UNICEF Innocenti Research Brief 2022-11 - Estimates of internet access for children - Ethiopia, Kenya, Namibia, Uganda and the United Republic of Tanzania

Oct 15, 2026

UNICEF Innocenti Research Brief 2022-11 examines estimates of children’s internet access across Ethiopia, Kenya, Namibia, Uganda, and the United Republic of Tanzania, linking the digital divide to unequal opportunities. It identifies barriers to access, including limited electricity and connectivity, high costs of connectivity and devices, and cultural or social norms that constrain children—especially younger children and girls. The brief also frames COVID-19 as intensifying infrastructure gaps, and calls for coordinated investment, affordability measures, and rights-focused, context-sensitive policy action.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages9

Reading Time23 min

AccessFree to download

Priorities to address the digital divide

Investing in electricity and connectivity

Reducing costs of connectivity and devices

Addressing cultural and social norms

Connectivity and the digital divide

Impact of COVID-19 on connectivity

Data on children’s internet access

UNICEF Innocenti Research Brief 2022-11 Estimates of internet access for children in Ethiopia, Kenya, Namibia, Uganda and the United Republic of Tanzania Daniel Kardefelt-Winther, UNICEF Office of Research – Innocenti Moritz Büchi, University of Zürich RogersTwesigye, UNICEF Office of Research – Innocenti Marium Saeed, UNICEF Office of Research – Innocenti To address the digital divide and enable equal access to digital connectivity, three priorities should be pursued. 1. Invest in electricity and connectivity with a focus on marginalized communities and users. A lack of electricity was reported as a barrier to access by between 13 per cent and 28 per cent of children in this study, depending on the country. Coordinated, large-scale investments from national governments and the private sector are needed to bring electricity and connectivity to the millions of unconnected children around the world. 2. Reduce the cost of connectivity and devices. Cost of connectivity was the most common barrier to access in three of the five countries surveyed here, while a lack of available devices was very common in some countries but less so in others. Governments working with telecommunication companies can address this by subsidizing devices and lowering costs to make data and content more affordable. For instance, in May 2020, a partnership between Airtel Africa and UNICEF made browsing selected websites that host educational content free of any data charges in 13 African countries. 3. Recognize and address cultural and social norms as barriers to access forchildren. A lack of parental permission was reported as a barrier to access for between 15 per cent and 26 per cent of children, depending on the country. This affected younger children more commonly than older ones, which may reflect parental concerns around online risks. However, it was also more common for girls than boys. Perceptions of internet use as being more valuable for boys than for girls and entrenched gender norms reducing girls’ access are issues that need to be addressed at the normative and cultural levels. Efforts to provide electricity and connectivity will only reduce the digital divide if normative barriers are also addressed. Connectivity and the digital divide The COVID-19 pandemic transformed internet connectivity from an important asset to an essential piece of infrastructure. It made clear that affordable and accessible internet connectivity is a critical resource for children and their families, serving their educational, social and professional needs. Yet two thirds of the world’s school-aged children (1.3 billion in total) still have no fixed internet connection in their homes.1 This lack of connectivity not only limits children’s and young people’s ability to go online; it also prevents them from participating and competing in the modern economy and risks isolating them from the world. 1 [https://www.unicef.org/media/88381/file/How-many-children-and-young-people-have-internet-access-at-home-2020.pdf](https://www.unicef.org/media/88381/file/How-many-children-and-young-people-have-internet-access-at-home-2020.pdf) Brief 1: Estimates of internet access for children in Ethiopia, Kenya, Namibia, Uganda and the United Republic of Tanzania The digital divide perpetuates inequalities among and within countries and communities and poses challenges to equality of opportunity. Children and young people from the poorest households, rural areas and low-income states may fall behind wealthier peersand have access to fewer opportunities to catch up.2 The almost universal school closures that occurred in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated an already challenging situation for children in low-income countries.1 With limited or non-existent infrastructure with which to connect to digitally supported distance learning and essential services, these children’s educational progress and future opportunities have been significantly set ba

FAQs

What are the three priorities UNICEF proposes to address the digital divide for children?

The brief proposes investing in electricity and connectivity for marginalized communities, reducing the cost of connectivity and devices, and recognizing cultural and social norms as barriers to children’s access.

How does the COVID-19 pandemic change the role of internet connectivity for children?

It transformed internet connectivity from an important asset into essential infrastructure, affecting children’s education, social participation, and ability to engage with the modern economy.

What kinds of barriers does the report highlight when estimating children’s internet access?

It highlights barriers such as lack of electricity, high connectivity costs, insufficient device availability, and permission-related and gendered cultural norms that restrict access.

Oct 15, 2026

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