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IB DP Digital Society HL: 5.2 Governance and Human Rights (STAGE TWO): Explore and investigate challenges

  • Writer: lukewatsonteach
    lukewatsonteach
  • Sep 16
  • 8 min read

Updated: Sep 18

5.2 Governance and Human Rights | STAGE TWO: Explore and investigate challenges

Students explore sources and investigate their extended inquiry focus by considering some of the following questions.

  • What is the relationship between digital systems and this challenge?

  • What is the nature and scope of this challenge in digital society?

  • What course concepts, content and contexts will be most helpful to consider with this challenge?

  • How does this challenge manifest itself at local and global levels?

  • Who are the specific people and communities affected by this challenge?

  • What are some impacts and implications related to this challenge?




Governance and Human Rights Challenges: Key Statistics and Insights for IB DP Digital Society


Key Findings:

  • Escalating Global Conflicts: There are 56 active conflicts in the world today (the most since WWII), with 61 active conflicts reached in 2024 being the highest since 1946, and 97 countries experiencing declining peacefulness IpbGlobal Security.

  • Cybersecurity Crisis: Cyberthreats are estimated to cost $24 trillion by 2027, with over 100 cyber incidents having potential to undermine international peace and security identified in the past year United NationsUnited Nations.

  • Democratic Backsliding: Democracy continued its decline in 2023, with four in nine countries worse off than in 2018, while currently there are 91 democracies and 88 autocracies worldwide International IDEACapacity4dev.

  • Massive Displacement: 123.2 million people were forcibly displaced at the end of 2024, reaching an unprecedented 120 million in May 2024 United NationsUNSD.

  • Digital Discrimination: Digital technology represents a new source of discrimination, with women holding only 26.7% of tech employment and algorithmic bias digitizing and amplifying sexism UN NewsEnterprise Apps Today.

  • Workplace Discrimination Surge: The EEOC received 88,531 new discrimination charges in 2024 (9% increase), with 40% of Black workers reporting workplace discrimination EEOCWalker Law.


5.2 Governance and Human Rights

Conflict, Peace and Security

Global Conflict Escalation:

  • There are 56 active conflicts in the world today, which is the most since the second World War (International Peace Bureau - Global Peace Index 2024)

  • Despite rising global conflicts, which reached a record high of 61 active conflicts in 2024 — "the most since 1946" (UN Security Council - With Conflicts at Highest Since 1946)

  • 97 countries have experienced a decline in peacefulness in 2024, which marks a record for any given year since the beginning of the index (International Peace Bureau - Global Peace Index 2024)


Civilian Casualties and Violence:

  • In 2023, civilian casualties in armed conflicts surged by a staggering 72 per cent, the steepest rise since 2015 (UN Statistics Division - SDG Goals Report 2024)

  • By 2023, civilian casualties had soared to over 33,400, nearing the 2015 peak (UN Statistics Division - SDG Goals Report 2024)

  • Palestine is the most dangerous and violent place in the world in 2024. 81% of Palestine's population is exposed to conflict, ACLED records 35,000 fatalities in the past 12 months (ACLED - Conflict Index 2024)


Digital Warfare and Cybersecurity Threats:

  • The 2024 Global Risks Report underscores cyberthreats as one of the most serious challenges of our time, estimating potential cybercrime costs of $24 trillion by 2027 (UN Security Council - Digital Breakthroughs Must Serve Betterment of People)

  • Over the past year, more than a hundred cyber incidents with the potential to undermine international peace and security were identified (UN - A New Era of Conflict and Violence)

  • Recent levels of violence have been unprecedentedly high, with several 'record-breaking' months in the past year. At the beginning of 2025, conflict event rates are expected to grow by 15% (ACLED - Conflict Index 2024)


Forced Displacement:

  • At the end of 2024, 123.2 million people worldwide were forcibly displaced as a result of persecution, conflict, violence, human rights violations and events seriously disturbing public order (UNHCR - Global Trends 2024)

  • The number of forcibly displaced people reached an unprecedented 120 million in May 2024 (UN Statistics Division - SDG Goals Report 2024)


Participation and Representation

Democratic Decline:

  • Democracy continued its recent decline in 2023, with notable challenges emerging with regard to Representation and Rights (International IDEA - The Global State of Democracy 2024)

  • On balance, four in nine countries were worse off in 2023 than they had been in 2018, while only one in four had improved (International IDEA - The Global State of Democracy 2024)

  • The report suggests that there are currently 91 democracies and 88 autocracies in the world (V-Dem Democracy Report 2024)


Digital Government Development:

  • The global EGDI average has increased overall with the proportion of the population lagging in digital government development decreasing from 45.0 percent in 2022 to 22.4 percent in 2024 (UN E-Government Survey 2024)

  • For the first time, Member States with very high E-Government Development Index (EGDI) values, comprise the largest share, accounting for 39 per cent of the total number of countries assessed (UN E-Government Survey 2024)


