LAHORE ( GUEST WRITER Hafiza Ayesha Khalid )
Technology: Not a luxury But a Necessity
Technology has become an integral part of our lives. Today, the world is getting so dependable on technology that is tough to imagine life without technology. I mean, literally, at every instant of time we are surrounded by technology. It is being used everywhere and every time whether we are working or sleeping. Yes, we can’t deny the fact that we need technology; it is important for us because it has undoubtedly made lives so much easier and comfortable for us. It has fastened our lives in a variety of ways like today communication is rapid, movement is swift, interaction is quick, action is easy, and travel has sped up.
Unequal Access to Technology
Though we are using technology in every field of life, but still the access and approach to technological advancements throughout the world is unequal. Many countries, today, do not have readily available and equal access to technologies like the way internet is accessed or other social opportunities that are being provided in many countries easily will not even be available in other countries. In many countries that do not have equal access to technology, many people lose their lives every year just because they are not able to approach the advance technological equipment that may save their lives.
Medical Technologies
Technology has brought a lot of positive changes in the medical field dramatically. It has altered the way for the care and cure of patients. Medical technologies include an extensive range of objects extending from syringes, injections and wheelchairs to several operative instruments. It is a crucial task for developing nations like Pakistan to have access to all the necessary medical equipment. Every year millions of children die before reaching their fifth birthday just because of unhygienic, unsafe and unsanitary medical devices. This situation could be avoided if these developing countries have at least appropriate access to affordable, compulsory and simple medical devices. If we as a team become able to achieve such goals which include safer, more appropriate and more sanitary equipment then the death rate because of unequal access to medical technology will largely reduce.
Educational Technologies
Open access to online education and jobs with the advancement in technology have democratized education in a lot of ways. It doesn’t matter where you live and what is your status or class, you can get yourself educated online in addition to getting several handsome career making opportunities. Educational technology involves practices that in any form refers to teaching and learning with the help of technology. The problem of unequal access to technology is getting raised because more privileged and developed countries manage to get better access to these educational as well as job opportunities while the ones which can’t afford advance technology fail to access the same opportunities. Access to online technological educational advancements is highly unequal in several countries because of cost and funding issues. Technology can be much powerful in making this world full of talented individuals f we support its equal access to learning and teaching opportunities in every country.
Let Technology Increase Equality
Yes, I strongly believe that every individual on this planet should have equal access to technology no matter in which country he is located and what caste, culture or creed he belongs to.
Technology can play a vital role in increasing equality among countries only if we allow it to do so. Today, we are moved towards digitization and we are not comparing computers and humans anymore because computers and humans are working together in this 21st century. People are more attracted to self –based learning these days because it gives them a freedom from the temporal boundary of school education.
Opinion of Digital Advocates
Digital advocates believe that technology can help world increase equality and peaceful environment. They believe that by supporting equitable access to digital advancements, we can bridge the socioeconomic gaps between countries. They further say that equitable access does not only include providing latest devices and connectivity but to provide every individual with the opportunity to enhance learning as well as finding valuable employment opportunities. There should be clear and equitable access strategies for availability of technologythroughout the world to prevent several countries from digital isolation in order to increase the probability of benefitting from technology.
Possible Solutions to Increase Equitable Access to Technology
Awareness Campaigns
We should run certain world-wide campaigns that would aware people about latest technologies, how to use them and also make them realize that certain technologies today are much important for humans as they benefit them with comfortable lives.
Fundraising Programs
Today, the two main reasonsdeveloping countries lack advanced technologies and adequate resources is the lack of funds and economic progress. We should setup some fundraising programs to make developing countries able to have access to advanced technologies. By collecting funds for digital technology, we will create an atmosphere of friendliness and peace all around the world where people would care about making lives easy by helping others through technology.
Donating Workable Machines
We need to realize that developing countries are also a part of the world and if they will lack easy access to technological advancements it will affect all the other countries too in economic and trade aspects. So, if we as a whole world focus on these developed nations and would benefit them by donating our still workable machines and other technologies, it would eventually benefit the whole world and would bring much positive change in the trade and economic system of the world.
Author’s Bio:
I am Hafiza Ayesha Khalid, a Computer Science graduate from PUCIT, Pakistan, a freelance and a technical writer who loves penning down life experiences, biographies, technical blogs, property blogs, new fashion trends and business related articles. I am passionate about technical writing because it combines my two interests – writing and technology – in almost seamless ways. I feel a little bit more of myself, when writing, because it makes me connect with the universe and helps in realizing that I am still alive.
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