7. The Parliamentary Assembly further underlines that authorities have a special responsibility in this areawhen they themselves set about digitalising public services. In fact, while objectives such as rationalisingadministrative costs, simplifying the management of casefiles or improving the efficiency or speed with whichcases are processed may be legitimate, under no circumstances should those who do not have ready accessto digital technologies be left behind in the pursuit of those goals. To do so would deprive them of access totheir rights and constitute an infringement of the obligation to ensure continuity of public services.

8. The Assembly refers to the texts which it has already adopted and which provide important solutions inthis area, in particular Resolution 2256 (2019) “Internet governance and human rights”, Resolution 2343(2020) “Preventing discrimination caused by the use of artificial intelligence” and Resolution 2144 (2017)“Ending cyberdiscrimination and online hate”. It also draws States’ attention to General Recommendation No.1 of the Council of Europe Expert Group on Action against Violence against Women and Domestic Violence(GREVIO) on the digital dimension of violence against women, which contains crucial recommendations forgovernments, to ensure that the measures they take to implement the Council of Europe Convention onpreventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (CETS No. 210, “IstanbulConvention”) fully reflect the digital dimension of the situations covered by the Istanbul Convention.

9. In the light of these considerations, and in order to remedy the inequalities that already exist in this areaand prevent them from deepening further, the Assembly calls on Council of Europe member and observerStates, as well as on all States whose parliaments enjoy partner for democracy status to:

9.1. treat all policies for combating the digital divide as a priority;

9.2. focus in these policies on making digital technologies, tools and services inclusive, equitable, accessible, affordable and safe for all;

9.3. provide strong, structured and sustainable support to local initiatives that seek to achieve these aims, in order to avoid leaving behind all those who do not know how to use digital technologies, or who do not want to;

9.4. ensure that policies to combat the digital divide are accompanied by adequate funding;

9.5. subject these policies to regular scrutiny by national parliaments;

9.6. remove any obstacles that prevent some children with disabilities from enjoying equal access to education when the latter is based on digital tools and technologies.

10. As regards the development of mobile telephone and high or very high speed internet services, theAssembly, referring to Resolution 2256 (2019) mentioned above, recommends that States:

10.1. implement national public investment policies which are coherent, with the objective of ensuring universal access to the internet;

10.2. aim in particular to remedy geographical imbalances (for example between urban and rural or remote areas);

10.3. implement policies for deploying networks that make it possible to achieve this objective.

11. As regards combating digital illiteracy and ensuring access to education and careers in science,technology, engineering and mathematics, the Assembly calls on States to:

11.1. consider the provision of digital training for everyone, regardless of gender, age, social status, economic situation, disability and any other personal characteristic, as an investment;

11.2. promote access for all to studies and careers in science, information technology, engineering and mathematics, along the lines already set out by the Assembly in Resolution 2343 (2020) mentioned above;

11.3. provide continuing training and make it accessible, so that the entire population can enjoy the benefits of digital tools;

11.4. ensure equal access to seed funding, venture capital funding and the acquisition of business skills in the field of digital technologies.

Resolution 2510 (2023)

II SÉRIE-D — NÚMERO 16_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

70