Bridging the digital divide--Internet Access & skills development for the digital age for Rural Bluefields, Nicaragua (Rural Caribbean Coast

Access Denied & Connection Not Available Bridging the digital divide--Internet Access & skills development for the digital age for Rural Bluefields, Nicaragua (Rural Caribbean Coast) Author, Shanel Wilson

Abstract

The North and South autonomous regions in Nicaragua a.k.a Rural Bluefields make up more than 50% of Nicaragua’s landmass and are home to less than 10% of the national population1 . Bluefields known to the indigenous people as Región Autónoma Del Atlántico Sur (RAAS) of the Southern Atlantic Autonomous Region (RAAS, the Spanish acronym) of Nicaragua, and is one of the few cities in a largely rural region–which since 1894 was granted self-rule. Bluefields is a port city (see Figures 1-2) that has historically been dominated by Creole people. Bluefields is sacred land to the largest Indigenous residents on the Caribbean east coast of Nicaragua. The residents of Bluefields have a unique quality of life. Humble living; a consistent buzzing outdoor central market, with weekly worship with the Moravian church. Additionally, the land of Bluefields is accessorized with a medium sized wooden boat dock filled with professional fishermen and merchants to import and export their goods. President Ortega does not accept Bluefields as a self-governing territory. Despite being a diverse city with historic importance, Bluefield’s offers weak infrastructure and limited economic opportunities for locals. “Connection Not Available” and “Access Denied” are notifications familiar to those living in nations/areas with Internet accessibility and quality digital learning when trying to connect to the vast network that connects computers and other technology devices all over the world. Through the Internet, people can share information, access almost any type of material, and communicate from anywhere—as long as internet connection is granted. Access to the Internet and skills development for the digital economy is an urgent investment to fixing a plethora of issues rural Bluefield’s is facing. Fixing internet accessibility will increase skills development programs that will provide new dimensions to the way trade, agriculture, and healthcare is providing the rural Caribbean people the resources and innovation needed to ensure clean water, and advance education to produce a competitive economy.

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic exposed digital economic inequalities. Two thirds of the world’s children & teenagers have no internet access at home2 . The numbers of those in Bluefields Nicaragua is startlingly lower. According to Static, 3 iInternet access in Nicaragua is up by 1 million users, but of that 1 million about 40.8% of those live-in rural Nicaragua, and those on the Caribbean coast are less than 20%. Lack of internet access and skills development in the digital

1 (INIDE (Instituto Nacional de Información de Desarrollo) [National Institute of Development Information], 2016) 2 (The International Telecommunications Union, n.d.) 3 https://www.statista.com/statistics/942400/number-internet-users-nicaragua/

age is costing the next generation their futures. A study conducted by Aprendo y Emprendo, a non-profit, in 2016 found that nearly three-fourths of youth ages 14 to 29 in five Caribbean Coast municipalities know how to use the internet, and the vast majority are accessing the web on cell phones. 4 Although users in Nicaragua have wide access to digital platforms and websites, the regime of President Daniel Ortega and its allies have asserted control over the online landscape through the manipulation of information, politically motivated use of copyright claims to remove content, and new legislation that severely punishes users who disseminate supposedly false or harmful content. Social media platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube are resources used on new cell phones with those that can afford one – which has exposed some to living in a digital world. It is important to point out that, accessing social media websites vs a search engine website, let’s say Google are vastly different mediums for accessing knowledge.Consequently, social media can only assist with skills development on a micro level due to the algorithm. Social Media Algorithms are based on what a user likes and what is popular in the culture. If a youth likes basketball videos, make-up tutorials, and dance routine videos, their news feed will be personalized with just that– basketball videos, make-up tutorials, and dance routines and will not allow access to information unless the youth begins to like other niches. On the other hand, exposure to accessing a search engine, is not based on an algorithm, which has the ability to teach youth how to use critical thinking skills by researching questions about different ways of life and or how technology can be used for teaching, such as online learning programs, in home learning which was critical during the global pandemic. See, access to a search engine and digital media beyond social media expands the intellect beyond one's personal interest. In contrast, in order for youth to develop and compete globally and progressively, skills development and sustainable internet access needs immediate implementation.

Nicaragua has the largest youth bulge in Latin America with more than 2 million school-aged children, according to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, Unesco. Half of all children and adolescents live in poverty. Digital literacy is something youth see as important to their futures and is lacking in their education. The high price of the internet in Nicaragua is the primary obstacle that impedes the access to the internet for the majority of Nicaraguans. How much is the price of the internet in comparison to the United States? In Nicaragua, if you live near a primary city such as Leon, Managua or Granada, you can opt for Claro services, Claro offers internet service via USB or Turbonett (fiber optic). Which cost about $30 a month, but is not known to have the best service due to speed and consistency. For those living outside of the city centers, such as Rural Bluefields, IDEAY or IBW which can set up a private tower at their house provides the fastest, most consistent internet. It's costly though at US $70-$130 a meg of download speed. Bluefields residents can absolutely not afford this when

