cyber, and the way forward for women to co-create and lead solutions in this field.

The Unconnected with Courtenay RattrayA conversation between Doreen Bogdan-Martin, Director of the ITU Telecommunication Development Bureau and Courtenay Rattray, High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States (UN-OHRLLS). This episode highlights the urgent need to connect hardest-to-connect communities, by exploring solutions to developmental challenges and connectivity barriers, with expert insights and recommendations on accelerating digital transformation in LDCs, LLDCs and SIDS. #UniversalConnectivity #broadband #LDCs #LLDCs #SIDS #ConnectivityForAll #ICT4SDG #OHRLLS #ITU #Internet #Technology #Tech #ICTs #Telecommunication #Development

Female Digital Entrepreneurship A conversation between Doreen Bogdan - Martin, Director of the ITU Telecommunication Development Bureau, Tara Mulhare, a leader and coach for emerging businesses, and Rebekah Daniel, the head of a start-up in the fashion industry in Ethiopia, on how technology can enhance women’s economic and professional opportunities. Tara and Rebekah share advice to young women who want to use digital tools to expand their businesses, and describe the transformative role of digital skills from their first-hand experiences, including through ITU and the Enhanced Integrated Framework’s joint project on digital skills for women.For more information please visit: http://www.itu.int

THE UNCONNECTED With Andile Ngcaba by ITU

A conversation between Doreen Bogdan-Martin, Director of the ITU Telecommunication Development Bureau and Vint Cerf, Google’s Internet Evangelist and one of the ‘Fathers of the Internet’. A riveting discussion about innovation, motivation and how to connect the unconnected to the Internet and expanding the Internet into space.https://itu.int

A conversation between Doreen Bogdan-Martin, Director of the ITU Telecommunication Development Bureau and Alyssa Carson, astronaut trainee, pilot and student in astrobiology at the Florida Institute of Technology. An enlightening conversation with the female space enthusiast about dreams of going to space, female role models and bringing more girls into science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) careers.https://itu.int

A conversation between Doreen Bogdan-Martin, Director of the ITU Telecommunication Development Bureau and Joanne O'Riordan, writer at the Irish Times and podcast host @hersportdotie and one of a handful of people born with the total-Amelia syndrome, characterized by the absence of all four limbs. An inspiring conversation about barriers, accessibility and digital inclusion for people with disabilities and how to overcome them.https://itu.int

A conversation between Doreen Bogdan Martin, Director of ITU Telecommunication Development Bureau and Princess Dr. Nisreen El-Hashemite, Founder and President of Women in Science International League on February 11, the International Day of Women and Girls in Science. A candid chat about girls in ICT, gender equality, science, technology, education, accessibility, policy reform and public-private partnership.www.itu.int

Doreen Bogdan - Martin, Director of the ITU Telecommunication Development Bureau in conversation with Pascal Leroy, Director General of the WEEE Forum - the world's largest multi-national centre of competence as regards operational know-how concerning the management of waste electrical and electronic equipment.This podcast interview aims to raise awareness about the role that individual consumers and companies can play in responsible consumption, reuse and recycling of Electric and Electronic Equipments (EEE) to create to a circular economy for a sustainable society.www.itu.int