This section provides metadata for the data reported for this indicator at the national level and at the global level.
- Goal
Goal 4: Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all
- Target
Target 4.4: By 2030, substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship
- Indicator
Indicator 4.4.1: Proportion of youth and adults with information and communications technology (ICT) skills, by type of skill
- Series
Not Applicable
- Related indicators
4.5, 5.b, 8.5, 8.6, 8.b, 9.2, 9.c
- Custodian agencies
International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
Field | National | Global |
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Organisation | Not available for this indicator |
International Telecommunication Union (ITU) |
Contact organisation unit | Not available for this indicator |
Not available for this indicator |
Contact email address | Not available for this indicator |
Not available for this indicator |
Field | National | Global |
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Definition and concepts | Not available for this indicator |
Definition: The proportion of youth and adults with information and communications technology (ICT) skills, by type of skill as defined as the percentage of individuals that have undertaken certain ICT-related activities in the last 3 months. The indicator is expressed as a percentage. Concepts: The indicator on the proportion of individuals with ICT skills, by type of skills refers to individuals that have undertaken certain computer-related activities in the last three months. (Please note however, that from 2020 this data will be collected with a different scope and response categories, as explained below.) Computer-related activities to measure ICT skills are as follows:
A computer refers to a desktop computer, a laptop (portable) computer or a tablet (or similar handheld computer). It does not include equipment with some embedded computing abilities, such as smart TV sets, and devices with telephony as their primary function, such as smartphones. Most individuals will have carried out more than one activity and therefore multiple responses are expected. The tasks are broadly ordered from less complex to more complex, although there is no requirement for a respondent to select simpler tasks before selecting a more complex task. A decision was made in 2018 to modify the formulation of this indicator (at the 6th Expert Group meeting on ICT Household Indicators (EGH), in Geneva), to make the indicator independent of the device used. This data will be collected from member states from 2020 onwards, and incorporate changes to some of the skills categories that were agreed in the 6th and 7th EGH meetings. The revised and new skills categories will be:
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Unit of measure | Not available for this indicator |
Percentage of individuals |
Classifications | Not available for this indicator |
Activities are classified according to agreement at the Expert Group meeting on ICT Household Indicators (EGH). Furthermore, for countries that collect this data through an official survey, and if data allow breakdown and disaggregation, the indicator can be broken down by region (urban/rural), by sex, by age group, by educational level (ISCED), by labour force status (ILO), and by occupation (ISCO). ITU collects data for all of these breakdowns from countries. |
Field | National | Global |
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Data sources | Not available for this indicator |
Countries can collect data on this indicator through national household surveys. Data for different countries are compiled by ITU. |
Data collection method | Not available for this indicator |
Data for different countries are compiled and provided by ITU. |
Data collection calendar | Not available for this indicator |
Various. Each survey has its own data collection cycle. ITU collects data twice a year from Member States, in Q1 and in Q3. |
Data release calendar | Not available for this indicator |
ITU releases data twice per year on ICT skills. |
Data providers | Not available for this indicator |
Bodies responsible for conducting household surveys (including National Statistical Offices and Government Ministries) in which information on the use of ICT skills is collected. Data is compiled by ITU. |
Data compilers | Not available for this indicator |
ITU |
Institutional mandate | Not available for this indicator |
As the UN specialized agency for ICTs, ITU is the official source for global ICT statistics, collecting ICT data from its Member States. |
Field | National | Global |
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Rationale | Not available for this indicator |
ICT skills determine the effective use of information and communication technology, so this indicator may therefore assist in making the link between ICT usage and impact. The lack of such skills continues to be one of the key barriers keeping people from fully benefitting from the potential of information and communication technologies. These data may be used to inform targeted policies to improve ICT skills, and thus contribute to an inclusive information society. This is also a core indicator of the Partnership on Measuring ICT for Development's Core List of Indicators, which has been endorsed by the UN Statistical Commission (in 2014). |
Comments and limitations | Not available for this indicator |
This indicator is relatively new but based on an internationally-agreed definition and methodology, which have been developed under the coordination of International Telecommunications Union (ITU), through its Expert Groups and following an extensive consultation process with countries. It was also endorsed by the UN Statistical Commission in 2014[1], and again in 2020. The indicator is based on the responses provided by interviewees regarding certain activities that they have carried out in a reference period of time. However, it is not a direct assessment of skills nor do we know if those activities were undertaken effectively. 1 As one of the Core List of Indicators of the Partnership on Measuring ICT for Development. ↑ |
Method of computation | Not available for this indicator |
This indicator is calculated as the proportion of in-scope who have carried out each activity in the past 3 months, regardless of where that activity took place. The indicator is expressed as a percentage. Figures supplied are expressed as a proportion of the in-scope population. |
Adjustments | Not available for this indicator |
No adjustments are made to the data submitted by countries. |
Treatment of missing values (i) at country level and (ii) at regional level | Not available for this indicator |
• At country level None by data compiler. • At regional and global levels None by data compiler. |
Regional aggregations | Not available for this indicator |
Regional and global aggregates are not currently available for this indicator. |
Methods and guidance available to countries for the compilation of the data at the national level | Not available for this indicator |
ITU Manual for Measuring ICT Access and Use by Households and Individuals 2020: https://www.itu.int/en/ITU-D/Statistics/Pages/publications/manual.aspx |
Quality management | Not available for this indicator |
Data are checked and validated by the ICT Data and Analytics (IDA) Division of the ITU. Countries are contacted to clarify and correct their submissions. |
Quality assurance | Not available for this indicator |
The guidelines of the Manual for Measuring ICT Access and Use by Households and Individuals 2020 are followed. |
Quality assessment | Not available for this indicator |
The guidelines of the Manual for Measuring ICT Access and Use by Households and Individuals 2020 are followed. |
National | Global |
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Not available for this indicator |
Data availability: As of 2020, 91 economies have ever reported ICT skills data since 2005. Time series: 2005 onwards Disaggregation: Since data for the indicator on the proportion of individuals with ICT skills, by type of skills are collected through a survey, classificatory variables for individuals can provide further information on the differences in ICT skills among men/women, children/adults (age groups), employed/unemployed, etc., according to national requirements These data may be used to inform targeted policies to improve ICT skills, and thus contribute to the development of an inclusive information society. |
National | Global |
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Not available for this indicator |
Sources of discrepancies: None |
National | Global |
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Not available for this indicator |
URL: International Telecommunication Union: https://www.itu.int/en/ITU-D/Statistics/Pages/default.aspx References: ITU Manual for Measuring ICT Access and Use by Households and Individuals 2020: https://www.itu.int/en/ITU-D/Statistics/Pages/publications/manual.aspx |