4 Aprendo y Emprendo: https://www.creativeassociatesinternational.com/stories/microsoft-usaid-to-expand-nicaraguan-youth-ac cess-to-technology/

the average salary is less than US $300 dollars a month5 (See Figure 3). A weak economy persists in Bluefields, and there are strong incentives for bi- or trilingual Creoles, who speak Kriol, Standard English, and Spanish, to leave the area. Some take their families with them while others leave many behind to survive on remittances. This labor force leaves to work in call centers (businesses that subcontract customer support services or sales, for example) in Managua, Panama, or elsewhere. Many Nicaraguan migrants also head to Costa Rica to work in agriculture, manufacturing, or the service industry6 . Others leave for extended contracts to work on cruise ships, where they work for tips, without vacation (except breaks between contracts), often with the end result of work-related injuries. Better economic opportunities outside of the country also drive some Nicaraguan migration. Brain drain and other migration drivers exacerbate the dilution of Bluefield’s diversity, weaken community cultural fabric, and threaten family structures.Today 's agriculture uses sophisticated technologies such as robots, temperature and moisture sensors, aerial images, and GPS technology. These advanced devices and precision agriculture and robotic systems offer businesses to be more profitable, efficient, safer, and more environmentally friendly. 7 Without special skill training, the agriculture industry in Nicaragua is behind and unable to export their resources to the rest of the world. Nicaraguan youth on the Caribbean coast want to pursue technical careers, in fields such as mechanics, industrial electricity, computer science, cable wiring and business administration. Which is essential to the country ’s development. 8

The access to affordable and reliable internet still remains though, in order to teach youth technical skills, Internet access is needed. In 2016 the UN General Assembly passed a non-binding Resolution that “declared internet access a human right. 9” This created inspirational headlines around the world, but the Resolution did not address governmental responsibility to provide access to all. Instead it focused on stopping governments from “taking away ” access. Furthermore, the Resolution was resultant from Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and is considered “ soft law ” as opposed to “hard law ” , meaning that nation-states do not face significant penalties for not adhering to it. In March 2019, the opposition-oriented Civic Alliance for Justice and Democracy (ACJD) and the Ortega government signed an agreement to strengthen and guarantee the rights of citizens; the pact formed the basis for a set of protocols that included protecting the constitutional rights of freedom of expression, access to information, and press freedom. 10 In March 2021, however, the ACJD stated that the government had not met its obligations and demanded compliance.

5https://www.dentonsmunoz.com/en/insights/alerts/2021/march/8/nicaragua-new-national-minimum-w age:Sector/https://ni.usembassy.gov/business/economic-data-reports-nicaragua/ 6 Binational study: The state of migration flows between Costa Rica and Nicaragua, 2001 7https://nifa.usda.gov/topic/agriculture-technology#:~:text=Today 's%20agriculture%20routinely%20uses %20sophisticated,safer%2C%20and%20more%20environmentally%20friendly. 8https://www.creativeassociatesinternational.com/stories/businesses-youth-talk-tech-education-nicaragu a 9 Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 10 Julio López, “Proponen protocolo sobre libertad de expresión [Protocol on freedom of expression proposed], ” Onda Local, July 23, 2019, https://ondalocal.com.ni/noticias/735-protocolo-libertad-expresion-info….

Recommendations

Now is the time to demand direct action from nation-states, like Mexico’s Constitutional Amendment, declaring access a human right with governmental responsibility to provide access for low-income people. The resulting policy response must address the primary difficulty facing many: a lack of income. The internet has become simply too vital in its ability to disperse information on how to stay safe during the covid-19 crisis, its ability to allow many to work from home, and in helping us educate our children at home, for anyone to go without. Quality Internet installation and digital skills development is essential to the quality of life based off of the current digital age we’re living in. Engagement with private sector groups like the Superior Council of Private Enterprise is essential for achieving sustainable youth employment in the Caribbean Coast region, where minimal education, sparse businesses, limited labor demand and few entrepreneurship initiatives undermine youths’ ability to access decent jobs.United Nations enforcement is requested to make sure the access is sustainable and implemented in educational training to assist in the future of the dreamers of Bluefields Nicaragua who dream of an advanced quality of life.

Figure 3 : Department of Nicaragua Economic Sector/https://ni.usembassy.gov/business/economic-data-reports-nicaragua/

References

1. (INIDE (Instituto Nacional de Información de Desarrollo) [National Institute of Development Information], 2016)

2. The International Telecommunications Union, n.d

3. https://www.statista.com/statistics/942400/number-internet-users-nicaragua/

4. Aprendo y Emprendo: https://www.creativeassociatesinternational.com/stories/microsoft-usaid-to-expand-nicaraguan -youth-access-to-technology/

5.U.S Embassy Nicaragua: Sector/https://ni.usembassy.gov/business/economic-data-reports-nicaragua/ https://www.dentonsmunoz.com/en/insights/alerts/2021/march/8/nicaragua-new-national-min imum-wage

6. Binational study: The state of migration flows between Costa Rica and Nicaragua, 2001 https://publications.iom.int/system/files/pdf/binationa_study_cr-nic.pdf

7.USDA.Gov/Arigculture Technology. https://nifa.usda.gov/topic/agriculture-technology#:~:text=Today 's%20agriculture%20routinely% 20uses%20sophisticated,safer%2C%20and%20more%20environmentally%20friendly.

8. (https://www.creativeassociatesinternational.com/stories/businesses-youth-talk-tech-education -nicaragua, n.d.)

9. (Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, n.d.) https://www.un.org/sites/un2.un.org/files/udhr.pdf

10. (Julio López,

“Proponen protocolo sobre libertad de expresión [Protocol on freedom of expression proposed], ” Onda Local, July 23, 2019, https://ondalocal.com.ni/noticias/735-protocolo-libertad-expresion-info…., 2019)

11. (n.d.). Retrieved fromhttps://freedomhouse.org/country/nicaragua/freedom-net/2021.