Asia-Pacific

In Sri Lanka girls make up a little over 50% of the school population, but just 20% of those studying Information and Communications Technology. Girls in Technology, launched by the Internet Society Sri Lanka Chapter in 2018, wants to change that.

Recently, the Federal Parliament of Nepal introduced two pieces of legislation: the Individual Privacy bill, which deals with online privacy and data protection, and the Information Technology bill, which aims to replace the existing Electronic Transaction Act and has a broad scope.

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) – more commonly known as drones – can be a powerful tool to speed up the post-disaster assessment process.

How can we increase the number of women working in cybersecurity? According to a 2013 report, women represented just 11% of the global cybersecurity workforce. That number may be rising, but women are still woefully underrepresented.

The Internet Society Kazakhstan Almaty Chapter has a solution.

Kyrgyzstan’s education system faces shortages of teachers and textbooks. To address this, engineer Erjigit Imamov developed Bilim Bulagy, a $10 microcomputer providing offline access to Khan Academy and Wikipedia. With support from the Internet Society Foundation’s Beyond the Net Grant, the Kyrgyz Chapter partnered with the Ministry of Education to pilot the devices in 50 schools and libraries. The project strengthens learning opportunities, supports rural communities, and helps preserve Kyrgyz culture.

The Internet Society Nepal Chapter, with support from the Internet Society Foundation’s Beyond the Net Grant, introduced a telemedicine program to deliver healthcare to remote Himalayan communities. Using Internet connectivity and digital platforms, local health workers can consult with doctors in urban centers, access medical records, and provide timely care. The initiative reduces travel burdens, improves health outcomes, and strengthens resilience in underserved areas.