More needs to be done to develop technologies that can help developing countries, a new report says.
Design for the Developing World: Christopher Mattson at TEDxBYU
The recent study concludes that companies and governments are doing too much technology research in the Global North, sometimes called the developed world. Experts say the technology gap is contributing to growing inequality between different parts of the world.
“Developed countries generate the majority of revenue (or so the thinking goes), and therefore building technology that is accessible and useful to people in underdeveloped countries is not a priority,” Art Shaikh, CEO of software company CircleIt, told Lifewire in an email interview. “The other reason is a bias that exists within the tech industry. Because many countries are seen as poor, they are also seen as having an inferior understanding of technology and therefore not ‘getting’ the latest developments.”
The study’s authors find that science, technology and innovation research is not focused on the world’s most pressing problems, including taking climate action, tackling complex underlying social issues, addressing hunger and promoting good health and well-being. Global research and innovation is not focused on achieving the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a framework to address and drive change across all social justice and environmental issues.