Women's Political Participation:

  • As of 1 June 2024, there are 27 countries where 28 women serve as Heads of State and/or Government. At the current rate, gender equality in the highest positions of power will not be reached for another 130 years (UN - Democracy)

  • Only six countries have over 50% women in their lower houses of parliament: Rwanda (61%), Cuba (56%), Nicaragua (54%), Andorra, Mexico, New Zealand, and the UAE (each 50%) (UN - Democracy)

  • However, 21 countries have less than 10% of women in parliament, with some having no women at all. Gender parity in national legislatures is not expected to be achieved before 2063 at the current rate of progress (UN - Democracy)


Youth Participation Challenges:

  • Digital exclusion limits youth political engagement and participation

  • Traditional democratic institutions struggle to adapt to digital-native generations

  • The 2024 elections super-cycle year falls fittingly into an era of radical uncertainty, with candidates and political parties using potentially transformational policy agendas to court nearly 3 billion voters (International IDEA - The Global State of Democracy 2024)


Digital Democracy Gaps:

  • Many democracies lack comprehensive digital participation frameworks

  • Why are we immobilized on digital governance while artificial intelligence races ahead in a data goldrush? (UNDP - Human Development Report 2023-24)

  • Digital tools for civic engagement remain underdeveloped or inaccessible to many populations


Diversity and Discrimination

Workplace Discrimination Statistics:

  • The EEOC received 88,531 new charges of discrimination in fiscal year 2024 alone, reflecting a more than 9% increase over the number of charges filed in fiscal year 2023 (U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission - 2024 Annual Performance Report)

  • Four out of ten black workers report experiencing discrimination or unfair treatment in the workplace (Walker Law - Workplace Discrimination Statistics 2024)

  • 27% of Black men and 23% of Black women have reported experiencing workplace discrimination, with minimal variation across income levels (DOIT Software - 2024 Diversity in the Workplace Statistics)


Digital Gender Discrimination:

  • Digital technology – the product of an industry that is predominantly male - represents a new source of discrimination and bias (UN News - Digital technology new source of discrimination against women)

  • Rather than presenting facts and addressing bias, technology based on incomplete data and badly-designed algorithms is digitizing and amplifying sexism – with deadly consequences (UN News - Digital technology new source of discrimination against women)

  • Women hold only 26.7% of tech employment, while men hold 73.3% of these positions (Enterprise Apps Today - Diversity in Tech Statistics 2024)


Racial and Ethnic Disparities:

  • According to the World Justice Project Rule of Law Index, 70% of countries have seen race discrimination worsen between 2021 and 2022 (ElectroIQ - Race Discrimination Statistics 2024)

  • Globally, one out of five people have experienced race discrimination in some form (ElectroIQ - Race Discrimination Statistics 2024)

  • Job resumes with traditionally white-sounding names get 50% more callbacks than traditionally black-sounding names (ElectroIQ - Race Discrimination Statistics 2024)


Digital Inclusion Challenges:

  • 243 million people may need help accessing services because their identity documents are non-standard or outdated (affects migrants, refugees, and marginalized communities) (Sumsub - Addressing the Digital Divide in 2025)

  • 96 million people experience challenges in verification processes because their appearance differs from their ID photos due to medical conditions or other factors (Sumsub - Addressing the Digital Divide in 2025)


LGBTQ+ Workplace Discrimination:

  • When applying for jobs, nearly a quarter (23.7%) of LGBTQ+ Americans have experienced discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity (Druthers Search - Diversity & Inclusion Workplace Statistics 2024)

  • In the European Union, 19% of LGBTQ+ men and 21% of LGBTQ+ women experienced discrimination at work in 2019, but transgender employees specifically reported much higher proportions of discrimination (36%) (Druthers Search - Diversity & Inclusion Workplace Statistics 2024)


Systemic Inequality in Digital Access:

  • The gender digital divide is fast becoming the new face of gender inequality (UN News - Digital technology new source of discrimination against women)

  • Online spaces are not safe for women and girls, as they have been attacked, targeted, or denigrated on the internet (UN News - Digital technology new source of discrimination against women)


Key Challenges:

  • Algorithmic bias perpetuates and amplifies existing discrimination

  • Digital identity systems often fail to accommodate diverse populations

  • AI systems trained on biased data reproduce discriminatory outcomes

  • Limited diversity in tech development teams affects product design and functionality

  • Digital platforms can become venues for harassment and discrimination


BIBLIOGRAPHY

Conflict, Peace and Security


Participation and Representation


Digital Society : Diversity and Discrimination


Additional Resources

IB DP HL Digital Society student studying Diversity and Discrimination
IB DP HL Digital Society student studying Diversity and Discrimination

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2025 IBDP DIGITAL SOCIETY | LUKE WATSON TEACH

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